VETERAN'S DAY SPECIAL EPISODE: Writing Home to Fitchburg

In this special release to honor our veterans, members of the Fitchburg community share a kaleidoscope of Fitchburg’s World War II experiences -- pulled directly from letters and writings saved in the archives of the Fitchburg Historical Society and Fitchburg State University.

In addition to hearing from different perspectives on the war, the episode includes a deep dive into the letters written of Michael Vincent Addorisio, a Fitchburg resident who died serving in the Philippines in 1944.  

Recorded at the Fitchburg Historical Society (FHS) on November 7, 2024, each of the readings is preceded by historical context provided by Susan Navarre, the Executive Director of FHS, and Dr. Teresa Fava Thomas, Professor of History at Fitchburg State University.  

The event was co-sponsored by the Fitchburg Historical Society, the Fitchburg State University Library Archives, the Center for Italian Culture, and the Fitchburg Community Read.  

***

Special thanks to Susan Navarre, the Executive Director of the Fitchburg Historical Society; Jacalyn Kremer, the Dean of the Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library on the Fitchburg State campus; Asher Jackson; Jessie Olson, Prof. Teresa Fava Thomas; and Rose Ann Addorisio and Concetta Ayles, Michael Addorisio's nieces.

***

Episode transcript can be found here.

***

The episode was produced by Perseverantia, the Fitchburg State Podcast Network in conjunction with the Fitchburg Historical Society and the Fitchburg Community Read.

Click here to learn more about Perseverantia. Join us for programming updates on Instagram. Or reach out with ideas or suggestions at podcasts@fitchburgstate.edu.

Transcript

[ patriotic theme fades in ]

SUSAN NAVARRE (cold open): You know, I think there are a lot of people out there who do remember these times, but they won't share those memories unless we ask them for them. And I'm hoping that hearing some of these letters today will give you the starting point to ask them about their World War II experiences, whether as soldiers or as children.

 [ patriotic theme continues under then fades out ]

 SUSAN NAVARRE: Hi everyone. Welcome to the Fitchburg Historical Society and our program, writing Home to Fitchburg, a reading of World War II Service Member Letters. This program is presented by the Fitchburg Historical Society, also by the archives of Fitchburg State University, the Center for Italian Culture and the Fitchburg Community Read.

 I'm Susan Navarre. I'm executive director here at the Fitchburg Historical Society. So what I'd like to do is give you a short overview of the content of our program today and introduce you to our participants today. So I will start with Rose Ann Addorisio and her sister Connie Ayles, who will be reading letters from the Michael Vincent Addorisio Family Collection.

 The collection is a series of letters that were written by Mr. Addorisio to his brother Frank in Fitchburg During World War II. He was Roseanne and Connie's uncle. I also welcome Theresa Fava Thomas, a professor from Fitchburg State University -- Professor of History – and she will share some thoughts about the Addorisio collection and its context.

 Finally, I'll introduce two members of my board of directors. One is Asher Jackson, who is the Associate Librarian, Head of Technical Services and Archives at Fitchburg State University, and he'll be facilitating the questions and answers at the end of the program. And Jesse Olson here – she is the Executive Director of the Fitchburg Cultural Alliance, and she has extensive experience on the stage.  So she'll be interpreting some of the letters from the Fitchburg Historical Society collection.

 So after this short introduction, we're going to share a kaleidoscope, I think, of Fitchburg's war experiences that were pulled out of the archives of the historical society. And then that'll be followed by a deeper dive into one man's letters and one family's experience.

 The letters from the Historical Society will be read by me and one of our board members, Jesse Olson, the second group of letters by Michael Vincent Addorisio, those will be introduced, as I said, with a short presentation by Theresa Fava Thomas.

  We were spurred to create this program by the Fitchburg Community Read, and this year's book is called A Woman of No Importance; the Untold Story of Virginia Hall World War II's Most Dangerous Spy by Sonya Purnell.

And I've read it and it's pretty amazing. It's a biography that reads like a spy story. Like a thriller really. And it's pretty neat that it covers, uncovers a lot of history that's been forgotten. I think it's a terrific reminder that even for, for something in history that's been covered a lot, that there's still more new and different ways we can discover what happened at that time.

 And I want to thank Jacalyn Kremer who's actually the liaison between the Community Read and all of us in the community, and she really was the starting point for this program.  

