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From Foxholes and Flight Decks: Letters Home from World War II
An interactive book of fully-removable facsimilie letters written by World War II soldiers to their families and friends back home
History comes alive in this beautifully produced four color scrapbook of World War II letters and other documents. The reader will be able to hold in their hands and read twenty authentic letters written by soldiers to their loved ones waiting in America. The book covers the war from Pearl Harbor to V-E and V-J Days, chronicling American involvement both on the fronts and at home. The correspondence includes:
* a worm's eye view of basic training
* a love letter to a fiance left back home
* a WAC's perspective on the North African front
* the dreaded Western Union telegram that announced a son had been wounded overseas
* a jubilant letter recording first impressions of the Japanese surrender
From Foxholes and Flight Decks is a book to experience, not just read.
History comes alive in this beautifully produced four color scrapbook of World War II letters and other documents. The reader will be able to hold in their hands and read twenty authentic letters written by soldiers to their loved ones waiting in America. The book covers the war from Pearl Harbor to V-E and V-J Days, chronicling American involvement both on the fronts and at home. The correspondence includes:
* a worm's eye view of basic training
* a love letter to a fiance left back home
* a WAC's perspective on the North African front
* the dreaded Western Union telegram that announced a son had been wounded overseas
* a jubilant letter recording first impressions of the Japanese surrender
From Foxholes and Flight Decks is a book to experience, not just read.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published October 9, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 4, 2026
FROM FOXHOLES AND FLIGHT DECKS is literally a piece of history. As in past wars, US servicemen and women wrote home to families and friends. This book not only has reprints of some of those millions of letters but also gives some background information about those writing them. What makes this book kind of unique is that copies of these letters are reproduced here, even down the the crease marks and stains from being written on a battlefield.
The majority of this mail was in the form of what was termed 'V-Mail,' as in "V for victory!" Being as a letter to or from a combat zone could take up to six weeks, Americans on the home front could buy these special V-Mail forms, write the message and mail it in. The letter was photographed on reels of microfilm, which was flown to its destination and reprinted and delivered in about a month. There wasn't much space to write on these forms so multi page letters were still sent as well. The letters going home were written on whatever was available, whether it was official stationery or plain paper. One American GI wrote his letter on captured Waffen SS stationary from Dachau concentration camp when they liberated the place.
Some of these letters were quite sad to read. They not only speak of the horrors of war, and how it affected them, but the writer might pour their heart out as they longed for home, and then you read that they died not long after posting the letter. Some families still saved those letters after all these years. General Elwood R. Quesada commanded the 9th Tactical Air Command in Europe during 1944 and 1945. He not only had to write letters informing families of tragic losses of their sons under his command but also tried to respond to query letters from their families asking personal details such as what his comrades thought of him, was his death quick and painless, and where he might be buried. He answered as many as he could, and hung onto those letters for twenty-five years before donating them to a government research library.
That women served in various roles both on the home front and in the theaters of war is a well known fact. Some enlisted to serve in the WACs, WAVEs, WAFs, WASPs, SPARs, and others. The WASPs (Women's Air Service pilots) ferried combat planes from the factories to military bases. Some died while doing so, yet politics tried to keep them from serving their country.
"It was not always easy to be a female in the armed forces - either personally or politically. In 1944 a political debate arose in Washington over the Women's Air Service Pilots because some congressmen feared it would eliminate jobs for veteran male pilots. "There is absolutely no need for girl pilots in the army at this time," a Democratic congressman declared, "and there are thousands of men pilots at this moment unacceptable for combat who are begging for an opportunity to fly in the Ferry command."
"Some WASP pilots argued, meanwhile, that they were required to meet higher standards than male pilots. "All the girls at this base have to make three trips in pursuit under a man flight leader before they are qualified to fly-alones," one WASP reported to her female superior. "Some of the men are very good," she wrote, "but the majority never care if they ever deliver [an aircraft on time]. They never attempt to go as far in a day as possible, but merely try to maneuver and stall around so as to just be able to make a 'good town' for the night.... There isn't a thought in their minds about whether the ship may be needed somewhere. To them, that airplane is merely a conveyance furnished them to further their own pleasure." "
Reading that reminded me of those sons of politicians who got stateside postings in the reserves during the Vietnam War.
This book was easy reading even though the majority of the reproduced letters were hand written. Typed transcripts of the letters were in the back of the book.
This is a great piece of history for those interested. Photos included. I just wish it were longer.
The majority of this mail was in the form of what was termed 'V-Mail,' as in "V for victory!" Being as a letter to or from a combat zone could take up to six weeks, Americans on the home front could buy these special V-Mail forms, write the message and mail it in. The letter was photographed on reels of microfilm, which was flown to its destination and reprinted and delivered in about a month. There wasn't much space to write on these forms so multi page letters were still sent as well. The letters going home were written on whatever was available, whether it was official stationery or plain paper. One American GI wrote his letter on captured Waffen SS stationary from Dachau concentration camp when they liberated the place.
Some of these letters were quite sad to read. They not only speak of the horrors of war, and how it affected them, but the writer might pour their heart out as they longed for home, and then you read that they died not long after posting the letter. Some families still saved those letters after all these years. General Elwood R. Quesada commanded the 9th Tactical Air Command in Europe during 1944 and 1945. He not only had to write letters informing families of tragic losses of their sons under his command but also tried to respond to query letters from their families asking personal details such as what his comrades thought of him, was his death quick and painless, and where he might be buried. He answered as many as he could, and hung onto those letters for twenty-five years before donating them to a government research library.
