Wynona L. Boober Second World War correspondence

This collection contains one typed three page letter written by Sgt. Wynona L. Boober, WAC to Josephine during the Second World War. The letter is a personal narrative that was written for her family and this copy was sent to Josephine to "get caught up." Also included is one obituary of Wynona Boober Aldrich.

The letter describes Sgt. Boober's experience in an "unsettled state" due to rumors of the war's end and what they will do until that time, while telling her family and Josephine that she "would much rather be here than a WAC back in the States and want to stay as long as I can." She discusses the weather and living conditions in Italy, as well as the uniforms and new WAC dresses, "tropical worsteds, complete with the new summer 'off duty dresses' and new hats, and do they ever look sharp!"

The third paragraph describes her picnic spot with three friends, and how it was overrun by Italian children searching for handouts. "After you give them anything and tell them to 'go,' they just say 'no cabish' and won't budge an inch...The candy or gum serves only to keep them still for a time." She continues, "When you finally realize there is no hope of getting rid of the little things, you give up and let them entertain you. They love to sing, and at every lull start up 'Pistol Packin Mama'. They all know the American words to this and it's fun to hear them."

The rest of the letter contains descriptions of her local Italian cafe and the tourist attractions she has visited, including Sorrento, Cassino, Naples, and Rome. In Rome she mentions the Palace of Justice, Monument to Victor Emmanuel II, the Colosseum, the old Forum, the Tiber River, the bridge of Horatius, the Andeatine Cave, the Catacombs, St. Peter's Basilica and the Papal Palace where she attended a visitation and blessing by Pope Pius XII and kissed his hand (comically stating that she was supposed to kiss his ring, to which he asked, "American?").

Throughout this portion, she describes the people and destruction caused by the war. "On the way though we passed through so many ruins and such devastation it made one heart sick - poor, dejected looking people picking away on the heaps of rubble that I suppose were the places where they had lived. It all looked so hopeless." At two points she also mentions Benito Mussolini, just in reference to a farming policy and his old offices where the Opera is located.