So with the letters that we're going to hear today from the Historical Society, they actually start a little bit before the war because we've found many interesting documents here at the Historical Society that show how war is impending.

The first one uses a very uncommon word. It says philatelist, and that's a stamp collector. And the letter itself wasn't actually much to do with. Collecting stamps. It was more a piece of propaganda. Someone from Japan reaching out to the United States. I have seen other examples of propaganda in archives and in libraries, and I think they're always fascinating to run into because what you see is the axis powers – they're trying to do whatever they can to keep the United States out of the war.

The second example that's from before the war is by a young man from Fitchburg who is explaining why we didn't want to go to war. And so I think it's a very interesting example of Fitchburg student writing – I think a high schooler at that time.  Also his conflicted ideas about the possibility of war coming up. He mentions that the United States, of course, felt burned by the experience of World War I. The veterans were all over in the news during the Great Depression because many of them had never received their bonus payments for fighting, and so many of them were homeless during the Great Depression.

 And the essay also mentions the Treaty of Versailles, which of course was the flawed treaty that ended World War I and really exacerbated the ill will between the nations of Europe and exacerbated, of course, Germany's economic woes.

So the writer of that letter, Jerry Lombard, did end up enlisting two years later, and he became a highly decorated pilot and eventually a very successful politician after the war.

So the next letters we have are pretty much a self-explanatory. They talk about bootcamp for the Marine Corps battle, and the experience of seeing death injuries and narrowly escaping death. And some news from the home front. Then we hear a little side note on Fitchburg women during the war, in addition to staying home and in many cases working in Fitchburg factories, many of Fitchburg young women served in uniform.

We have records of those who were wax and those who were Marines also. And of course, many, many women were trained at the Burbank School of Nursing to be war nurses, and we have an excellent collection from one of them, from Isabel  Demmon. She was a nurse in the  Indian Theater of War, and the letters that we have today to her have to do with a man that she nursed in Calcutta, India, who was in an iron lung, I assume, presumably for polio.

And then some of you may remember August 14th, 1946, VJ Day. There was a celebration here in Fitchburg on that day that is featured in one of the letters. That letter actually was written by Jacobs Bound, and some of you who were here for our annual meeting will have met his son, Joseph. Bound who visited here that day to share some of his family's history with us.

And, he's 95 years old and had a lot of fun coming back to Fitchburg. So there was the parade for the victory in Japan. There was also another victory parade in 1947 when all the soldiers were mostly demobilized and could attend. And so I've talked to people who remember one or both of those parades.

And you know, I think there are a lot of people out there who do remember these times, but they won't share those memories unless we ask them for them. And I'm hoping that hearing some of these letters today will give you the starting point to ask them about their World War II experiences, whether as soldiers or as children.

[ musical theme transitions ]

And now Jesse and I will read some of the letters.

The first is from Sohichi Ichida, Tokyo, December 15th, 1937.  

 My dear fellow Philatelist,

 I feel it an honor to write to you as a Japanese member of the American Foist Society to explain the true statement of facts in regard to the present dispute between Japan and China.

 I shall be satisfied if you can understand clearly that Japan is not the aggressor, but it is chastising the Chinese army, and on the other hand, asking the people of China for a genuine mutual understanding. What we want in the Orient is peace. And friendly relations. If China will reflect and agree in concert with us, there will be no reason for a conflict between Japan and China whose people come from the same racial stock.

 I earnestly hope that I may have the opportunity of meeting you sometime to discuss the many interesting matters about Japanese stamps and the Chinese problem as well.

With best regards,

 Sohichi Ichida.

Now the essay from Jerry Lombard, August, 1940.

 For Young America has read its history and knows that the Treaty of Versailles was unjust, unreasonable, certain of reprisal.  He knows also that France had promised to Italy certain concessions and that these concessions had not been given. He knows also that there is not only a German fifth column in this country, but also. An English fifth column, and also a capitalistic fifth column. Europe has always been involved in political and economic intrigue.

The youth of America knows today that war is not glory. That war is an animal-like evidence of man's inhumanity to man. The Youth of America wants no part of it.

