War Letters: Extraordinary Correspondence from American WarsSimon and Schuster, 2008 M06 23 - 512 pages In 1998, Andrew Carroll founded the Legacy Project, with the goal of remembering Americans who have served their nation and preserving their letters for posterity. Since then, over 50,000 letters have poured in from around the country. Nearly two hundred of them comprise this amazing collection -- including never-before-published letters that appear in the new afterword. Here are letters from the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, the Cold War, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf war, Somalia, and Bosnia -- dramatic eyewitness accounts from the front lines, poignant expressions of love for family and country, insightful reflections on the nature of warfare. Amid the voices of common soldiers, marines, airmen, sailors, nurses, journalists, spies, and chaplains are letters by such legendary figures as Gen. William T. Sherman, Clara Barton, Theodore Roosevelt, Ernie Pyle, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Julia Child, Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, and Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Sr. Collected in War Letters, they are an astonishing historical record, a powerful tribute to those who fought, and a celebration of the enduring power of letters. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 85
Page ix
... U.S. Army's " Disgraceful " Loss at Manassas ( Bull Run ) / 50 Imprisoned Confederate Spy Rose O'Neal Greenhow Excoriates U.S. Secretary of State William Seward for the " Military Dictatorship " He and President Lincoln Have Established ...
... U.S. Army's " Disgraceful " Loss at Manassas ( Bull Run ) / 50 Imprisoned Confederate Spy Rose O'Neal Greenhow Excoriates U.S. Secretary of State William Seward for the " Military Dictatorship " He and President Lincoln Have Established ...
Page xvi
Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars Andrew Carroll. After Learning That His First Child Has Just Been Born , Capt . George Rarey Exclaims to His Wife , June : " I'm a Father- I Have a Son ! Thank You , Junie ! " / 226 Army ...
Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars Andrew Carroll. After Learning That His First Child Has Just Been Born , Capt . George Rarey Exclaims to His Wife , June : " I'm a Father- I Have a Son ! Thank You , Junie ! " / 226 Army ...
Page xvii
Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars Andrew Carroll. 1st Lt. George S. McGovern Shares with His Friend Bob ... U.S. Army , Writes to His Wife After the Liberation of the Dachau Concentration Camp / 270 & S. Sgt . Horace Evers ...
Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars Andrew Carroll. 1st Lt. George S. McGovern Shares with His Friend Bob ... U.S. Army , Writes to His Wife After the Liberation of the Dachau Concentration Camp / 270 & S. Sgt . Horace Evers ...
Page xviii
Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars Andrew Carroll. Extended Correspondence 2nd Lt. Sidney Diamond Writes ... U.S. Army's First Major Defeats in Korea , Pfc . Donald Luedtke Tells His Mother His Fate Could Have Been Much Worse ...
Extraordinary Correspondence from American Wars Andrew Carroll. Extended Correspondence 2nd Lt. Sidney Diamond Writes ... U.S. Army's First Major Defeats in Korea , Pfc . Donald Luedtke Tells His Mother His Fate Could Have Been Much Worse ...
Page xxi
... U.S. Navy SEALs , Wishes His Mom a Happy Valentine's Day from Vietnam— the ... American Forces Are Up Against / 398 Airman 3 / C Robert Zwerlein Sends a High ... Army " and the Country It Represents " / 412 Extended Correspondence Pfc ...
... U.S. Navy SEALs , Wishes His Mom a Happy Valentine's Day from Vietnam— the ... American Forces Are Up Against / 398 Airman 3 / C Robert Zwerlein Sends a High ... Army " and the Country It Represents " / 412 Extended Correspondence Pfc ...
