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Letters Home to Sarah

by Guy C. Taylor

Forgotten for more than a century in an old cardboard box, these are the letters of Guy Carlton Taylor, a farmer who served in the Thirty-Sixth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment in the American Civil War. From March 23, 1864, to July 14, 1865, Taylor wrote 165 letters home to his wife Sarah and their son Charley. From the initial mustering and training of his regiment at Camp Randall in Wisconsin, through the siege of Petersburg in Virginia, General Lee's surrender at Appomattox, and the postwar Grand Review of the Armies parade in Washington, D. C. , Taylor conveys in vivid detail his own experiences and emotions and shows himself a keen observer of all that is passing around him. While at war, he contracts measles, pneumonia, and malaria, and he writes about the hospitals, treatments, and sanitary conditions that he and his comrades endured during the war. Amidst the descriptions of soldiering, Taylor's letters to Sarah are threaded with the concerns of a young married couple separated by war but still coping together with childrearing and financial matters. The letters show, too, Taylor's transformation from a lonely and somewhat disgruntled infantryman to a thoughtful commentator on the greater ideals of the war. This remarkable trove of letters, which had been left in the attic of Taylor's former home in Cashton, Wisconsin, was discovered by local historian Kevin Alderson at a household auction. Recognizing them for the treasure they are, Alderson bought the letters and, aided by his wife Patsy, painstakingly transcribed the letters and researched Taylor's story in Wisconsin and at historical sites of the Civil War. The Aldersons' preface and notes are augmented by an introduction by Civil War historian Kathryn Shively Meier, and the book includes photographs, maps, and illustrations related to Guy Taylor's life and letters.

Letters Of A Canadian Stretcher Bearer

by Anna Chapin Ray Anon - R.A.L.

The witty, bitter and caustic memoirs of an anonymous Canadian stretcher-bearer who served during some of the fiercest fighting on the Western Front in 1916 and 1917 before being invalided back to his native land."FOR military reasons, it has been judged wiser to withhold the full name of the Canadian Stretcher Bearer until the close of the war."However, it may interest his readers to know that he is an Old Country-man, although he is now in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, and earlier had lived in the States. On the 31st May, 1915, he enlisted. Six weeks later, with the earliest of our letters, we find him in England, and rebelling against the unsatisfactory nature of service in what he caustically terms a Safety-First battalion. It was only a matter of time, however, before he caused himself to be transferred to hospital service, crossing to France to take a place as orderly in No. 3 Canadian General Hospital at Boulogne, where he arrived early in 1916. From that time on until the 23rd August, 1917, when he was gassed and sent to Blighty, the story has been left entirely in his own hands, to tell it as convincingly as may be."Since then, he has been, first in hospital in England, then in the First Reserve Battalion, awaiting the call back to service in the trenches."This call, however, is sounding fainter and more remote. A cable has been received, this morning, saying that he is being sent back to Canada, his active service at an end." OTTAWA, Fifth December, 1917

Letters Of A Chasseur À Pied: Letters From A Chasseur À Pied (Williams-ford Texas A&m University Military History Ser. #83)

by Anon Sergeant Robert Pellissier

The amazing story of a French American teacher who left his life at Stanford college to volunteer for the French Army, in the elite chasseurs-à-pied, during the First World War.Although born in France Robert Pellissier in 1882, he moved to America in 1882 to live with his sister. A gifted scholar of ardent professionalism, he studied at Harvard and taught at Williston College and Stanford. However when war broke out in Europe his morals would not allow him to sit idly by whilst France was invaded and European civilisation was under assault. He wrote home obsessively, to his parents, his fiancée and his colleagues describing with great passion the fight for justice that he had embarked on. Filling with wry humour, contemporary political commentary, and most often an sense of the insanity of war. For example, with bitter irony, he quotes the idiocy of an the outdated war manual he had been given in one of his letters-'Any disengaged body of troops should right away march to the firing line'- a death sentence in the trenches!In late 1914 he was posted to the inhospitable mountainous region in the north of France the Vosges, after an abortive offensive earlier the year the French only held the rocky outcrops out of all of the Alsace region. But Pellissier and his comrades would cling on to their foothold tenaciously for national honour; he was wounded and invalided out of the frontline in 1915. He was promoted to become an sergeant in 1916, he returned to the front in time to be engaged in the brutal fighting during the battle of Hartmannweilerskopf where he and his men fought on for 53 days without relief, which could not be effected due to the heavy German bombardment. It was during the battle of the Somme in 1916 that Sergeant Pellissier eventually met his end, at least on the soil of his beloved France.

