war letters
Apr. 16th, 2012 02:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
archersangelsome time ago i read war letters: extraordinary correspondence from american wars edited by andrew carroll. an interesting book, IMHO. i don't have any letters or e-mails (they want those too) to contribute. if you do, check them out.
from their site www.warletters.com;
thoughts on leaving home
basic training (and boot camp) experiences
descriptions of combat
love letters
descriptions of what it's like to be wounded in action
descriptions of heroic acts performed by fellow servicemen and women
letters by prisoners of war
letters written in code
descriptions of historic events
encounters with prominent military leaders
humorous letters (including "gripe" letters and funny anecdotes)
letters of advice to children or younger siblings back home
"Dear John" rejection letters
letters from the home front describing life and current events in the United States
"last" letters written by servicemen or women before they were killed in action
reflections on war (including letters by pacifists and war protestors)
letters written to or in memory of fallen comrades
letters by and about women and minorities who've served in the armed forces, particularly war nurses; Navajo code talkers; and Hispanic, African-American, and Japanese-American troops
letters written by different generations of troops from the same family (for example, letters by a service member who served in the Civil War, followed by letters from his son or daughter serving in World War I, followed by letters from his son or daughter in World War II, and so on)
letters by veterans written months, years, or even decades after their service that offer observations or opinions that could not be (or were not) expressed during wartime
letters by service members from other nations
above all, any well-written letter (or e-mail) that describes an incredible story or articulates thoughtfully the nature of war and its profound effect on those involved. One overall criterion to consider is: Would you find the letter intriguing/dramatic/humorous/historic/insightful if you did not know the person who wrote it?
from their site www.warletters.com;
Launched on November 11, 1998, the Legacy Project is a national, all-volunteer initiative that encourages Americans to honor and remember those who have served—or are currently serving—this nation in wartime by seeking out and preserving their letters and e-mails home. We believe these personal messages offer unique insight into warfare and the thoughts and perspectives of those who have experienced it firsthand.
Wartime letters and e-mails are also powerful reminders that U.S. troops are not just soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen; they are husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, fathers and mothers. Every one of these individuals has a distinct voice and personality, and our mission is to preserve their stories—as expressed in their own words—for posterity.
The Legacy Project is looking for correspondence from all of America's wars and on any subject matter. We prefer previously unpublished material, but letters and e-mails that have already appeared in local newspapers, self-published books, and/or family web sites are all acceptable.
thoughts on leaving home
basic training (and boot camp) experiences
descriptions of combat
love letters
descriptions of what it's like to be wounded in action
descriptions of heroic acts performed by fellow servicemen and women
letters by prisoners of war
letters written in code
descriptions of historic events
encounters with prominent military leaders
humorous letters (including "gripe" letters and funny anecdotes)
letters of advice to children or younger siblings back home
"Dear John" rejection letters
letters from the home front describing life and current events in the United States
"last" letters written by servicemen or women before they were killed in action
reflections on war (including letters by pacifists and war protestors)
letters written to or in memory of fallen comrades
letters by and about women and minorities who've served in the armed forces, particularly war nurses; Navajo code talkers; and Hispanic, African-American, and Japanese-American troops
letters written by different generations of troops from the same family (for example, letters by a service member who served in the Civil War, followed by letters from his son or daughter serving in World War I, followed by letters from his son or daughter in World War II, and so on)
letters by veterans written months, years, or even decades after their service that offer observations or opinions that could not be (or were not) expressed during wartime
letters by service members from other nations
above all, any well-written letter (or e-mail) that describes an incredible story or articulates thoughtfully the nature of war and its profound effect on those involved. One overall criterion to consider is: Would you find the letter intriguing/dramatic/humorous/historic/insightful if you did not know the person who wrote it?
