My Grandpa's love letters

Since my grandpa passed away my family has been doing a lot of reminiscing. We've laughed and cried over so many of our favorite memories, which I feel is an important part of the grieving and healing process. One of my favorite discoveries over the past few days is the stack of love letters that my grandparents exchanged while my grandpa was in the Navy during World War II. These letters are treasures!

Every single letter that my grandpa wrote to my grandma starts off My Dearest Darling. How romantic is that? I can't imagine having to wait weeks for a letter from the person I loved most.

My grandparents were high school sweethearts. My grandpa was drafted by the Navy and left a week after their high school graduation for the war. His ship was the U.S.S. Caswell and he traveled around the world 3 times. His ship was the first ship to land after the atomic bomb Hiroshima went off in Japan. I also learned that this picture was the picture my grandpa carried in his wallet of my grandma during the war. There was no Skype, no telephone calls only letters and a small picture to remind you of home. He brought this picture home with him safe and sound a few years later.

My grandpa with my grandma on one of his leaves from the Navy

I have loved learning new things about my grandpa these last few days. Things about his time during the war, things about his life as a young boy and his accomplishments as a young man. What a wonderful man he was!