Then a letter from November 1st, 1942 to mom, dad, and Jean from Norman Caisse about bootcamp:

We had some times out there, some of the boys didn't like life in the raw, but I did.  Slept in tents all the time while we were there…..We started off the week by going to the big range where the boys fired the machine guns, mortars. Anti-tank and all that stuff. You ought to see them things when they hit. They leave a hole in the ground about five feet deep and five feet wide. I had quite a time watching them….. Then we left there and went to Onslow Beach right off the next day. 

We went on landing operations. They took movies of the landings, so you'll probably see them when you go to the show. Then we went on maneuvers in the field attacking an enemy.

 JESSIE OLSON:  

 Letter from February 1944, Southwest Pacific by J.F. Leo Bourque:

Hello Brother,

I left for overseas service just about a month after you did, but I am …a hard seasoned veteran, as you will find out someday, when we get together for a bull session and maybe a glass of nice cold delicious beer. It sure would go good out here. [Then something illegible then]: “in sick bay, hospital to you, with a slight fever and the Doc said just a small touch of malaria. That also is personal: I did not write home about it so don’t mention it. 

Heard from Bob – nice letter and picture, really looks good. I

hope he stays where he is, Don’t you? Regards and best of luck, Leo”

 SUSAN NAVARRE:

He also sent a poem.

We know he came from a western state,

Though to

us he remains unknown

For “Tex”

was marked on his hat – 

The rest a

mortar had blown

We buried

him there, on a mountain spur,

Where the

trees are draped in moss.

We though

of the Mother – no news for her

Of that

irreplaceable loss.

Just a boy

he looked with is snowy hair,

As we laid

him down in the clay.

The padre’s

voice was loud and clear

No other’s

had words to say.

Yet we knew

a mother would watch and wait.

For a

letter sent by her boy,

How she

would dream of things he did,

How is

first words caused her joy.

And how he

went off to school or games,

He’d wave

her fond goodbyes,

Just as he

did when the great call came,

And the hot

tears hurt her eyes.

Perhaps she

will know in some unknown way

Of that

little rugged cross

The remains

of her hero under it lay

Where the

trees are draped with moss

We cursed

the heathens who stripped the dead

No pity on

them can be shown.

We marked

the cross, so it can be read

Tex ----

Unknown 

 SUSAN NAVARRE:  On the next letter, I'll give a a quick warning that it does contain a racial slur that was common during the war.

 It's from Norman Case to his fiancée Dolly and his mom and dad on March 2nd, 1944.

So you went to the movies and seen swamps and hills and mud. I suppose you've seen all the awful things the Japs do too.

 So you went to the movies and seen swamp and hills and mud. I suppose you seen all the awful things the Japs do too. It must be awful the way they show it in the movies. I know cause we see some of them too. It does wonderful things to the people back home. I’ll bet you buy an extra war bond every time you see one. Don’t get me wrong about war bonds, they are swell things, but what they put in the movies is a lot of hooey and I’ll bet you fall like a ton of bricks. You know I can’t blame you I guess cause you never done this stuff and the movies make you believe everything. Don’t forget how the English put on about the Germans in the last war.   Wish I had some of your cold weather…Like to see movies with snow in them. Makes me feel good.

Then in a later letter.

 The furlough is coming up soon. I'm so excited I can hardly write. The next time I write, I'll put myself in the letter. Get me be seeing you. Don't forget to expect me. Bye-bye till I see you in person.

All my love,

Norman.

And after that next furlough, he was killed in battle On September 9th, 1945. 

[ somber theme plays ]

 Private first class Francis Gallagher wrote to his parents on the details of his death and battle, stepping on a landmine while out on reconnaissance. We have that letter where he said that  Lieutenant Baldwin quote “told me that your son was the best PFC he had in his platoon. He was very well liked and died doing his duty.”

 JESSIE OLSON: 

December 4th, 1944.

 To Fel (Felix Leger) from Mildred.

Hope you're well and they aren't working you too hard. Do you see the other boys? I'm working now a war job, operate a drill press 60 hours a week, time in one half for all over 40 hours. I've been quite tired as wasn't in condition at first, but feel pretty good now.

Sunday, 4th,

no specific date to Gus Stewart from “Johnny” at the Middlesex School:

We have had quite a weekend. …The first team also won their first game by beating Belmont Hill 34 – 12. Today, Sunday, it rained up to about 11 o’clock then it suddenly changed to snow and it has been snowing ever since so that we now have 3 inches of good and wet snow. The afternoon was  occupied by a big snowball fight which is still going on. Next Saturday is the St. Georges game and I think we will win.