Contents
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Pfc Richard Cowan Just Before the Battle of the Bulge Writes | 263 |
1st Lt James Carroll Jordan in a Letter to His Wife Details the Atrocities | 270 |
2nd Lt Richard Wellbrock Chronicles His Remaining Days as a Prisoner | 277 |
to Remind Her How Much He Loves Her Shares His Fears About | 284 |
Pfc Bill Madden Wounded Twice in Combat Describes to His Father | 297 |
A Survivor of the USS Indianapolis Disaster RT 2C Herbert J Miner II | 305 |
Cpl Robert S Easterbrook Writes to His Parents | 313 |
Shot During One of the U S Armys First Major Defeats in Korea | 323 |
Capt David Embree a Veteran of Numerous Battles Reflects in a Letter | 91 |
Extended Correspondence | 101 |
James Paxton Relates to His Friend Val Giles the Torments He Endured | 107 |
In the Bitter Aftermath of the Civil War Union Soldier | 117 |
Social Activist Jane Addams Warns President Woodrow Wilson | 125 |
Ships Cook 3C Hugh Alexander Leslie Writes Home | 131 |
In a Cable to Gen Peyton March Gen John Black Jack Pershing | 139 |
On the Eve of the First Major U S Offensive at SaintMihiel | 147 |
Goldie Marcellus Mails Her Husband Edward a Love Letter | 154 |
A Soldier Sends a Dramatic Yarn to His Friend Elmer J Sutters | 162 |
American Red Cross Nurse Maude B Fisher Writes to the Mother | 170 |
Ned Black Visiting England in 1939 Relates to His Family in the United | 182 |
President Roosevelt Receives an Extraordinary Appeal | 188 |
Pvt Morton D Elevitch in Basic Training Informs His Mother | 195 |
Maxine Meyers Working as a Welder Describes to Her Husband Nove | 203 |
1st Lt Paul Skogsberg Flirts with a Beautiful War Nurse Named | 210 |
Extended Correspondence | 217 |
Shizuko Horiuchi an American Citizen Detained for Being Japanese | 223 |
Army Nurse Vera Lee Writes to Her Family About a Deadly | 230 |
Gen George S Patton Jr Removed from the Main Action on DDay | 238 |
Extended Correspondence | 246 |
CPHM Fritz Houser Describes to His Parents the Critically Wounded | 256 |
In a Letter Home Sgt John Wheeler Harshly Condemns the Communists | 327 |
Writing from the Osaka Army Hospital Pvt Bob Hammond Describes | 334 |
Extended Correspondence | 342 |
Sgt Don Gore Informs His Girlfriend That | 351 |
Ardith Morrisseau Gently Chastises Her Former Boyfriend Lt jg Carroll | 358 |
Demoralized by His Experiences in Korea Pfc Jack Train | 363 |
In a Letter to Reverend G A Zema Helen Keller Denies | 369 |
Writing from Moscow Francis Gary Powers Sends His First Letter | 381 |
The Sister of an Army Specialist Killed in Vietnam | 391 |
In a Private Letter to Lt Col Lewis L Millet | 398 |
Chaplain Ray W Stubbe Writes to His Parents from the Marine Base | 406 |
In a Letter to His Parents L Cpl Stephen Daniel Laments the Death | 412 |
in a Series of Short Descriptive Letters to Anxious Family Members Back | 416 |
The Parents of Sandy Scheuer Receive a Series of Letters | 426 |
Ambassador Graham A Martin Dispatches Three Urgent Telegrams | 435 |
Sgt Tom Shaffer Jokes with His Friend Kathleen Williams | 447 |
Capt Samuel G Putnam III Chronicles for His Wife and Family | 453 |
Gen H Norman Schwarzkopf and Gen Colin Powell Console | 463 |
1st Lt Erin Shuler Writes an Email from Bosnia to Her Family Back | 469 |
Editors Note and Acknowledgments | 489 |
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Common terms and phrases
American Andrew Carroll Army attack battle bomb boys brother camp casualties combat command Communist Dan Eldon Darling dead Dear death Douglas Fairbanks Jr Douglas MacArthur enemy feel fighting fire forces German girl guess guns guys happy hear hell Hitler hope hospital James Carroll Jordan Japs John Julia Child killed Korea Kuwait land later Legacy Project letter live look March Marines Michael Durant miles military months morning mother never night Norman Schwarzkopf North officers parents peace planes President prisoners Rebel Reprinted by permission Roy Boehm Saipan sent shell ship shot soldiers Somalia soon South sure tell thing thought told troops U.S. Army Union Viet Viet Cong Vietnam weeks wife William Tecumseh Sherman wonderful worry wounded write wrote young
Popular passages
Page 127 - To such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortunes, everything that we are and everything that we have, with the pride of those who know that the day has come when America is privileged to spend her blood and her might for the principles that gave her birth and happiness and the peace which she has treasured. God helping her, she can do no other.
Page 382 - Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
Page 105 - Then will I share with you the last cracker, and watch with you to shield your homes and families against danger from every quarter. Now you must go, and take with you the old and feeble ; feed and nurse them, and build for them in more quiet places proper habitations to shield them against the weather, until the mad passions of men cool down, and allow the Union and peace once more to settle on your old homes at Atlanta.
Page 183 - I have said this before, but I shall say it again and again and again : Your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars.
Page 26 - Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle Can patter out their hasty orisons. No mockeries for them; no prayers nor bells, Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs,— The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells; And bugles calling for them from sad shires. What candles may be held to speed them all? Not in the hands of boys, but in their eyes Shall shine the holy glimmers...
Page 366 - I have here in my hand a list of 205 — a list of names that were made known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping policy in the State Department.
Page 315 - As a nation we began by declaring that "all men are created equal." We now practically read it "all men are created equal, except negroes." When the Know-nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal except negroes and foreigners and Catholics.
Page 45 - I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so.
Page 20 - There is many a boy here today who looks on war as all glory, but, boys, it is all hell.
Page 45 - The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the government, and to collect the duties and imposts...