1st Lieutenant Frances Maude Pleasants Collection, 1943-1947

GOGA 37165

Golden Gate National Recreation Area
ATTN: Park Archives and Records Center
Building 201, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
[Mailing Address]	Park Archives and Records Center
Presidio of San Francisco
Building 667 McDowell Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94129
[Physical Address]	

http://go.nps.gov/gogacollections

Phone: 415-561-2807
Fax: 415-441-1618

Introduction

Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Park Description

Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), a unit of the National Park Service, was established by an Act of Congress on October 27, 1972. The 80,000-acre park encompasses a great diversity of cultural and natural resources in and around the Bay Area of San Francisco, California.  It includes Muir Woods National Monument and Fort Point National Historic Site.

The park holds almost five million three-dimensional and documentary artifacts dating from the time before European contact to the present.  They are preserved and maintained for the public by the Division of Cultural Resources and Museum Management, which includes the Park Archives and Records Center (PARC). 
Park Archives and Records Center (PARC)
Historical Note

GGNRA and the sites within it have been collecting records since their inception. The PARC was established in 1994 to receive records and archival collections from the U.S. Army and the Presidio Army Museum after the closure of the Presidio of San Francisco as an Army base. The collections continue to grow through the donation of materials by private individuals, transfer of inactive park records by staff, and acquisition of relevant documentary materials.
Scope of Collections

The archival collections in the custody of the GGNRA document the history and activity of the various sites and groups associated with the park, described in the park’s Scope of Collection Statement (2009). 

The PARC contains U.S. Army and National Park Service facility records for the Presidio of San Francisco, forts and coast defense sites in the area, and various GGNRA sites.  Subjects and sites documented include the United States Army (Bear Flag Revolt, Civil War, Spanish-American War, Mexican War, World War I, Army Air Service, Coast Artillery, Army medical facilities and issues, World War II, Army support during natural disasters, Viet Nam War, and Operation Desert Storm); Alcatraz Island (Army fortress, Army Disciplinary Barracks, U.S. Penitentiary, and Indian Occupation); the natural resources conservation movement resulting in the establishment of Muir Woods National Monument; agriculture in the Marin Headlands; Point Reyes Peninsula and Bolinas Lagoon areas; U.S. Lifesaving/Coast Guard Services; San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906; Panama Pacific International Exposition of 1915; natural resources and environmental issues; and preservation of open space in the Bay Area.  Also included in the PARC are many of the GGNRA administrative records that document the development and expansion of this park.
Visiting the PARC for Research

The PARC is located in an historic brick building, formerly a cavalry stable, on the Presidio of San Francisco.  Collections and archives support services are available for walk-in research during open hours or by appointment.  Please contact the PARC (see below) for the current schedule of reference hours.

Copy Services 

Black and white photocopy services for standard and oversize materials are available on-site.  Color photocopying, photographic duplication, and duplication of other media are available by special arrangement.  Researchers are charged for all duplicates on a cost-recovery basis.

Rights and Publications

Copies are provided under the Fair Use provisions of the Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.).  Researchers must complete a Permission to Publish Contract form with the Park Archivist for any other intended use of these materials (such as publication or exhibit).  Researchers should consult with staff regarding their needs for commercial or public use of materials.  
Legal Status of Holdings\

Many holdings of the PARC were acquired/transferred prior to the establishment of the archives program, and have little documentation on their provenance (source/chain of custody).  All materials received after 1994 have been accessioned and documented.  If provenance cannot be determined, the PARC assumes that it owns the property rights, but does not own the copyright. Staff will provide assistance, but it is the responsibility of the researcher to acquire permission from the copyright holder to cite, quote, or reproduce collection materials.

Collections developed by or for government organizations or operations are in the public domain and may be used, cited, and quoted without restriction, provided they are properly credited to the PARC.  The archives contain no national security classified materials.
Donations to the Collections

The PARC welcomes donations of a variety of historic materials that meet the criteria in the Scope of Collections Statement and do not duplicate existing holdings. Collections are maintained for research use in perpetuity; there is no guarantee that items will be exhibited.  If you own materials that may be relevant to the themes of GGNRA and would like to deposit them in the PARC, please consult with an archivist.

