Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to all researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred Citation

Max R. Decker Diary, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information

The materials were acquired by Special Collections Research Center on 12/10/2008.

Biographical Note

Max R. Dexter was a long-time railroad worker. His brothers were Carl and Ivan Decker. Max Decker lived in various locales during the Great Depression and World War II including Kansas and Arkansas. Decker joined Civilian Conservation Camp # 743 in the Ozark National Forest. The final diary describes his days in the 302nd Battalion of Artillery at Fort Meade, Maryland, Camp A. P. Hill, Virginia and Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki

Scope and Contents

Six diaries, 1930-1943 (with gaps) of Max R. Decker describing his life during the Great Depression and World War II. Decker is located in Buffalo, Kansas, but he and his brothers hop freight trains traveling through Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Kansas and Iowa. The diaries also describe the family searching for work and camping at various locations. The family ends up in Gaither, Arkansas. Decker joined Civilian Conservation Camp # 743 in the Ozark National Forest. The final diary describes his days in the 302nd Battalion of Artillery at Fort Meade, Maryland, Camp A. P. Hill, Virginia and Camp McCoy, Wisconsin.

Index Terms

Genre/Form of Material:

• Diaries

Topical Term:

• Civilian Conservation Corps (U.S.)
• Diaries--Male authors.
• Great Depression
• World War, 1939-1945

Additional Information