» The Letters

Tucked away in attics, closets, and basements throughout this country are millions of letters written by men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. There are also countless e-mails being written by active duty-troops who have been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries around the world. These letters and e-mails are an irreplaceable record of the sacrifices made by military personnel and their families, and they need to be preserved.

Many of these letters (and e-mails) are also extremely significant from a historical perspective, offering eyewitness accounts of famous battles, major world events, and encounters with prominent military leaders. But even the more personal messages, such as heartfelt expressions of affection or words of support and encouragement between separated loved ones, offer valuable insight into the wartime experience.

To view more letters, please visit our Chapman University Digital Commons

Search more collections in our finding aid database: https://chapman.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/4

Sample of letters from the collection

Civil War letter found on the battlefield

A letter from the Civil War found on the battlefield

Letter from a U.S. soldier on Hitler's stationary

Letter from a U.S. soldier on Hitler's stationery

WWII letter with a bullet hole through it

Letter from a WWII soldier with a bullet hole through it

Letter from a WWII POW

Letter from a POW in WWII

War letter home from Stan Chapman

Letter home from Charles C. Chapman's grandson

Email home from a soldier in Fallujah, Iraq

Email home from a soldier in Fallujah, Iraq