The Veterans History Project (VHP) archive contains thousands of collections featuring original correspondence, letters written by servicemen and women to their families and friends at home. These letters are fascinating historical documents, rich with details about each veteran’s service experiences—but their handwritten contents can sometimes be hard to decipher, particularly for modern eyes.
Beginning in the spring of 2020, VHP began transcribing a handful of our digitized correspondence collections. This project served two purposes: it increased the accessibility of these letters, and it also provided opportunities for telework for staff who were not working onsite due to the pandemic. Over the past two years, Library of Congress staff have transcribed nearly 50 correspondence collections, some of which are featured below. We invite you to explore the original letters and their side-by-side transcripts, and immerse yourself in these veterans’ words and experiences, line by line.
For more transcribed VHP correspondence collections, please view: "Please Write Often": Wartime Correspondence.
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