 Love Johnny

JESSIE OLSON:

Notes from March 3 and 4, 1944, diary entry with no name attached:

 Tonight I am very lucky to be able to write in this diary, as I should be dead instead. My plane caused a lot of commotion at the flight line and nobody has ever seen a fighter come back shot up as much as mine was. I had about twenty hits in it in all.

 November 12, 1944 to Lieutenant Isabel Demmon, from Lucile A Wesselhoeft, mother of Robert Wesselhoeft (who was in an iron lung in Calcutta, India).

 My son Robert, who is now back in the States, has told us what long hours of kind and gentle care you gave him when he lay helpless in the lung at the hospital in Calcutta….Both my husband and myself feel greatly indebted to you for your kindness and devotion to our boy, and it is difficult to find words to express how we feel towards you and the other two kind nurses who looked after him over there.

Letter to Isabel’s twin sister Priscilla, from Nancy Wesselhoeft, December 29, 1944

For the time being I have the job of being my husband’s secretary. ….I feel as if I know Isabel because she wrote me a couple of marvelous letters when Bob was in Calcutta, telling all the little details of his condition that others forgot to mention. She sounded very chipper and said how she envied both you and me, still being in the good old U.S. When you write, do send her Bob’s best, as well as mine.”

 SUSAN NAVARRE:

Jan 29, 1945 From Felix to “Darling” (his wife Beatrice)

 Hello darling,

…As soon as I have a little more time, I’ll answer your letter, I

am feeling fine but lonesome like heck, so you were glad I wrote you a few long

letter, I don’t talk about much but as long as you hear from that what you

want, so my darling as mail this is a short letter, hope you don’t mine. I love

you Sweetheart and miss you very much, if you can, will you send me a box you

know what I like… I haven’t got one yet.

Love Phil.

[ a romantic duet from 1944 Bing Crosby Christmas Special fades in and plays over the next letter ]

Then there's a card that says

To a convalescent, no date sent to Felix.

“All my love Darling. Keep your chin up dear. I’m always with you dear, don’t ever feel alone I’m right here Honey as you are near me I’m sure. Hope this finds you good. I heard a few songs tonight that were old and so close to you and I. On Bing’s program. Do you hear the radio? I love you dear, [signed] “Bee”

[ a romantic duet from 1944 Bing Crosby Christmas Special plays over the transition to the next letter ]

Then August 14th, 1946 from Jacob's bound to his son-in-law, Maury Loeb.

The nightmare is over!....

I couldn’t help but recall the words that Marcia wrote in one of

her letters a few days ago: “no beach heads for Buddy to soften up, and my

Morrie will stay here.”

After the glad news, mother and I started out to visit our neighbors. There was Clare and Izzy Alperin sitting on the porch across the way. A lump came to my throat as I walked across to say – what could I say? I gripped their hands in silence as tears rolled down their cheeks. Clare said, “I’m so happy for you, Jack. Everyone’s boys are coming home but mine.”

We then went down to Main Street to see the externals of

Fitchburg’s celebration. It was a motor-age party. Every Fitchburg motorist and

his brother and sister turning out into the streets with the cars and tooting

horns. Oldsters and youngsters on the sidewalks…but the automobiles and their

horns held the center of the  stage. Through it all, you could hear the

cry and chant: “The war is over. The war is over.”

  It was a period of marching, singing and kissing. The

policeman’s whistle – blown not in authority, but in a mood of “let’s see what

happens” added to the joyous confusion. …

I tried to drive down to the shop on Prescott street to see that

our lumber piles weren’t on fire, for there were bonfires all over the city. We

got stuck in the traffic, but your daddy found a way out by going the wrong way

up a one-way street….

And so on, into the night. The oldsters and the youngsters drifted

home. Then the bobbysoxers took over with a renewed symphony of horn- tooting. 

We went to bed..but I couldn’t sleep. The final surrender of Tokyo

had stirred my emotions to a pitch that left me exhausted, yet without sleep. 

