The Importance of WWII Letters

Why is it important to keep and preserve WWII letters and artifacts? I believe there are three significant reasons that will address that question. First the letters and memorabilia are an important part of our family’s history as they provide a unique way to know our parents, to understand them and to appreciate them long after they have departed. They also provide a rare first person perspective of that time and place.

Second each letter and artifact is part of a much larger story…our nation’s history. WWII is more than just a chapter in our school’s history books, it represents a time when everyone came together to defend our freedom in the war zones and on the home front. Those dates, historical figures, and battles come to life when one of our family members is represented on those pages…whether on front line in the face of battle, behind the lines performing one of the myriad essential functions of the service troops, or working for the war effort back home. Our family’s historical items add to the context of a particular campaign and the ultimate outcome. Plus, these artifacts underscore the reality that each person including our relatives played an important role in the total effort.

Finally, these pieces of our past are an important reminder today of how precious our freedom is, how challenging it was to defend, and how many people took part in that effort. I think most of us take for granted the results of WWII and perhaps that was the intention all along. To finally breathe in the glorious sense of freedom in a county with such potential and promise was what all our families wanted. Plus it was why they were willing to sacrifice so much to make that happen.

Yet for most of my life, I took for granted the abundant freedoms our family enjoyed after the war…a comfortable home, plenty of food, access to a good public education, freedom of religion, loyal friends, solid medical care, ability to travel, a safe community and the potential to create my life in my own unique way. Now, after pulling the pieces together for my parent’s WWII story, I don’t take these freedoms for granted any longer. I truly value and appreciate living in this great country. While we are not a perfect nation, we are still young and must continue to grow on the foundation of democracy established by our forefathers and defended over the years by our ancestors and in WWII, our parents. That is why these items are so valuable. They jog our memory and hopefully shake us out of our complacency.

Fortunately, more people including several of my friends and colleagues are now coming across their family’s WWII memorabilia. Surprisingly, many had no idea this family history even existed as most of these discoveries have come as a result of their elder’s housing transitions. When siblings move an aging parent into an assisted living facility or other elder care housing situations, they sometimes find long forgotten boxes and suitcases filled with correspondence, newspapers and photos sent during the war. Others in handling the estate of a decreased parent or selling the family home are also making similar discoveries. While only a few knew about the existence of these documents, all of them have had the same reaction. Oh my goodness! Now what am I supposed to do with all of this?

One colleague shared with me a poignant story about her mother who was on her death bed. She told her daughter about some love letters that her husband had sent her during the war and where they were located. Then she requested that her daughter retrieve them but under no conditions were they to be read. Instead her dying wish was to have the letters spread in her casket close to her heart. This faithful daughter complied with her mother’s last request and never read any of her father’s letters to her mother. After hearing this story, I wondered about the special connection her parents had and that after more than 60 years, these letters were still precious to her.

There’s another story told by a colleague whose father served in the Navy, and she, like me had discovered several hundred letters written by her dad when he was stationed in the Pacific. An added bonus to this story is that her father is still alive and is able to talk with her about his service. She explained that at first he had been reluctant to share his experiences, but with the letters as an ice breaker, they were able to have many thoughtful and insightful conversations. At this point she has not decided what she will do with his letters, but right now she is content to listen and learn from her dear father a Navy seaman who served in the dangerous waters of the Pacific.

This next story truly filled me with joy and happiness for the good fortune of my dear friend. Several years ago she had gotten an unexpected Christmas gift from her mother, and it had an important WWII connection. When she unwrapped this heavy package, she was surprised to find a large binder containing letters, news articles and information about her grandfather an Army officer who had spent much of his service in Saipan. Her grandfather had always been special to her, but she had not known him through the eyes of his military service. She was so proud to have this treasure which contained so many important pieces of her family history. Together we read several of the letters her grandfather had sent to his wife back in Utah and in each I heard the familiar sentiments that my father had expressed to his wife when he too was so far away. Longing to be home, grateful for her love, and determined to do all he could to bring the war to a close were the consistent messages they both conveyed. My friend and I were moved to tears by these brave men whose patriotism and commitment had taken them far, far away from their loved ones in order to protect and defend our freedom. This beautiful and lovingly prepared gift will be a family heirloom for generations to come. Plus it will be an ongoing reminder of the important work her grandfather and his troop did in the Pacific.

Sadly, there are other less positive stories of what happened to some family’s war era correspondence. A couple of my friends reported that their mothers purposely threw the letters away as a symbol of the end of the challenging war era. Other families consciously destroyed them as they did not want the personal contents made public. I have often wondered why my mother kept daddy’s letters and so many aspects of her life during those years. I doubt if she ever thought that they would someday become the framework for a book about her soldier husband and their early married life during the war. While I will never know her motivation for holding onto that past, I am so grateful she did.

When I first discovered my parent’s letters, I had no idea what I would find or learn about them. In fact, I was actually afraid of what the contents might reveal. So I read the first ones with much trepidation and anticipation of something unfortunate possibly being uncovered. Yet with each letter, I grew more curious about their life and confident in my ability to understand and respect them no matter what the letters said. I became so drawn into their story that in the end it really didn’t matter. So I patiently read each letter, diary entry, postcard and scrapbook note with the utmost care, appreciation, love, and with a gentle eye. I am truly grateful for every word they wrote as I am now forever connected to these two special people in a most unique and profound way.

I know that there are many letters and family WWII stories still waiting to be discovered. These treasures could be in your attic now…safely protected by years of neglect or even knowledge of their existence. They could be tucked away in a remote closet or under the basement steps. Perhaps they will call you to find them or better yet, a family member might finally talk about their WWII story and share their memories. I encourage you to seek these out… one way or another. Patiently read each letter with care, appreciation, love, and a gentle eye. Then listen as these letters will tell you what you need to do next.