WW2 Chapter 1 - Introduction




Franklin with his brother Dave

While looking through some old boxes, I discovered that my grandparents had saved many historical items from World War II, during the time that my father Franklin Bristol III had served in the Pacific. The items included some 250 letters that he had written back home to his family, along with dozens of photographs and other personal items. Based on the condition of the envelopes, the letters had probably not been read in almost 70 years.



250 Letters from 1943-1946 (click on photos to enlarge)

Franklin's mother making scrapbooks in his bedroom

Along with the boxes were four large scrapbooks with newspaper clippings that described the historical events that were taking place during the Pacific Campaign.

 



Scrapbooks

Although the veterans of World War II have sometimes been called the “greatest generation” they often claimed that the real heroes were those who didn’t make it back. Like many, my father had almost never talked about any of his experiences during that time of his life. My daughter Chelsea and I therefore became engrossed with these new-found treasures. We spent many hours reading through the letters and other documents, while slowly piecing together what Franklin and his family were going through during those difficult times.



Chelsea with Grandpa Frank, 2011


To tell Franklin’s “story” throughout that period, I have arranged the information into 96 short chapters, spanning from his graduation from high school in the spring of 1943, to his entry into the army in August 1943, to his entry into combat in October 1944, and finally to his safe return home in February 1946.

Rather than attempting to "narrate" Franklin's experiences, however, I have mostly used his own words and those of his family to describe them first hand. Each of the chapters includes copies of letters and other items that are intended to be representative of his many experiences, along with the historical events that were taking place during those times.

I hope you appreciate this story as much as we have.

Bob Bristol
March 22, 2015
Moodus (East Haddam), Connecticut