Those of us who are blessed or cursed with imagination or

reasoning cannot quickly adjust themselves to spontaneous merry-making, for man

must atone for the vast slaughter of human lives. The best seeds of nations

have been interred in mother earth. So, I fell asleep, dreaming, thinking,

planning, loving my wife and children and thanking God that they are mine and

that peace will come to the world.” 

Love, Dad

Wow. And now please welcome Dr. Theresa Fava Thomas of Fitchburg State University.

PROF. TERESA FAVA THOMAS: Hi. I'd like to give you just a little bit of an introduction into the world that Michael Acio lived in, uh, both here in Fitchburg, uh, and when he was in the United States Navy, he attended and belonged to St. Anthony's Church, which was, and still is, since 1908, the traditional Italian church in Fitchburg.  He attended St. Bernard's Central Catholic High, and he worked as a woodworker for Angel Novelty, which was established just on the  other side of Crocker Field by the Maslo family. And here are some of the delightful images that he sent home to his family of the war before the War of Hawaii and places he visited.

He and his ship during the conflict traveled over 220,000 miles, crisscrossing the Pacific on destroyer duty. Several years ago, I went aboard the USS Cason Young. A destroyer that is a museum piece now in Boston Harbor, and I want to illustrate something for you. That ship is 341 feet long, roughly a football field and a bit, but it's beam across is 36 feet.

This is the first thing that struck me when I set foot on the deck of the case in young. It's 36 feet wide. The crew is 268 people and they have to live on that ship. There's a reason, number one, they call them tin cans, and that is not a derisive term. The people who served on these destroyers referred to themselves as tin cans, they also refer to their ships as greyhounds, and I think that gets at something 

If you think of a greyhound as a racing. Animal that's extraordinarily light and fast and maneuverable. That's what a destroyer is. Tin can Sailors took pride in their strategic role, and they're extraordinarily important in this war more than in the previous war. They played a role in guarding other ships as escorts as convoys.

 Here's the Reid, DD 360 9. It served as destroyer escort. Protecting aircraft picket duty outside of aircraft carriers, which was vital to preserve critical ships. So the reed would be out front. They would be the first ship the enemy. Planes, submarines, or other ships encountered 

[ newsreel fades in ]

 NEWSREEL (archive):

Meanwhile in the Philippine United States Navy fighters and farmers, and clashing low level attacks on Japanese shipping in Mindanao Harbor.

Clearing a fiery wave for the liberation of the Philippines. 18 ships were sunk, 19 damaged in this raid alone.

PROF. TERESA FAVA THOMAS: They were at Kiska and Attu in the Aleutians. They were at Pearl Harbor under fire on December 7th. They were at Laytay Gulf. What they were trying to do when the ship was attacked by Kamikazes in its final engagement was support landings on the Philippines. We were trying to liberate the Philippines and the American POWs who were on the Philippines at that time. If you are aware of what the Baton Death March was, that was some of the driving motivation behind their service. So why were kamikaze planes developed in the closing months of the war?

[sound effects of WWII era Japanese zero planes swoop and attack play in the background] 

The United States was trying to move on Japan. And on the Philippines to retake the Philippines and to get as close to Japan as we could so we could conduct continual air raids. This is an image of a kamikaze. They could carry a bomb load of about 550 pounds, fully loaded. They were deadly. They were dangerous.  They were suicidal, literally. You can see the net closing.

The key thing is the United States needed to be at Okinawa because that was within range for those things. B 20 nines. You can see the image here. Here's Okinawa Home Islands. Here is the Philippines. This is where he was operating at that time, and there's the reed. The date was December 11th, 1944. 

 I wanted to add this, and I actually have a blowup of this poster.

This was a print from the Fitchburg Sentinel requesting in the closing weeks of the war. That people from Fitchburg Police contribute blood for a blood drive to support our service personnel overseas. The first person listed among the dead is Michael Addorisio. There's 168 names on that list from St. Anthony's church alone. 600 men and women served in the US military. And among them was Michael -- And St. Anthony's lost 14 people in service during the war.

And I'd like to step aside for Roseanne and Connie , the two nieces of Michael.

ROSE ANN ADDORISIO:   These are some of Michael's letters. We're gonna start with. letter seven of 84 USS, Natches Christmas 1940.

