In our age of digital communication, the art of letter writing is a lost skill. Even cursive is no longer being taught in some schools. When we are separated from our loved ones, putting pen to paper to record thoughts and emotions is now replaced by texting and tweeting at 140 character limits or by Skyping.
During World War II those modern conveniences weren’t an option. To maintain contact with family at home, soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen all had to write letters. That’s exactly what tail-gunner Dave Lemal did to keep his parents aware of what all (or at least some) he was experiencing when he was flying over Japan in B29 bombers and the times on the ground in between flights.
Lemal didn’t know that his mother kept every one of his letters from his time overseas and the bundle of mail was sold along with other items in a box at her estate auction.
The 150 letters ended up on eBay where they were purchased by Trevor McIntyre of Morganton, Georgia for $57. His fondness for B29s led to his purchase, but once he began reading the letters home he became curious about the author. McIntyre, shown above with his copies of the letters, tracked down Lemal, now age 90, in Rockledge, Pennsylvania where he had been born and raised. McIntyre, who is writing a book about the men who flew the B29s during the war, made photocopies of every letter and then returned the originals in August to the man who penned them. This was a much better gift than a pair of live WWII hand grenades but not as valuable as one WWII-era penny.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution has the full story of Lemal and his letters.