‘Letters from the Battlefield’ now on display at the Virginia War Memorial

War correspondence from Virginia veterans are now on display in a special exhibit at the Virginia War Memorial.

February 13, 2013; 6:56 AM • by Nathan Cushing

Letters written by Virginia armed servicemen and sent to loved ones are on display in an exhibit at the Virginia War Memorial through the end of the month.

Items in “Letters from the Battlefield” include V-mail sent by soldiers and sailors during World War II, letters written by ballpoint pen in the jungles of Vietnam, and emails sent from those who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Many letters express a range of emotions: fear, joy, loneliness.

“You feel like you know the person who is writing,” said Kyndall Drumheller, Virginia War Memorial education assistant and co-organizer of the exhibit.

“I was especially touched by letters three brothers from Beaverdam (Hanover County)–who were each serving overseas during World War II–wrote to their mother, especially as one of the brothers was killed in action and never made it home.”

Drumheller said that much of the exhibit material comes from the Memorial’s archives and even “from the attics” of volunteers.

“Letters from the Battlefield” runs until February 25th at the Virginia War Memorial. Admission and parking is free.

Above photo of curator Jesse Smith and education assistant Kyndall Drumheller courtesy of Virginia War Memorial

February 13, 2013 6:56 AM 1