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My Grandfather's Letters
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A WW2 Site
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 These are my Grandfather's letters. Some are written many years before he joined the war effort and underscore the difficulty of living in that time. Other letters are written from boot camp, both at Leavenworth and Camp Wolters, TX. They describe a man sometimes confident and proud of his accomplishments, and other times unsure of his place in "this man's army", as he put it. The rest of the letters, at best, hint at the plodding pace of war as he fought in France. Because of the censor's watchful eye, his letters are almost benign as they speak of simple things like wishing for hot coffee, fresh pancakes, and music. Nevertheless, they allowed me to glimpse into the heart and mind of a man I never knew. To see what our fighting brave and their families at home gave up to preserve the freedoms we can so easily take for granted.
My original goal was to simply put the letters on the web so they could be read by anybody with an interest. However, it has turned into a labor of love and the site continues to grow. I am continually amazed by all of those who bravely answered their country's call, and especially the brave men of the 79th Division. This site is dedicated to all those who fought and those who never came home, who lie mute beneath rank upon rank of white marble markers and other unmarked places forever known but to their god.
~ Michael D. Ketchum
"Heroes are often the most ordinary of men". ~ Henry David Thoreau
Tell Your Story
Private Letters invites you to share your memories of World War II with future generations. Veterans, family members, friends, and others can submit stories by email, phone, or video clip, as well as sharing your photographs. Help tell the story of the significant contributions made by the men and women of the war effort. Those who served, those who supported on the homefront, those whose lives were affected by the war - we want to hear from all of you.
Are you a veteran or were you a civilian supporting the war effort at home? What stories did your parents, grandparents, or friends tell about being in the war or living through the war years? Whether you fought on the battlefront or felt the impact on the homefront, your story is important and helps enrich our understanding of our collective past. Thank you for sharing your story!
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Share your story...
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Share your memories of World War II. Help tell the story of the significant contributions made by the men and women of the war effort. Whether you fought on the battlefront or felt the impact on the homefront, your story is important and helps enrich our understanding of our collective past. We want to hear from you!
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Do you want to write for Private Letters? We encourage anyone to write for us, as many of our best ideas come from freelancers. Before you read our writers' guidelines, we offer these tips on how to get a freelance gig with us.
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Through the efforts of many, this site is made possible. Here, we thank all of those who have contributed, commented, or simply sent materials our way to add to the site. Our sincerest thanks! Keep it coming!
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