16 comments

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  Self Styled Siren

  2 years ago

  So many of that generation were raised to just get on with it, no matter what life--or their country--demanded of them. Beautiful post. I wish you well this Father's Day.
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  Tony Alva

  2 years ago

  A fitting tribute to your pop on this father's day. Well done indeed.
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  Dan Leo

  2 years ago

  Thanks, Siren and Tony.
  
  Thanks also to Melissa McEwan, whose recent piece here about her great grandfather inspired me to get out these old letters.
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  Tom Watson

  2 years ago

  Dan - thanks for sharing this. The Siren's right - that generation didn't fuss too much. They got on with it. Great book-end to Melissa's post too....hope the picture works!
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  kate

  2 years ago

  dan thank you.
  i love it. i am reading this at andrea's where we all just gathered to celebrate father's day with jack mcdonough and his family. mom read through the blog last night and cried. i love ya
  kate
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  M.A. Peel

  2 years ago

  It is a privilege to read this personal correspondence. Thanks for allowing us.
  
  Ken Burns's 20-hour epic documentary on World War II is coming to PBS this fall. I saw some of it in progress--it follows the stories of 4 individual men, because personal experience is the most powerful way to explain the enormity of that war. You think there can't be anything new to say about WWII, but he has some amazing footage and stories. I recommend it.
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  Dan Leo

  2 years ago

  Kate, Andrea, Jack, all the rest of the gang -- and especially Mom (Bud's wife) -- love yez too.
  
  Mrs. Peel: thanks a lot, and I look forward to Ken Burns's film.
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  Kevin Wolf

  2 years ago

  V-discs I'd heard of but never V-mail. Thanks for explaining that.
  
  And thanks very much for sharing these letters.
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  Dan Leo

  2 years ago

  Hey, Kevin,
  I owe it all to Wikipedia for that concise explanation of V-mail. The thing about those V-mails is they're so damn small, and just a little hard to read, 'cause the guys and gals writing them had to get everything on the one alloted page, which was then miniaturized to about 1/4 their original size. The photo-paper used though has really stood the test of time, a lot better than the stationery my dad used in his non-V-mail letters. I noticed in one of the V-mails that he's still asking for stamps and air-mail envelopes, so maybe the V-mail forms weren't always available.
  
  By the way, here's a really nice Wikipedia article on the V-Disc phenomenon :
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-Disc
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  Nicole

  2 years ago

  Your dad was a 22 year old soldier, and both my mom and dad were 15 year old kids hoping to survive in war-time Europe. I wouldn't be here today, without the men like your father. There aren't enough opportunities to say thank you...so Thank You.
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  Dan Leo

  2 years ago

  Ah, Nicole, I do appreciate it. But the thanks should go to the untold thousands of men and women like my dad who did their part. I only wanted to get some little part of his story out there, in his words. I'm so glad your parents came through, and I know my dad, as humble as he was, would have appreciated your kind words.
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  Dianne Leo

  2 years ago

  Type your comment here.
  Loved reading about your Dad. He soundslike a great guy. Dianne
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  kate omelia

  1 year ago

  hi
  
  ur dad sounds like a really good man!!
  id say he would be very proud of you!
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  WW2 Letters

  11 months ago

  Lovely blog story. An excellent read and a suitable tribute.
  
  Perhaps you will consider putting all your fathers letters in full on-line with scans of the orginal if possible as it would be an excellent resource for students during a history project etc... and also people looking for stories of their own loved ones that perhaps your father served with.
  
  See http://ww2.war-letters.com We`d be delighted if you did.
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  WW2 Letters

  11 months ago

  Lovely blog story. An excellent read and a suitable tribute.
  
  Perhaps you will consider putting all your fathers letters in full on-line with scans of the orginal if possible as it would be an excellent resource for students during a history project etc… and also people looking for stories of their own loved ones that perhaps your father served with.
  
  See http://ww2.war-letters.com We`d be delighted if you did.
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  Dan Leo

  11 months ago

  Thanks for the offer! I don't have a scanner, but when I get one that would be a nice thing to do.
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