I WANT TO SAVE YOUR MEMORIES OF THE WAR THAT SAVED THE WORLD The Institute on
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Dear Veterans and Families of Veterans: I would like to bring to your attention Florida State University's Institute on World War II and the Human Experience. As the Institute's Director I have undertaken a project entitled "To Preserve a Legacy." With the aging of World War II veterans, I and others are deeply concerned about the loss of these men's and women's insights into that "Good War." In particular, as I am sure you already know, it is all too common to have these brave veterans' memorabilia either discarded or hidden away where no one can use them. Even in the few instances where letters, diaries, and the like are donated to a local institution, it is all too likely that they go from the veteran's attic to the institution's basement, never to see the light of day again. Here at Florida State University we have set up the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience to do research and teaching based on the average soldier's experiences in World War II. Our archive is devoted to nothing else and is run in connection with the University's M.A. program in Public History (Archival Studies). The basic goal of the Institute is to collect and preserve the memorabilia (i.e., letters, diaries, photographs, etc.) which give a uniquely valuable insight into the way the war was actually fought. Through no other means can the testing and survival of so many millions of valiant American citizens be brought to the attention of generations which today know far too little about what was at stake and the sacrifices made. Would you, please, bring this effort to the attention of your friends as well as to the attention of veterans everywhere. Please, ask them to consider donating their memorabilia to the Institute and in so doing to help preserve this legacy of America's, and their, greatness. Do consider making such a donation yourself and helping to preserve this irreplaceable tradition. Should you wish to see it, I can send you as many copies as you would find useful of the brochure detailing the Institute's work [if you have a personal Home Page, it would be greatly appreciated if you could establish a link on your Home Page with this site]. I think you and your friends would be particularly interested in the photographs donated by one of Patton's photographers which are to be found there, photographs which were almost lost due to neglect and lack of interest. I would like to express my appreciation of your cooperation in this effort. I, and those I work with, would also like to thank you and your fellow GIs for all that you have done for this country. Yours, Bill Oldson
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