With today’s Skype, IMs, and e-mails, communication with those in battle zones it’s instantaneous. Not so in WW II. Letters sometimes took four weeks to reach their intended target.

A GIs letter was first censored to make sure the author didn’t divulge any information as to where they were in case the letter fell into enemy hands. The 8 1/2″ x 11″ letter was then photographed and shrunk to 4″ x 5″ in order to save space on planes. The soldier could only write one page. This mail was called V-Mail (the V standing for victory).

Henry felt one page was entirely too short. “I just get wound up and I’ve run out of paper.” He preferred air mail. That only took about one to two weeks and cost six cents a letter for postage. 

My other blogs: 

https://familyfavoritesfromtheheartland.wordpress.com/ and https://godslittlemiraclebook.wordpress.com