295. That’s how many letters my great grandpa wrote to my great grandma during World War II. He enlisted to the Army and left for pre-war training in 1940, right after their first child was born.  

In an age of smartphones and social media, it’s difficult to imagine what it would be like if the only means of communication with your loved one was through letters. He wrote to her about his struggles, his experiences and his triumphs. He asked about her health, how little Terry was doing and to send more pictures. He constantly reminded her how much he loved and missed her.

Jan 29, 1940

Gee honey I’m going to take advantage of you next time I go to Hollywood. I won’t give you a minutes rest. It seems like ages since I last saw you. Last night I had my arms around you in my dreams. (Did you feel anybody holding you?) Well if you didn’t be on the lookout for I’m always holding you.

He began each letter with Dearest Sweetheart, Dearest Darling or, my favorite, Dearest Susy Q (years later they would own a boat called the Susy Q). Although most of the content was about the hardships of war, the underlying message was clear. They were love letters.

Jul 26, 1941

I don’t know just what is going to happen. But I’m hoping for the best. The only thing that bothers me is you. Darling I’m just madly in love.

Bye darling I’m sending all my love by mail to you and getting sick and tired of it…so I’ll only send part of it this time and give you the rest when I see you.

Part of my love,

Mac

Years later, my great grandma, now a widow, was moving into assisted living when family members discovered the box of letters. They found value in them for the first hand account of history, such as the liberation of Dachau, a Nazi concentration camp near Munich, Germany. They had the letters professionally deciphered and then published in a book—all 295 of them. Each child and grandchild of my great grandparents has a copy.

There are times my great grandpa mentioned not being able to send letters as often as he would like to. At one point, he wrote that there were times he was at a loss for words and couldn’t get himself to do it.

Jan 25, 1945

Darling you keep mentioning how much you’d like to get letters. Honey I’m writing as often as I can. Sometimes there’s no place to write. Its too cold outside & other times when I have a place I’m too busy.  Don’t worry my darling. I’ll write whenever I can. My thoughts are always with you my sweet.

However difficult it was, he continued to write through the end of the war—always sending her his love using language rarely used today.

In 2015, writing love letters is a dying art. When everyone is just a phone call, text, or Facebook message away, taking the time to write out your feelings seems unnecessary. But there is something special about a tangible testament of love.

The real magic of a love letter is that they can be saved, put aside in a box and forgotten for years until, like tiny treasures, they are rediscovered. It is something you can touch, something you can physically hand down through generations of a family, as mine has done. You just can’t find that kind of power in text.

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About the Author

Mychaela Nickoloff

is a journalist, freelance writer, and exuberant adventurer. Originally from Spokane, Washington, she now lives in Missoula, Montana. She loves the outdoors and is an avid skier.