Duke the Marine Dog
Duke, a Doberman Pinscher, was only three months old when his owner, Fritz Regelmann of Cranston, Rhode Island, enlisted and signed up his dog at the same time. Regelmann headed to Europe, but Duke served as a messenger dog with the 6th Marine Corps War Dog Platoon. Duke saw action on Iwo Jima, but sadly was killed in the line of duty while delivering messages between his two handlers.
Duke's Dog Record Book
Courtesy of Michael Hart, Renew History Collection
Duke’s Commemorative Collar with Original ID Tag
Courtesy of Michael Hart, Renew History Collection
Duke and handler PFC Joe Smylski
Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration
Duke’s handlers, PFC Joe Smylski and PFC Ray Cannon
Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration
War Dog Fund
Dorothy Shaffer donated $1 to Dogs for Defense. In return, she received a certificate recognizing her own dog, “The Duke of Windsor,” as an honorary war dog. She also received a window sticker stating, “My dog’s a war dog,” along with a Dogs for Defense collar tag.
Dogs for Defense Letter
Courtesy of Michael Hart, Renew History Collection
Window Sign and Certificate
Courtesy of Michael Hart, Renew History Collection
Dogs for Defense Tag
Courtesy of Michael Hart, Renew History Collection
Dorothy Lee Sheffer with her dog, Duke of Windsor
Courtesy of Michael Hart, Renew History Collection
Kathryn Burke and Mary Griswold grew up together in central Illinois, where both attended St. John’s nursing school. They then joined the Navy Nurse Corps and went through training at Mare Island Naval Shipyard. They even managed to serve together and remained lifelong friends.
Naval Nurses
Griswold Officer Hat, Tie, and Shoulder Boards
Griswold Nurse Cap
Griswold Purse
Griswold Lieutenant Ribbon
Burke Pins
Navy Nurse Kathryn Burke
Courtesy of the Rovey Family
Navy Nurse Mary Griswold
Courtesy of Michael Metcalf
Navy Nurses Kathryn Burke and Mary Griswold
There were few more important moments in a G.I.’s day than mail call—his lifeline to the folks back home. Military brass did their best to meet the demand. They developed V-Mail, a novel way to microfilm letters that were then flown overseas—136,000 letters per mailbag—before being reverted back to a 4x5-inch letter. G.I.s didn’t mind as long as their mail still got through.
Processed V-Mail
Courtesy of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
V-mail Writing Kit
Courtesy of The National World War II Museum
By the 1940s, phonograph record technology had advanced to the point where loved ones could record personal messages and ship their voices overseas. Jerome Katz of Chicago used this novel way of keeping in touch — something his mother surely appreciated since all of her three sons were in the service. Note that Pepsi-Cola used this as an opportunity to sell some “good old American” soda-pop in the process.
Jerome I Katz and his mother
Courtesy of the family of Jerome I Katz
Record
Transcript:
Track - May 1944
Hello Ma. How are you and all the folks? Surprised to hear from me again? I hope you’re all well. I feel swell here. No kidding. It rained a little, but it’s all clearing up now. It’s nice and warm out now. We worked a little this week, but it was worth it. We have the best mortar section of any company in the regiment. (And that’s really going soon.???) I’m taking care of the business we had here. I’ve been getting so much mail here, all the other fellas are jealous. Just keep it up; that’s the way I want it. The other guys here are really swell guys. The cookies you sent seemed like a lot when you first sent ‘em, but boy they didn’t last any time at all down here. Don’t worry about Babe being drafted Wednesday. He’ll even get so he likes the army. Well, I guess that’s all for now. I hope to see you all real soon. Give my love and regards to all the folks. So long Mom. Keep smiling.
Announcer: Yes Mom. Keep smiling. Your son is looking fine. And that’s good old Pepsi-Cola bringing that voice to you. And please see that he gets plenty of mail and you might send some of those cookies down. I may take a few of them myself. Thank you very much Pepsi-Cola.
Courtesy of the family of Jerome I Katz
Newlyweds
World War II started with a flurry of weddings, which inevitably led to a steady stream of letters flowing back and forth across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. That was the case for newlyweds Joseph and Florence Jania. Florence vowed to be “a good home front soldier,” and Joe’s first thought when hearing about the Japanese surrender was to write his sweetheart a letter.
Homefront Soldier Letter
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
Raymond and Mary Lou Kitchen special occasion cards
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
Wedding Cake Topper
Courtesy of Kathy Hatcher
"For the one he loved"
Bill and Evelyn Fields were married in Chicago in February 1944, shortly before Bill shipped out on the USS Putnam, a destroyer assigned to the Pacific Fleet. His duties as a teletype operator left plenty of time for the budding artist to create drawings, cartoons, and messages for Evelyn, all of which sent a clear message of a sailor pining for the one he loved.
Bill Fields
Courtesy of Evelyn Fields' Family
Evelyn Fields
Courtesy of Evelyn Fields' Family
Bill's Drawing of Evelyn
Courtesy of Evelyn Fields' Family
Bill and Evelyn
Courtesy of Evelyn Fields' Family
Proclamation of Love
Courtesy of Evelyn Fields' Family
Wanted Poster
Courtesy of Evelyn Fields' Family