ALDEN, John, PAPERS. 1998 unknown cu ft Call Nos. 168.7379 through 168.7378-3 IRIS Nos. 1143100 through 1143103 John Alden grew up in California where he, his brother, and John Merger Dietzel were boyhood friends. John Merger Dietzel became a Lieutenant and served as a pilot in World War II. Mr. Alden felt strongly compelled to have these published memories of Lt. Dietzel added to histories for all to read. This personal collection contains official and unofficial correspondence, as well as copyrighted materials. Included is a booklet, Five Miles Closer to Heaven, written by Chaplain H. F. Wade in 1945. The booklet describes the experiences as a chaplain with military personnel within the India China Division of the Air Transport Command (ATC). It is the story of Lt. John Dietzel and Perry Raybuck after their aircraft crashed in the jungle. Lt. Dietzel later died in another aircraft crash and was buried, with his crew, at the crash site. Additionally, there is a 1943 pamphlet, How To Get Along With The Kachins Shans and Burmans: A Brief Guide to the Peoples of Northern Burma. The pamphlet describes customs and useful phrases in the Kachin and Burmese language.