Emmler found a stash of letters from the 1970s in an old bar stool she scavenged. The letters were from a young man (eighteen?), newly in the military, written to a high-school friend.
The writer is always asking for letters in return--seemingly with little success. It reminds me of how slow paper mail was (is), especially when you're waiting to hear back from someone...
But also, how personal--no email ever looked like this:
.jpeg)
wow! what a cool letter. as it was the 70's I am betting the military writer would have been in training/boot camp and wanted letters to remind him that he had not been forgotten. he was probably on his way to vietnam soon. my letters from my friend in vietnam were sent from an APO address and he didn't use a stamp (marked as FREE). I can't remember if I needed a stamp or not to send them as it went to an APO address. those letters meant so much to those who were in the war and reminded them that they were not forgotten.
ReplyDeleteand love the part about them being in a bar stool. I wonder what that story is.
kirsten
KIRSTEN: I wondered too about the exact dates---was this pre-Vietnam? I didn't see all the letters--Em has a small stash. At any rate, even if it wasn't wartime, letters make you know you're remembered---I guess social media does too, but it's not as personal, one-to-one...? as a private paper letter just to you.
Deletethe vietnam war ended in 1975 so if early 70s most likely was someone who was drafted. see https://michiganintheworld.history.lsa.umich.edu/antivietnamwar/exhibits/show/exhibit/draft_protests/the-military-draft-during-the-
Deletekirsten