Hello, Frank. I hope you and Mary enjoy a Merry Christmas and that Santa Claus was Mer. Good to you and merry. Did you get the Christmas cards that I sent you and the folks, by the way. Do me a favor, will you go down to the house and let me know what PA Joe and Tony got for Christmas so that I can throw away these postage insurance checks?

I went to a show in town and saw Joe and Brown Snow White Donald's Lucky Day three pigs, Ferdinand Ugly ducking. All at one price just to get some laughs for my Christmas holiday. Of course, this didn't feel like Christmas to me, like I enjoyed all the other years that passed by. We got one pay here so far of $11.

I had a couple of pictures taken of myself, so I'll send you and ma one. I wish I could have taken more, but I saved enough money to last me till I get my own. To my own ship in Hawaii. The only letter I got was from you. Perhaps Joe wrote one, but they must have sent the mail to Hawaii if they addressed them to the destroyer base.

Last Friday and Saturday, me and another guy scrubbed and painted the smokestack on the ship. Boy did I get the shivers, but I got over them and it did look high from up there. But I'll promise you this, that I'll make up next Christmas to you, Mary. Also the bras and sousas with something good, especially you for doing me a favor and looking after ma for me.

Don't forget to write as soon as possible about those presents and tell the family it was nothing. I only wish I could buy them something better. Well, that's all I have to say for now, except God bless you and Mary,

Your brother Mike.

CONCETTA AYLES:

Letter 12 of 84 USS Read Honolulu, Hawaii, February the 13th, 1941.

Dear Frank,

Well, how's the good old salt in that part of the continent?

We finally got here, the scenery was beautiful. The days were hot and we wear shorts.

When we got to Pearl Harbor, we found out that the Porter went back to the States, so we got orders to be transferred to the USS Reed for Duty, so this will be my ship.

On the way over, we did see a lot of flying fish and plenty of albatross.

Boy, they're pretty big. It would be good hunting if you could paddle a canoe out there. Only one day was a little rough and I got clipped by the water twice. One guy won $147 in a crap game. Some of these gobs, a real addis. It's shooting the bologna. It's just like these fish stories you hear at home.  Only they're better. And sometimes I roll up my pants so you know the dress.

Now start writing and let me know if ma got those shoes yet. You should see the lodge dry dock they got here. I've seen the battleships. They don't set from the water much, but they sure are wide and long. Even the destroyers are higher off the water.  Now I have to start all over and make new friends. The crew on this ship seems to be a hundred percent.

Give my best wishes to Mary A her family. I'll write to my Saturday and we'll send her some money because it's payday.

Hey, wait a minute. I just got a letter from you. I'll open it now. I'm glad Ma likes the shoes.

And by the way, you would be glad there's a fellow on my ship. He came across with me and was an apprentice. Seaman just like me. He's only 29 and all bald. Excuse the writing because I'm writing this letter on my knee. 

Everything is coming along swell. I hope to get good breaks soon.

 Hey, how many minutes can Fred Ioni send?  I'm having a friendly argument with the pal of mine with

 Love your brother,

Mike

ROSE ANN ADDORISIO:

Letter 14 of 84, Brisbane, Australia, March 26th, 1941.

Hi, Frank and Mary. This is the best pot I've hit yet. Beer eats, dance shows, trolley, and even girls for free. We were in Sydney and what a welcome we got. It was like New York sale is marching and paper flying.

 Perhaps you read about it in the newspapers. Talk about autograph es. Fred Frank, I'm going to put my arm in a sling. I'm willing to bet I signed at least a million. If you see any of my pals, tell them about the swell time I'm having. I got some English coin and notes for souvenirs. I'll save you some. A half Penny. A penny. Three pence. Six pence. Shilling. Two shillings, half pound and pound.   A pound is worth $3 and 20 cents in American money. And looks something like a dollar bill, only a little larger.

 You should hear the way they talk. I have to look at them twice before I know what they're saying. There's really nothing to it though.  They pronounce an A like an I like caves, chives. Name nine.

 I made some friends here, so don't be surprised if the family gets some mail or something from here and then wonder where it came from. I only wish you could be here with me. If I have time, I'll buy an Australian stamp so you can have them.

 Your brother,

Mike

Letter 22 of 84 USS read Pearl Harbor territory of Hawaii.