How to Use This Finding Aid

This document contains information on the contents and significance of an archival collection.  It includes descriptive information; repository information; collection history; biographical or historical information on creators of the collection; and a container or folder list of everything in the collection.  After reviewing the finding aid, please discuss your specific needs with the archivist who will locate and retrieve the relevant materials. 
How to Use the Collections
Please follow all rules and regulations regarding research, the use of the research facility, and the handling of collection materials.  This will protect the collections so they continue to be available and usable for generations to come.  If anything appears to be out of order or damaged, please notify a staff member.
Contacts
For additional information on the use of archival collections at GGNRA, please contact the Park Archives and Records Center: 

	Mailing Address: 
	National Park Service					
	Golden Gate National Recreation Area
	Attn:  Park Archives and Records Center		
	Fort Mason, Bldg. 201
	San Francisco, CA  94123

	Physical Address:
		Park Archives and Records Center
		Presidio of San Francisco
Building 667 McDowell Avenue
		San Francisco, CA 94129
		Phone:	(415) 561-2807
		Fax: (415) 441-1618
1st Lieutenant Frances Maude Pleasants Collection, 1943-1947

Title
	1st Lieutenant Frances Maude Pleasants Collection, 1943-1947 
	Alternate Title: Frances M. Pleasants Collection 

Dates
	Inclusive: 	1936-1971
	Bulk:		1943-1947
	
Collection Number
Catalog Number GOGA 37165 (Accession Number GOGA-3498 and GOGA-3711)

Provenance
The collection was donated by David L. Hymes, Frances M. Pleasants son. The archival collection was originally inside of a trunk with her uniform, hats, shoes, bag, patches, and other personal items. The objects and the archive materials are cataloged separately. 

Volume
	3.7 LF [Five doc boxes, one O.S. box, one O.S. folder, and one map roll] 

Description
This collection depicts Frances Maude Pleasants’ active duty at Letterman General Hospital in the Presidio of San Francisco, her beginnings with the Women’s Army Corps, and membership to the Presidio Officers’ Clubs during and following World War II in San Francisco and other locations where she trained and served. The collection is comprised of papers, photographs, orders, receipts, letters, booklets, and other ephemera, newspapers, instructions, memorandums, and her honorable discharge papers. It is divided into four series to show the progression of her military career starting when she joined the WAC in 1943 until receiving her honorable discharge papers at Letterman in 1947 and items representing her civilian life.  

History
Frances Maude Pleasants was born on August 13, 1919 in Richmond, Virginia to Curtis Pride and Lottie R. Pleasants. After graduating high school in 1936 she worked as a clerk in a Doctor’s office until 1942, then as a telephone operator in Virginia. She was accepted to the Women’s Army Corps  training in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1943 for processing then later transferred to Fort Des Moines, Iowa for WAC class #57 training. Frances graduated as a Tech-5 surgical technician at Hot Springs, Arkansas as 2nd Lieutenant for the WAC. In 1944, she was assigned for duty as a book keeper at Camp Beale, California with the Pacific Division Engineer. Frances took duties at Letterman General Hospital at the Presidio of San Francisco in 1945 where she first served supervising medical records, supplies, and equipment. In 1947, Frances was promoted as 1st Lieutenant of the WAC and after completing her years of service she received her honorable discharge papers in 1947. After her career with the Army, Frances married Ellis Hymes in 1951 and they had two children, David & Debra. The family lived in San Francisco where she worked with AT&T and the San Francisco Unified School District until her death on January 31, 2007.

Preferred Citation
“Golden Gate NRA, Park Archives, 1st Lieutenant Frances Maude Pleasants Collection, 1943-1947, GOGA 37165”

Index
	
	Camp Beale (Calif.)
	Fort Des Moines (Iowa)
	Hot Springs (Ark.)
	Letterman General Hospital (San Francisco, Calif.)
	Officers' Club  
	Pleasants, Frances Maude 
	Presidio of San Francisco (San Francisco, Calif.)
	San Francisco (Calif.) 
	Women’s Army Corps (U.S.) 