Letters Of A Civil War Surgeon

by Major William Watson Prof. Paul Fatout

"From September 1862 until May 1865, Major William Watson served as surgeon with the 105th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, which fought at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, and elsewhere. Over the course of three years at war, he wrote 91 letters to his family, in which he describes his own war against death and disease. This well-educated and sensitive young man has left us a variety of impressions of camp life, marches, and battles; of a soldier's matter-of-fact willingness to accept-though not without grumbling-the rigors of his lot, of concern with the job at hand and with immediate needs like food and shelter; and of a veteran's indifference to the flag-waving of professional patriots. In spite of his often acute criticisms of the Union's military leadership, Watson never faltered in his belief in the Union cause and the ultimate outcome of the war nor in his dedication to Lincoln's major goals."-Print ed.

Letters Of Henry Weston Farnsworth, Of The Foreign Legion

by Henry Weston Farnsworth

The French Army have had numerous foreign regiments in its service for centuries; however, few have the mystique and elite status of the French Foreign Legion. It became a haven for the rough, tough, and adventure-seeking crowds of all of Europe. Bred with a fierce and disciplined esprit de corps, these soldiers could expect to fight France's enemies even in the most desperate of circumstances.With the clouds of war gathering over Europe in the early years of the Twentieth Century, the Legion attracted volunteers from even further afield, including the wealthy American adventurer and traveller Henry Weston Farnsworth. He volunteered for service early in late 1914 and was thrown together with a diverse bunch of men from a number of countries, some of whom he would bond with closely. His pen portraits in his letters to his family are filled with these characters and the experiences he had in the front-lines. However, Farnsworth would fight among his new friends for only a few months as the fighting in France grew ever more fierce and his unit was thrown into the battles in Champagne during which he died.

Letters On Strategy Vol. I [Illustrated Edition] (Letters On Strategy #1)

by General August Eduard Friedrich Kraft zu Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen

Includes over 30 maps and plans of the actions described in this volume.'The late Prince Kraft zu Hohenlohe Ingelfingen was not only known as one of Prussia's ablest soldiers, but also as one of the best of German military authors. During the wars of 1866 and 1870 he commanded the Artillery of the Guard, and in the latter portion of the Franco-German struggle he directed the artillery operations against Paris. After the termination of the war he held several high positions of command.His best-known works are:--"On the Employment of Artillery in combination with the other Arms," translated by the late Major Clarke."Letters on Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery," which have been ably rendered into English by Colonel Walford, Royal Artillery."Conversations on Cavalry," recently translated by Captain Maude, late Royal Engineers.The "Letters on Strategy," which are contained in this volume, form an able treatise on this portion of the art of war. They are not to be taken up lightly, or to be dipped into here and there, but conscientiously studied they form a valuable means of instruction in strategical matters, and for this reason they are placed before the British military reader.'-Introduction

Letters On Strategy Vol. II [Illustrated Edition] (Letters On Strategy #2)

by General August Eduard Friedrich Kraft zu Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen

Includes over 30 maps and plans of the actions described in this volume.'The late Prince Kraft zu Hohenlohe Ingelfingen was not only known as one of Prussia's ablest soldiers, but also as one of the best of German military authors. During the wars of 1866 and 1870 he commanded the Artillery of the Guard, and in the latter portion of the Franco-German struggle he directed the artillery operations against Paris. After the termination of the war he held several high positions of command.His best-known works are:--"On the Employment of Artillery in combination with the other Arms," translated by the late Major Clarke."Letters on Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery," which have been ably rendered into English by Colonel Walford, Royal Artillery."Conversations on Cavalry," recently translated by Captain Maude, late Royal Engineers.The "Letters on Strategy," which are contained in this volume, form an able treatise on this portion of the art of war. They are not to be taken up lightly, or to be dipped into here and there, but conscientiously studied they form a valuable means of instruction in strategical matters, and for this reason they are placed before the British military reader.'-Introduction

Letters To My Grandchildren: Lessons For The Future

by Tony Benn

As a diarist I have chronicled the time through which I have lived in meticulous detail: but all that is history. What matters now is the future for those who will live through it.The past is the past but there may be lessons to be learned which could help the next generation to avoid mistakes their parents and grandparents made.Certainly at my age I have learned an enormous amount from the study of history - not so much from the political leaders of the time but from those who struggled for justice and explained the world in a way that shows the continuity of history and has inspired me to do my work.Normality for any individual is what the world is like on the day they are born. The normality of the young is wholly different from the normality of their grandparents.It is the disentangling of the real questions from the day to day business of politics that may make sense for those who take up the task as they will do.Every generation has to fight the same battles as their ancestors had to fight, again and again, for there is no final victory and no final defeat. Two flames have burned from the beginning of time - the flame of anger against injustice and the flame of hope. If this book serves its purpose it will fan both flames.

