The Ante papers consist primarily of the World War II-era correspondence of 1st Lieutenant Frank G. Ante, written to Betty Jane Jacober, his sweetheart and, later, wife, throughout his time with the army. The earliest letters in the Correspondence series date to Ante's time in New Albany, Indiana, where he worked for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company; these reveal his loneliness and desire to return to Betty in Cincinnati. Soon after the war broke out, Ante attempted to enlist and, though initially unsuccessful, entered training at Camp Barkeley, Texas, in the late summer of 1942. Ante wrote to Betty daily and shared numerous anecdotes about life in the army, including a description of his time in Officer Candidate School and his experience with censored correspondence. Ante left for England on October 8, 1943, and once in England was assigned to censorship duty; he occasionally mentioned the Army's mail policies, particularly in relation to censorship. In early 1944, Ante frequently commented on the Allied military efforts in Europe, including the D-Day invasion and his experiences as the army marched eastward into Germany. On May 7, 1945, the "very bitter" Ante provided his frank reaction to the massive celebrations that followed the German surrender, criticizing Americans for their joy at an outcome purchased at a heavy human cost. Throughout his letters, Ante was warmly affectionate toward Betty, and he continuously looked forward to his return to Ohio.
Other material in the collection includes V-mail addressed to Ante from his sister, Mary, during his time in Europe, numerous Greeting Cards Betty sent to her husband, and Miscellaneous material including orders for soldiers occupying Germany, two poems, and a newspaper clipping.
Frank Ante was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1919. He moved to New Albany, Indiana, in December 1940 to work for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. After an initially unsuccessful attempt to enlist in the military following Pearl Harbor, Ante joined the army in August 1942, and spent several months training at Camp Barkeley, Texas, before enrolling in Officer Candidate School. Transferred to Fort McPherson, Georgia, after completing the course, he married his prewar sweetheart, Betty Jane Jacober, on March 2, 1943, and soon thereafter embarked for the European theater, where he served in England, France, and Germany, and eventually attained the rank of 1st lieutenant. Following his service, Ante returned to Cincinnati, Ohio; he died in 1973.