Formats
	Booklet
	Correspondence
	Forms
	Ephemera
	Letters
	Memorandums
	Napkins
Negatives
	Newspapers
	Pamphlets
	Papers
	Photographs
	Photograph Album 
	Postcards
	Receipts
	
Processing Information
	Processed by Terryn Liljedahl,
	Completed in November 2012 
	Re cataloged by Terryn Liljedahl 
	Completed in December 2015

Series Description 

Series I: Papers
Volume: 	Fourteen [14] folders 	 
Arrangement:	Subject 
Formats: 	Booklets
		Bulletins
		Forms
		Newspapers
		Newsletters
		Orders	
		Papers
		Pamphlets
		Song book
	
Description: Papers regarding Frances Maude Pleasants service in the WAC, at Letterman General Hospital, and her duties throughout her career with the Army. Items include special orders, hospital papers, forms, receipts, letters, newspapers, and memorandums. Series I is separated into four Sub-Series. 

Sub-Series A: Letterman General Hospital [LGH] and Presidio 
Volume: 	Ten [10] folders
Arrangement:	Format then Chronological
Formats:	Paper.
		Newspapers.
		Booklets.
		Orders
		Forms
Description:	Papers that represent Frances Pleasants’ time at Letterman General Hospital from 26 May 1945 to 11 September 1947. Including special orders, hospital orders, letters, Letterman Officers Club papers, the Foghorn: Letterman General Hospital Newspaper, LGH bulletins, hospital inventories, forms, and her honorable discharge papers. 

Sub-Series B: Women’s Army Corps [WAC] 
	Volume: 	Three [3] folders 
	Arrangement:	Chronological
	Formats:	Paper
			Orders
			Forms
			Letters
	Description:	Papers, a song book, orders/forms, letters, travel and leave papers, 	rules, and instructions of training specific to the Women’s Army Corps when Frances 	first joined in 1943. 

Sub-Series C: Army 
	Volume: 	One [1] folder
	Arrangement:	Chronological
	Formats:	Paper
	Description:	General issued Army papers comprised of memos, a furlough form, an 	envelope, and a packet on the Vietnam War. 

Series II: Correspondence 
Volume: 	Six [6] folders  	 
Arrangement:	Format then Chronological 
Formats: 	Paper
Description:	The correspondence series contains Holiday cards and announcements from friends, written letters from friends in duty with her and telegrams about the health of her father while she was stationed at LGH along with the ticket stubs, attached to the telegrams, which were used to visit her family in Virginia while her father was sick. Series II is divided into 2 sub-series: Holiday Cards and Personal Letters 

Sub-Series A: Holiday Cards 
	Volume: 	Three [3] folders 
	Arrangement:	Chronological 
	Formats:	Paper
	Description: 	Holiday and announcements sent from friends and family from 1926-1955
Sub-Series B: Personal Letters
	Volume: 	Three [3] folders 
	Arrangement:	Chronological 
	Formats:	Paper 
	Description:	Personal letters, dated 1943-1956, from family, friends from her years in service, and early letters from her husband, Ellis Hymes. 

Series III: Ephemera
	Volume:	Six [6] folders, O.S. Folder, and one [1] map roll 
	Arrangement:	Format
	Formats:	Hymn Book
			Napkins
			Paper
			Postcard
			Pamphlets
	Description:	The ephemera series depicts Frances Pleasants life off duty while 	she 	was stationed at LGH in San Francisco. It includes napkins from San Francisco 	restaurants, a coaster, a map of the world, pamphlets, a news clipping of a poem, a 	receipt, and a hymn book written out to Frances from her family. 

Series IV: Images
	Volume: 	Fifteen [15] folders and one O.S. folder
	Arrangement:	Format
	Formats:	Photographs
			Postcards
			Negatives 
Description:	Photographs of family, friends, leisure, and time spent in service, and small souvenir photographs of California and Tennessee. There are also copy negatives of some of the photographs at the end of the series. 

Series V: Newspaper
	Volume:	One [1] folder and one O.S. folder 
	Arrangement:	Size 
	Formats:	Newspaper
			Newspaper clippings  
Description:	This series contains several newspapers like The San Francisco Call, 1947, The White House Co Worker, 1943, and The Western Star, 1947.	This series includes various article cutouts with subjects of WAC, announcement of friends, and army related stories. See also Series I for Foghorn. 

