Sledge letter to Eric Mailander, 7-6-1982
Eugene B. Sledge wrote this letter to Eric Mailander in reply to Mailander's letter praising Sledge's book With The Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa. (See Mailander letter, 4-25-1982) In this letter, Sledge answered Mailander's question about whether he would ever return to Peleliu or...
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| Format: | Electronic |
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Auburn University Libraries
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| Online Access: | http://content.lib.auburn.edu/u?/ebsledge,95 |
| Summary: | Eugene B. Sledge wrote this letter to Eric Mailander in reply to Mailander's letter praising Sledge's book With The Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa. (See Mailander letter, 4-25-1982) In this letter, Sledge answered Mailander's question about whether he would ever return to Peleliu or Okinawa. Sledge said that he can't imagine Peleliu overgrown with vegetation and stated that he didn't think he could ever return there because the trip would be too traumatic since the battle was so ferocious. Mailander had also asked Sledge about any souvenirs he picked up. Sledge explained that he picked up only items that were small and easy to carry. He and the other front line troops just couldn't keep larger souvenirs like weapons and helmets because they couldn't carry any unnecessary weight beyond their weapons, ammo, and rations. Sledge closed with a few words debunking the myth of the Hollywood John Wayne type tough guy. |
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