Omega Xi Fraternity WWII Newsletters
Scope and Contents
The Omega Xi Fraternity WWII Newsletters consist of three bound books organized by year containing correspondence from former or current members of San Diego State University's Omega Xi Fraternity during World War II.
Letters were sent to Ed Costenborder, who compiled the letters and typed them into a bi-weekly newsletter that was then distributed to servicemen across the globe. Costenborder later had the newsletters bound into these books. Each of the three books is labeled by year and contains that year’s newsletters. The collection contains approximately 78 editions of the newsletter, each dated and arranged chronologically.
Dates
- Creation: 1943-1945
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The copyright interests in some or all of these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the creator(s) of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of archival collections is such that multiple creators are often applicable and copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. In any case, the user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, obtaining publication rights and copyright infringement. When requesting images from Special Collections & University Archives for publication, we require a signed agreement waiving San Diego State University of any liability in the event of a copyright violation.
Historical Note
The Omega Xi fraternity at San Diego State University was founded in 1926. During WWII, many of its members joined the military service. Ed Costenborder created the Omega Xi newsletter in 1943 as a way to connect and reach fellow Omega Xi members serving across the globe. Constenborder’s bi-weekly newsletter, though not officially titled, was commonly known among Omega Xi members and the wider SDSU community and was often referenced alongside the larger Aztec News Letter, created by Dr. Lauren C. Post. Constenborder published the Omega Xi newsletter from 1943 to 1945. The newsletter featured updates from fraternity members as well as friends outside Omega Xi. They often wrote about the countries they were stationed in or other Aztecs they had met during their service. Those who were not enlisted shared details from the homefront, including weddings, funerals, and group gatherings. These letters allowed members to stay connected with family and friends. Costenborder’s newsletter primarily contained anecdotes or personal updates, with only very few details about the war because of censorship and security concerns.
Extent
.75 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Joseph M. Suozzo, 2005
- Title
- Omega Xi Fraternity WWII Newsletters
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Laia Williams
- Date
- July 2, 2026
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections & University Archives Repository