Box and Folder List

Collection Title:	1st Lieutenant Frances Maude Pleasants Collection, 1943-1947 
Collection Number:	GOGA 37165 

Box
 #	Folder #	Description	
		Series 1: Papers 	
		Sub-Series A: Letterman General Hospital [LGH] and Presidio 	
1	1	LGH and Presidio Papers, 1944-1945 	
1	2	LGH and Presidio Papers, 1946 	
1	3	LGH and Presidio Papers, 1947- 	
1	4	Honorable Discharge 	
1	5	Foghorn Newspaper, November 1945- October 1946 [F 1/3]	
1	6	Foghorn Newspaper, November 1946- May 1947 [F 2/3]	
1	7	Foghorn Newspaper, June 1947- December 1947 [F 3/3]	
1	8	LGH Foghorn, 22 March 1965- 30 June 1969 	
1	9 	LGH Foghorn, 28 July 1969- 18 December 1969	
1	10	LGH Foghorn, 19 January 1970- 1 February 1971 	
		Sub-Series B: Women’s Army Corps [WAC] 	
2	1	WAC Papers, 1943-1945 	
2	2	WAC Papers, 1945-1947 	
2	3	WAC Veteran Papers 	
		Sub-Series C: Army 	
2	4	Army Papers, 1940-1946 	
		Series 2: Correspondence 	
		Sub-Series A: Holiday Cards 	
2	5	Holiday Cards, no date 	
2	6	Holiday Cards, 1926-1945 	
2	7	Holiday Cards, 1945-1955	
		Sub-Series B: Personal Letters 	
3	1	Letters, 1943 	
3	2	Letters, 1944-1945 	
3	3	Letters, 1946-1954	
		Series 3: Ephemera 	
3	4	Hymn book	
3	5	Pamphlets [religious, theater, history, army, souvenir guide]	
3	6	Pamphlets [travel, religious, opera] 	
3	7	Ephemera, miscellaneous [coasters, napkins, menu, business cards, stamps, foreign money, matchbooks]	
4	1	Ephemera, miscellaneous [tickets, soap wrappers, business cards, brochures, flyers, programs] 	
4	2	Handwritten recipe cards 	
		Series 4: Images 	
4	3	Postcards, .001 - .068 	
4	4	Postcards, .069 - .088	
4	5	Photographs [Out West, San Francisco, Christmas, Tahoe and Races], .089 - .158 	
4	6	Photographs [Family, Philadelphia, Fort Oglethorpe], .159 - .277	
4	7	Photographs [WAC/ Civilian Life], .278 - .358	
4	6	Photographs [WAC/ Civilian Life], .359 - .469	
4	8	Photographs [Family/Friends, San Francisco, “The Post,” Yosemite], .470 - .544	
4	9	Photographs [WAC at Bend, Oregon, St. Lewis, Fall of 1946], .545 - .631	
5	1	Photographs [Frances, Monterey, California, Camp Beale, Women’s Group Photos], .632 - .734	
5	2	Photographs [Personal Photographs, WAC Portraits], .735 - .798	
5	3	Photographs [Portraits, Fishing in San Francisco, Family Gatherings, Frances in Uniform, Friends, San Francisco with Chuck Harrell], .799 - .891	
5	4	Photographs [Frances in uniform, friends, WAC training, portraits, 3rd platoon 20th officer candidate class], .892 - .916	
5	5	Photographs [miniature images of San Francisco/ Bay Area, Muir Woods, Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Redwood Highway], .917 - .982 	
5	6	Negatives [Copies from photographs]	
5	7	Negatives [Copies from photographs] 	
		Series 5: Newspaper	
5	8	Newspaper clippings [announcements, WAC, Army, and cartoons], World War II years  	
		Series 4	
6		Photographic Album (16 pages) 	
SC Range 20x24	OS 1		
		Series 1, Sub-Series D	
		Cardboard stencil, “F M PLEASANTS, L 308444,” photocopy of War Department folder	
		Series 3	
		Vitamin Food Chart, cat poster, photocopy of “Marina Music Shop” envelope	
		Series 4	
		•	O.C.S. Picture of Fort Des Moines, Iowa, June 1945 
•	O.C.S. Class No. 57, First WAC training center, Fort Des Moines, 26 May 1945 
•	Portrait of Marguerite Chapman 	
		Series 5	
		Newspapers 	
		Series 3	
Map Roll		50x38” Cleartype General Map of the World, on Mercator’s Projection, Copyright, American Map Company Inc., N.Y., c.1940. [including a color coated chart of countries flags. Yellow is axis powers, Blue are neutral countries, and pink is United Nations]