Dear Frank and Mary,

 Congratulations. Yippee! Well, it's about time that bird made a landing. I was just about ready to shoot it down. I suppose. Everybody is happy, including me, hoping everything is in the best. Everything is in the best of health.

 I'm still in the pink of condition. When I get back, I'll have to show Roseanne a few jiujitsu, by the way.

 Tell it to save me a date, but I still wish it was so I could be sending baseball bats. Maybe she'll be a tomboy. Not hardly old man. Weather is still burning and I can't do anything about that boy, that canton's a pip. First he writes to say he doesn't wanna see this name from Leominster, so she writes him a letter and now there's no one like her.

 If that don't take the cake, but don't tell him I told you or he'll be sore at me. I guess he still doesn't care for the Army. Well, I guess Joe will be going pretty soon.

 Best wishes and luck to Roseanne.

 Love,

Mike

 CONCETTA AYLES:

Letter 23 of 84. September the 14th, 1941. USS Reed, Pearl Harbor,

Dear Frank and Mary and Roseanne,

 I'm in the best of health and hoping the same from you.

 Well, Frank, I got some good news for you too. August the 27th, I passed my seamen first class exams and will be getting $54 a month.

 That was some trick that Phena pulled on Ma. Inviting her whole class for a birthday. She even kicked me and Joe out so we couldn't have any cake. The fall and winter was coming around, so take good care of Roseanne.

 Gosh, Donna, too bad the sun couldn't be shining for her all the time without getting cold. I haven't heard from Johnny Canton for a long while. Didn't I tell you he was a beaut?

 That's too bad though. He'll probably get more than he thinks. You certainly can't fool around with the government. Guys. Thanks a million for that snapshot.

 I bet Ma's proud. I can't think of anything else to write, so I guess I'll sign off.  Love to Roseanne. 

 Your brother,

Mike

Letter 27 of 84. October the 17th, 1941. USS Reid, Pearl Harbor

Hi Frank,

 I got your letter today and was very glad to hear from you. I'm in the best of health and hoping the same from you by the looks of those pictures you sent me, Roseanne looks pretty peppy that wagon.

What wagon is Joe Talleti stationed on?

 They will give you leave if you're in the States. If you got enough of it, as long as they can spare you while we're on this point, I might as well tell you the reed won't be going home back to the States, but the rest of the division is. You see, we're in the Navy yard for repairs on a couple of bilge keels.

 We expect to stay here for a month anyway, and the skipper says we'll probably go back to the states November the 21st instead of October the 22nd boy, and some guys pissed off. You know, there's a lot of them on here whose time is already expired and have to wait until this ship goes back to the states before they can get paid.

 For, you're a land lover calling. This can a boat. It's a ship. Where's your Seaman ship? You know that book I bought in training The Blue Jacket manual? Well, that's all seamanship in it and I won't be needing it anymore, so if you want me to send it to you, let me know. I'd be just too glad so you can learn a lot of stuff from it too.

 I must say, Frank, it’s swell to have a brother like you. To me, it seems as though you can do almost anything. I know a good many kids would like to have you. For a brother, I tried like heck to do a lot of the things like you, but I guess I haven't the knack. I'm willing to bet anyone a million to one.

 That you'd make a Don good pop to here is hoping that you get some damn good breaks in the Fireman Gang and First Aid. Thanks a lot for those pictures you sent me and God bless you all.

 Your brother,

Mike

 ROSE ANN ADDORISIO:

Letter 38 of 84, September 6th, 1942 USS Reed, San Francisco, California.

 Hello Frank,

 I was very glad to read the letter that you had written me August 12th.  I'm feeling swell and hoping the same for you. I got a letter from Fofo today and he said that he sent me a package, but I don't know what the hell it is because I didn't get it yet. I don't know how many quats of blueberries you picked, but I wish that I were there to pick a few myself. Ma knows it's my favorite pie.

 I wish Ma would've gone to the beach this year because I know she enjoys it very much, even though it's only for a couple of days. As for me, there's nothing much to say because they'll only censor it.

 So what the hell's the use of writing it? I hear Joe Dimato was home for a while. How the heck do them guys get all the luck?

 I bet Joe likes hi. Doesn't like Hyannis very much because he never did like the cold weather. Well, I guess he can't kick 'cause he gets to go home once in a while. Who knows? Someday I'll probably pull a Houdini and be there myself.