That women served in various roles both on the home front and in the theaters of war is a well known fact. Some enlisted to serve in the WACs, WAVEs, WAFs, WASPs, SPARs, and others. The WASPs (Women's Air Service pilots) ferried combat planes from the factories to military bases. Some died while doing so, yet politics tried to keep them from serving their country.
"It was not always easy to be a female in the armed forces - either personally or politically. In 1944 a political debate arose in Washington over the Women's Air Service Pilots because some congressmen feared it would eliminate jobs for veteran male pilots. "There is absolutely no need for girl pilots in the army at this time," a Democratic congressman declared, "and there are thousands of men pilots at this moment unacceptable for combat who are begging for an opportunity to fly in the Ferry command."
"Some WASP pilots argued, meanwhile, that they were required to meet higher standards than male pilots. "All the girls at this base have to make three trips in pursuit under a man flight leader before they are qualified to fly-alones," one WASP reported to her female superior. "Some of the men are very good," she wrote, "but the majority never care if they ever deliver [an aircraft on time]. They never attempt to go as far in a day as possible, but merely try to maneuver and stall around so as to just be able to make a 'good town' for the night.... There isn't a thought in their minds about whether the ship may be needed somewhere. To them, that airplane is merely a conveyance furnished them to further their own pleasure." "
Reading that reminded me of those sons of politicians who got stateside postings in the reserves during the Vietnam War.
This book was easy reading even though the majority of the reproduced letters were hand written. Typed transcripts of the letters were in the back of the book.
This is a great piece of history for those interested. Photos included. I just wish it were longer.
September 29, 2024
This book is incredible! To put all of this together the way it has been, with copies of the letters is no small feat. I appreciated each entry. There are many different views of what WW2 was to the people who lived through it. I think this book does a great job of reflecting that throughout. The letter on SS stationary from a soldier that liberated Dachau was especially moving. My grandfather was one of the U.S. servicemen who was there and saw exactly what that soldier described. This book, again, is incredible!
April 23, 2023
This is a beautiful book. It is really unique. The letters are actually reproduced as paper letters that the reader takes out of a pocket on the page. The reader is allowed a window into the writers' joys and pains.
July 26, 2019
My only complaint is that the hard-to-read letters did not have typed translation. It is living history, to read the letters. So good.
September 8, 2021
A unique view of WW II. Letters from grunts, pilots, air crew and nurses gives a great view of the hopes and aspirations of the American in the war.
October 13, 2011
From Foxholes and Flight Decks: Letters Home from World War II revolves around the accounts of American soldiers during that war. They talk about their experiences to their families and loved ones from their day of enlistment to combat (if it passes the military censors).
These letters are emotional and often powerful reading material. Some of these authors wouldn't be returning home.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you view it, I found the book to be quiet short. It often reminded me of reading articles from Time or Reader's Digest. Although the presentation such as the detailed replicas of soldiers' letters inserted along its pages are really amazing. Some of these are hard to read directly but you can find their transcriptions at last pages.
These letters are emotional and often powerful reading material. Some of these authors wouldn't be returning home.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you view it, I found the book to be quiet short. It often reminded me of reading articles from Time or Reader's Digest. Although the presentation such as the detailed replicas of soldiers' letters inserted along its pages are really amazing. Some of these are hard to read directly but you can find their transcriptions at last pages.
August 23, 2012
If you want history to come alive, this is the kind of book that will take you into the middle of the action. Mr. Gragg's book has 15 brief chapters of commentary on World War II, along with photos, facsimiles of badges and emblems, and pockets containing copies of letters from and about servicemen and women.
The letters range from ordinary letters home describing daily life in the military to letters detailing the horrors of liberated Nazi concentration camps. The most heartbreaking letters for me are the desperate letters from parents seeking information about their sons or asking for their personal effects. We grew up hearing about the Greatest Generation, and in Mr. Gragg's book, both their heroism and their humanity are amply on display.
The letters range from ordinary letters home describing daily life in the military to letters detailing the horrors of liberated Nazi concentration camps. The most heartbreaking letters for me are the desperate letters from parents seeking information about their sons or asking for their personal effects. We grew up hearing about the Greatest Generation, and in Mr. Gragg's book, both their heroism and their humanity are amply on display.
December 25, 2012
Part of the Museum in a Book series that gives you the opportunity to interact with reproductions of actual letters sent home to loved ones during different phases of a soldier's life from induction to the battlefield, notices of casualties sent to family members, requests from family members as to the status of their loved one, and notice from a POW camp. The letters are heartbreaking in many cases, especially one from a soldier who was involved in the liberation of Dachau who wrote of the atrocities he witnessed and how that would impact him the rest of his life. The presentation and format of the book is very nice as it takes the reader chronologically through the beginning of WWII through VE Day.
October 15, 2013
Quick read and a really innovative style with 20 authentic copies of letters and other wartime docs that are removable. Well illustrative and brings the War alive.
"Bad news almost always came by telegram. That was how the federal government usually notified next of kin that an American in uniform was wounded, missing, or killed during World War II. The sight of a Western Union delivery boy on the doorstep could send a shockwave of fear through practically anyone with a loved one in the military. About 18% of American forces suffered nonmortal wounds, more than 670,000."
"Bad news almost always came by telegram. That was how the federal government usually notified next of kin that an American in uniform was wounded, missing, or killed during World War II. The sight of a Western Union delivery boy on the doorstep could send a shockwave of fear through practically anyone with a loved one in the military. About 18% of American forces suffered nonmortal wounds, more than 670,000."
February 2, 2015
Great little guide to WWII. A collection of letters and the author's narration of a typical soldier's perspective on the war. Not in-depth, but makes a neat coffee table book. It's clean too, so I would be comfortable reading it to my young brothers who are interested in WWII.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews