Love Letters of World War II, A personal history

Overview

n early October of 1942, Walt Lewis boarded a train from Minnesota to Sheppard Field, near Wichita Falls, Texas, after enlisting in the Army Air Corps in September. He left behind a Minnesota heading into a cold winter for a dusty but warmer outpost. He also left behind the love of his life—Doris Paull.

In the next two years, Walt wrote frequent letters to Doris, sometimes daily. The letters were often breezy descriptions of the happenings of the day, the people he met, connections to back home. The letters also included drawings, poems and photos. And sentiments of love and longing.

Walt’s goal was to get into the Corps’ photo school, which he did, followed by teaching at the school. In late 1943, he got out of the service to go to a war project near Pasco, Washington. He continued to write, providing a snapshot of the beginning of the Hanford Engineering Works.

Jerry Lewis, will set the stage and show a selection of the letters, and photos, including on the local history and the resolution of this love story!