 Your brother,

Mike

Letter 71 of 84, May 5th, 1944 USS read. San Francisco.

 Hello, Frank.

 I've answered a couple of letters tonight and I thought I'd write to you while I had a pen in my hand. There's nothing much to write about except that we have been pretty darn busy lately and very seldom got to port to write a few letters. I'm feeling fine and hoping the same from you and the family.

 There's a package for you on the way. It's salt and pepper shakers. This set didn't come out so hot, but a guy in my position can't take too much time out to make them. There's also a couple of black squares. I want you to give Tony and a plane. I wish you would hold for me. I'd like to get that chrome plated someday.

 I'll bet you don't know what kind of plane it is. I haven't got the props for it yet. I guess by the time you get it though, it'll be all bent outta shape or busted.  Well, I guess I better sign off.

Give my best to the wife and the maids,

 M Addorizzi

Letter 75 of 84. June the 17th, 1944 USS Reid. c/o the Postmaster, San Francisco, California.

Hello, Frank.

 I just got a letter from you, postmarked from April 28th, almost two months. It's a wonder that I didn't get it in ‘45.

 I'm feeling fine, hoping the same from you and the family and the maids. When is Antoinette getting married? I hear the fire back home. Kind of spoiled your vacation. I guess you guys had quite a mortar game back there with the cross-eyed Porky.

 Is he still the beaut he used to be. There isn't much doing right now, but I imagine things will start picking up again. Did you get that package I sent you? How big are the kids now? Have they grown much? I don't have to guess. I know Mary is still the swell gal you married. How come a guy like you raided her?

I guess her eyes have gone bad. Well, this isn't much of a letter, but it will give you something to read for a change.

So I'll sign off.

Your brother

MA

Letter 76 of 84. June the 21st, 1944 USS Reid. c/o the Postmaster, San Francisco, California.

Hello Frank,

 I just got a couple of letters from you today and glad to get them. I also got one from Joe and I'm feeling fine and hoping the same from you and the family. There isn't much to write about, as usual.

 I didn't expect the letter I got from Joe, it was only better than two months old. And on top of that, he sends them by those new type of free stamps. You know what I mean?

 He says he likes what he's doing and that he's not bitching. I know he isn't. I sure would've liked to have been at the Farewell party you guys gave Sam with Brock the Backender.

 I don't guess I would've missed out on many drinks. I'll bet you were the chief beer sampler. I very seldom hear of the times you missed out on it.

 Well, I guess the old lady there saved you a lot of work and trouble for your garden when the frost came. That's what you get for being too lazy and not planting when the others did.

 Boy, you must be getting pretty lucky. Well, I guess I'll sign off. 

Your brother M Addorizzi

[ theme fades in and plays over the final letter ]

ROSE ANN ADDORISIO (cont’d):

 Letter 84 of 84. This is the last letter, November 27th, 1944.  USS Reid San Francisco, California c/o the Postmaster in San Francisco, California.

 Hello, Frank,

Just got two letters from you and glad to have something to read. Even if it's not much, I'm in the best of health and hoping the same from you and the family. There isn't much to write about. I received the fudge and cookies you sent the sweet stuff spoiled, but the cookies tasted swell even though they were mashed up a little.  Thanks a lot.

 The girlfriend tells me you gave her a lift one day. What are you trying to do? Steal her from me. All kidding aside, Frank, she tell you about the eye operation she had in New York lately? She probably did. You don't have to tell me where Joe is because I know I wrote and told Tony where he was at.

 I'm pretty positive of it. He just got there about the time we left. I sure would like to do some hunting this year. But I guess it's impossible because I'm hunting the biggest game there is out today in on an all year round license.

Hey Frank, let me know if Joe's account is open, but don't tell him I asked about it.

I had like to have one of those football annuals you usually send just something so that I won't forget a little sport. Well, I guess it's last down and I'll have to kick off.

So I'll sign off your brother,

Mike Adorizzi

[ applause ] 

SUSAN NAVARRE: The program is co-sponsored by the Historical Society. The community read Fitchburg State. Library and archives and the Fitchburg State University Center for Italian culture.

[ Perseverantia theme fades in ]

TORI KIOLBASA: You're listening to Perseverantia, the Fitchburg State Podcast Network.

[ Perseverantia theme fades out ]