Letters Written During The Indian Mutiny [Illustrated Edition]

by Countess Aileen Roberts Field Marshal Earl Frederick Sleigh Roberts

Illustrated with over one hundred maps, photos and portraits, of the battles, individuals and places involved in the Indian MutinyFollowing the publication of 1st Earl Roberts' account of the Mutiny of the Indian Army, Forty-One Years in India in 1902, and his subsequent death in 1914, a packet of letters came to light, telling the story of his personal experiences and adventures during the stirring days of 1857-58 as told to his father, mother, and sister.

Letters Written From The English Front In France Between September 1914 And March 1915

by Captain Sir Edward Hamilton Westrow Hulse

Captain Sir Edward Hamilton Westrow Hulse, now lying in Rue-David Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix, a fallen officer of the Scots Guards who died bravely trying to go to the rescue of his commanding officer during the battle of Neuve Chapelle in 1915. Perhaps no further trace of him would now exist, bar family and friends, were it not for these most interesting letters that were collected and only printed for a select distribution; however, they attained a far greater readership due to their interesting and elegant style.The writer of these letters had a sense both of perspective and of humour,--without which all records are but as the dry bones of the events they chronicle. For example, the rapid and careless pen-sketches that describe the work of a night raid, the reception of a prisoner, the excitement of a sniping party, the confusion at Havre, and a dozen other incidents of that crowded half-year are every one of them admirable. But there is something else in these letters which is of even greater interest. Without hesitation it may be said that in the fourteen pages under the date December 28th we have the most keenly noted, vigorous and dramatic description that ever has or ever will be written of what from a psychological point of view has been the most extraordinary event of the war,--the Christmas Truce of 1914. In its mere literary aspect it is as perfect as anything written from the front: and as a human document it is of even greater value.

Letters Written Home From France In The First Half Of 1915

by A. Piatt Andrew

This volume of the collected letters of A Piatt Andrew form a fascinating insight into the formation of the justly famous American Field Service which did so much help the Allied wounded during the First World War."Col. Andrew was one of the first Americans to take an active part in the World War. Going to France in December 1914, he secured from the French Army authorization for American volunteer ambulance units to serve with the French divisions at the front, and with American volunteers as drivers, and with cars purchased from American donations, he built up an organization known as the American Field Service, which, before any American troops had arrived in France, had thirty-four ambulance sections and twelve camion sections serving with the French troops in France and in the Balkans. This organization took part in every great battle in which French troops were engaged in 1915, 1916 and 1917, and with its personnel of more than 2,400 young Americans, formed the most considerable organized representation which the United States had on the battle front during the first three years of the war."After the entry of the United States in the war, Col. Andrew turned over to the American Army the efficient organization which he had developed, and was commissioned Major, and subsequently Lieutenant-Colonel in that Army. His period of service with the French and American armies covered more than four and a half years. He was decorated by the French Army with the Croix de Guerre, and the Legion of Honor, and by the United States with the Distinguished Service Medal." - National Cyclopedia of American Biography

Letters Written by Lieut.-General Thomas Dyneley, C.B., R.A.: While on Active Service Between the Years 1806 and 1815

by Lieut.-General Thomas Dyneley Col. F. A. Whinyates

The letters in this volume provide eye-witness accounts of some of the battles and sieges of the Peninsular War. Thomas Dyneley entered the Royal Artillery as a 2nd lieutenant in 1801. He was in Italy with Sir James Craig's force in 1805 and with Sir John Stuart in Calabria in the following year, witnessing the battle of Maida. In 1811 he embarked for the Peninsula with `E' troop of the Royal Horse Artillery, as 2nd Captain. There he served in the sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and Burgos, at the battles of Salamanca, Vitoria and those in the Pyrenees. In November 1813 he was invalided home, but was present with 'E' troop in 1815 during the Waterloo campaign. He subsequently rose to the rank of major-general in 1854 and died in 1860.

Letters and Dispatches 1924-1944: The Man Who Saved Over 100,000 Jews, Centennial Edition

by Raoul Wallenberg

The best way to hear the story of Raoul Wallenberg is through his own words. Put together from three different collections, Letters and Dispatches is the most thorough book of Wallenberg's writings and letters. With his disappearance behind the Iron Curtain in January of 1945, he became tragically mysterious. While the story of Wallenberg has been told many times over, the best way we can possibly understand and relate to him is through his written word, which Letters and Dispatches has in full.

Letters for a Spy

by Stephen Benatar

A young German spy is sent to investigate the authenticity of something which may--or may not--be a stratagem perpetrated by the British.

Letters from Berlin: The Girl From Munich, Suitcase Of Dreams, Letters From Berlin

by Tania Blanchard

From the bestselling author of The Girl from Munich and Suitcase of Dreams comes an unforgettable tale of love, courage and betrayal inspired by a true story Berlin, 1943 As the Allied forces edge closer, the Third Reich tightens its grip on its people. For eighteen-year-old Susanna Göttmann, this means her beloved adopted family including the man she loves, Leo, are at risk. His mother – Susie&’s godmother – is forced to register as a Jew and wear the Star of David, bearing the resentment of the village she has always called home. Desperate to protect them any way she can, Susie accepts the help of an influential Nazi officer. It means she must abandon any hope of a future with Leo and enter the terrifying world of the Nazi elite. But all is not lost as her newfound position offers more than she could have hoped for … With critical intelligence at her fingertips, Susie seizes a dangerous opportunity to help the resistance. The decisions she makes could change the course of the war, but what will they mean for her family and her future?Praise for Tania Blanchard &‘Packs an emotional punch that will reverberate far and wide&’ Weekly Times &‘Captures the intensity of a brutal and unforgiving war, successfully weaving love, loss, desperation and, finally, hope into a gripping journey of self-discovery&’ Courier Mail &‘A tumultuous journey from order to bedlam, and from naive acceptance of the status quo to the gradual getting of political wisdom&’ Sunday Age &‘Combining historical tragedy, romance, and true stories … Superb and enriching&’ Better Reading

Letters from Kimberly: Etewitness Accounts from the South African War

by Edward Spiers

'Full of new material, fresh insights and perceptive analysis.' Ian KnightThe defence of Kimberley and the mission to relieve it was one of the great dramatic sagas of the South African War. The actual relief, following a spectacular cavalry charge, represented the first decisive upturn in the fortunes of the British war effort, soon followed by a crushing defeat of the Boers at the battle of Paardeberg. Within Kimberley citizens suffered from dwindling food stocks and enemy shelling, but even more controversial were the tensions that erupted between the siege commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Kekewich, and Kimberley's leading citizen, Cecil Rhodes. In this illuminating new history, Edward Spiers, presents a selection of first-hand accounts of this epic siege. The 260 letters were published originally in British metropolitan and provincial newspapers and they provide crucial insights into the perceptions of civilians caught up in the siege; the desperate and bloody attempts to relieve the town; and the experiences of junior officers and other ranks as they struggled to cope with the demands of modern warfare. Full of human incident, drama and pathos, these fascinating eyewitness testimonies make for compelling reading and add richly to our understanding of the events in Cape Colony.

Letters from Nuremberg: My Father's Narrative of a Quest for Justice

by Christopher J. Dodd

For some sixty years, the Nuremberg trials have demonstrated the resolve of the United States and its fellow Allied victors of the Second World War to uphold the principles of dispassionate justice and the rule of law even when cries of vengeance threatened to carry the day. In the summer of 1945, soon after the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany, Thomas J. Dodd, the father of U.S. Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut, traveled to the devastated city of Nuremberg to serve as a staff lawyer in this unprecedented trial for crimes against humanity. Thanks to his agile legal mind and especially to his skills at interrogating the defendants--including such notorious figures as Hermann Göring, Alfred Rosenberg, Albert Speer, Joachim von Ribbentrop, and Rudolf Hess--he quickly rose to become the number two prosecutor in the U. S. contingent. Over the course of fifteen months, Dodd described his efforts and his impressions of the proceedings in nightly letters to his wife, Grace. The letters remained in the Dodd family archives, unexamined, for decades. When Christopher Dodd, who followed his father's path to the Senate, sat down to read the letters, he was overwhelmed by their intimacy, by the love story they unveil, by their power to paint vivid portraits of the accused war criminals, and by their insights into the historical importance of the trials. Along with Christopher Dodd's reflections on his father's life and career, and on the inspiration that good people across the world have long taken from the event that unfolded in the courtroom at Nuremberg, where justice proved to be stronger than the most unspeakable evil, these letters give us a fresh, personal, and often unique perspective on a true turning point in the history of our time. In today's world, with new global threats once again putting our ideals to the test, Letters from Nuremberg reminds us that fear and retribution are not the only bases for confrontation. As Christopher Dodd says here, "Now, as in the era of Nuremberg, this nation should never tailor its eternal principles to the conflict of the moment, for if we do so, we will be shadowing those we seek to overcome."

Letters from Portugal and Spain: Written During The March Of The British Troops Under Sir John Moore

by Sir Rober Ker Porter

Sir Robert Ker Porter's life was as varied and dramatic as his paintings. A noted author, artist, soldier and diplomat, he was born into a military family in Durham. After developing a reputation for his painting, he travelled extensively in Northern Europe, before accepting commissions for historical paintings from the Tzar of Russia in 1805. He travelled on to Sweden where he met Sir John Moore. Sir John found him congenial company and invited him to accompany the expedition to Spain that he was to lead. Sir John's campaign in 1808 was to be brief, outnumbered by his French opponents by massive odds, and with the weight of British and Spanish hopes encumbering him, he opted for a bold thrust at an isolated French corps under Soult. The British troops were discovered on their approach march and, despite a number of successful small engagements, the imminent danger of the other French corps rushing to surround the small body of British men was obvious to Moore. His only choice was to retreat through some of the roughest country in Europe: through the crags, ravines and gorges on Northern Spain. Fending off successive French attacks, dealing with drunken starving soldiers, and rapidly diminishing supplies, Sir John drove his men on to Coruña, where he fought a sterling defensive battle to ensure that his men could be carried off by the Royal Navy.Sir Robert Porter's work illustrates the hardships and difficulties men and officers of the British force with all of the eye for detail that an artist can summon. His letters are one of the prime sources for the campaign of 1808.Author -- Porter, Robert Ker, Sir, 1777-1842.Text taken, whole and complete, from the edition published in London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, 1809 Original Page Count - xiv, 320 p.Illustrations -- 7 engravings.

Letters from Portugal, Spain, & France: Written During The Campaigns Of 1812, 1813, And 1814

by S. D. Broughton

After studying at St. George's Hospital, the author was appointed assistant surgeon of the 2nd Life Guards and placed in charge of the service squadron's that were to be posted to the Peninsular in 1812. His life in the army was to be much different from the sinecure of London life and his account book presents a very personal view of his campaigning experiences on the march from Lisbon to Boulogne during the Peninsular War against Napoleonic France. The letters contain fascinating details not often found in memoirs concerning this campaign, including descriptions of the local diet and portrayals of contemporary society, festivals, and customs, as well as recording the particulars of the military actions in which the author was engaged. From the balls and dinner-parties in Lisbon via the discomforts of campaign to the splendours of Paris, this is an engaging and elegant narrative of a tumultuous period in European history.Author --S. D. Broughton (1787-1837)Text taken, whole and complete, from the edition published in London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1815.Original Page Count - vi and 412 pages.

Letters from Timor: A Chaplain's Tour of Duty

by Graeme Ramsden

Letters from Timor provides a very different and personal perspective of Australian Military Operations. Through the compilation of excerpts of his experiences in Timor, Graeme Ramsden, a chaplain in the Australian Regular Army, has portrayed, with passion and clarity, an engaging account of what it means to serve God, soldiers and the civilian population during a military action.

Letters from Verdun: Frontline Experiences of an American Volunteer in World War I France

by Avery Royce Wolfe

The dramatic experiences of an ambulance driver in the Great War, told through personal correspondence and photographs. Though the United States was late to enter the Great War, a number of idealistic young Americans wished to take part from the beginning. One of these was Avery Royce Wolf, a highly educated scion of a family in America&’s burgeoning industrial heartland. Volunteering as an ambulance driver with the French Army in the Verdun sector, Royce sent back a constant stream of highly detailed letters describing the experience of frontline combat, as well as comments on strategy, the country he encountered, and the Allies&’ prospects for success. This treasure trove of brilliant letters, only recently discovered, is accompanied by several albums worth of rare, high-quality photos depicting aspects of the Great War in France never previously published. Full of action, including the suspense and terror of the Ludendorff Offensive, and interesting firsthand analyses, such as comparing French and German trench works, Letters from Verdun brings the reader amazingly close to the frontlines of the Great War.

