Samet family papers, 1929-1955 and undated, bulk 1943-1945

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Summary

Creator:
Samet family and Jewish Heritage Foundation of North Carolina
Abstract:
The Samet family is a family of Lithuanian-Jewish descent that settled in North Carolina in the early part of the twentieth century. This collection mainly consists of the correspondence between Sydney Samet and his family in North Carolina while he was training at various United States Army airfields during World War II. Also included are letters sent to Sydney's mother and sister by the United States War Department and the family members of other soldiers from Sydney’s bomber crew after they were declared missing in August 1944. Topics represented in the collection include army life, Army Air Force training, and updates from family members and acquaintances.
Extent:
1.8 Linear Feet
Language:
Materials are in English.
Collection ID:
RL.11039

Background

Scope and content:

The Samet family papers consist of the letters Sydney Samet sent his family while he was training in aviation and gunnery at various United States Army airfields during World War II. Also included are letters sent to Sydney by his mother Sophie Samet that were not delivered after he was declared missing in action (August 1944), as well as letters sent to Sophie and Sylvia Gray (Grablow) by the United States War Department and the family members of other missing soldiers from Sydney’s bomber crew. The correspondence includes commentary on army life, classes, and physical training as well as updates from family members and acquaintances. Additional materials include Samet’s World War II military service documents and medals, photographs, newspaper clippings, high school papers, and receipts.

Biographical / historical:

The Samet family is a family of Lithuanian-Jewish descent that settled in Mount Airy (Surry County) and Greensboro (Guilford County), North Carolina, in the early part of the twentieth century. Morris Samet and Sophie I. (Vogel) Samet settled in Mount Airy in 1913, where they owned and operated the Samet Furniture Company. The couple had five children: Lester (1913-1982), Freeman (1915-1930), Sylvia (1917-1997), Jerome (1918-2004), and Sydney (1924-1944). Sylvia and her husband Joseph Gray (Grablowski/Grablow) founded the Carolina Sales Company in Greensboro in 1937.

Sydney Samet matriculated at North Carolina State University in 1942 but left to serve in the United States Army Air Force in early 1943. After several months of aviation and gunnery training, he was deployed to Italy as a bombardier in the 724th Bomb Squadron, 451st Bomber Group in August 1944. Samet was declared missing in action after his plane was lost over Austria on August 23. In 1945, he was declared dead, non-battle, by the United States War Department. Jerome Samet was a civilian aviation instructor before enlisting in the Army Air Force Reserve in March 1944.

Acquisition information:
The Samet family papers are a gift of Sidney Gray. They were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as part of the Jewish Heritage Foundation of North Carolina Collection in June, 2014.
Processing information:

Processed by: Mary Mellon, July 2015

Accessions described in this finding aid: 2014.0138

Arrangement:

The correspondence appears first and is arranged chronologically. The remainder of the collection is arranged chronologically.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

Using These Materials Links:

Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.

All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. The library may require up to 48 hours to retrieve these materials for research use.

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Samet family papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.