Letters from Vietnam

by Bill Adler

"No heroes, everyone did their part, and everyone was scared to death." They are the words of soldier Mark W. Harms in 1968, summing up his combat experience during the Vietnam War. His stunning letter home is just one of hundreds featured in this unforgettable collection, Letters from Vietnam. In these affecting pages are the unadorned voices of men and women who fought--and, in some cases, fell--in America's most controversial war. They bring new insights and imagery to a conflict that still haunts our hearts, consciences, and the conduct of our foreign policy. Here are the early days of the fight, when adopting a kitten, finding gold in a stream, or helping a local woman give birth were moments of beauty amid the brutality ... shattering first-person accounts of firefights, ambushes, and bombings ("I know I will never be the same Joe."--Marine Joe Pais) ... and thoughtful, pained reflections on the purpose and progress of the entire Southeastern Asian cause ("All these lies about how we're winning and what a great job we're doing ... It's just not the same as WWII or the Korean War." --Lt. John S. Taylor.) Here, too, are letters as vivid as scenes from a film--Brenda Rodgers's description of her wedding to a soldier on the steps of Saigon City Hall ... Airman First Class Frank Pilson's recollection of President Johnson's ceremonial dinner with the troops ("He looks tired and worn out--his is not an easy job") ... and, perhaps most poignant, Emil Spadafora's beseeching of his mother to help him adopt an orphan who is a village's only survivor ("This boy has nothing, and his future holds nothing for him over here.") From fervent patriotism to awakening opposition, Letters from Vietnam captures the unmistakable echoes of this earlier era, as well as timeless expressions of hope, horror, fear, and faith.

Letters from War

by Travis Thrasher Mark Schultz

Platinum-selling Christian music artist Mark Schultz pens a novella based on his award-winning song "Letters from War," about a mother's unwavering hope, courage, and steadfast prayers.Every night, Natalie leaves the front porch light on. Just in case. It's been two years since her son, James, went missing while saving the life of a fellow paratrooper in his division. Natalie's faith has sustained her while she awaits word on her son's whereabouts. Well-meaning friends encourages Natalie to move on, but Natalie continues to hope.

Letters from an Early Bird: The Life & Letters of Denys Corbett Wilson 1882–1915

by Donal MacCarron

This is the story of an early pioneer aviator who took to the air just a few years after the Wright Brothers proved that man was capable of controlled powered flight. Corbett Wilson (CW) was the only son of a wealthy family and was educated at Eaton from 1896 to 1899. He was commissioned into the Dorset Regiment and served in the South African War, by the end of which he had transferred to the Royal Artillery and became a Lieutenant in 1908. CW enrolled at the Bleriot Flying School at Pau in southern France and upon gaining his wings purchased a Bleriot XI aeroplane. Later he flew from Hendon Aerodrome and from there he made the first flight across the Irish Sea. When World War I loomed CW joined the military division of the newly formed Royal Flying Corps and in August 1914 he took off from Dover for France with No. 3 Squadron. It is this point that the vividly written letters sent to his mother give an enthralling insight into the developing war and the early military use of aircraft in battle. He lasted just ten months before being shot down by enemy flack on 15 May 1915.

Letters from the 442nd: The World War II Correspondence of a Japanese American Medic (The Scott and Laurie Oki Series in Asian American Studies)

by Minoru Masuda

This is the first collection of letters by a member of the celebrated 442nd Combat Team, which served in Italy and France during World War II. Written to his wife by a medic serving with the segregated Japanese American unit, the letters describe a soldier’s daily life. Minoru Masuda was born and raised in Seattle. In 1939 he earned a master’s degree in pharmacology and married Hana Koriyama. Two years later the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor, and Min and Hana were imprisoned along with thousands of other Japanese Americans. When the Army recruited in the relocation camp, Masuda chose to serve in the 442nd. In April 1944 the unit was shipped overseas. They fought in Italy and in France, where they liberated Bruyeres and rescued a “lost battalion” that had been cut off by the Germans. After the German surrender on May 3, 1945, Masuda was among the last of the original volunteers to leave Europe; he arrived home on New Year’s Eve 1945. Masuda’s vivid and lively letters emphasize his surroundings, his daily activities, and the people he encountered. He describes Italian farmhouses, olive groves, and avenues of cypress trees; he writes of learning to play the ukulele with his “big, clumsy” fingers, and the nightly singing and bull sessions which continued throughout the war; he relates the plight of the Italians who scavenged the 44 2nd’s garbage for food, and the mischief of French children who pelted the medics with snowballs. Minoru Masuda was professor of psychiatry at the University of Washington. Hana Masuda was Minoru’s wife. Dianne Bridgman is the former manager of the Washington State Oral History Program.

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