New York State is working on an exhibit for the Vietnam Memorial Gallery in Albany opening in 2025. The exhibit will focus on letters sent to and from home by New York State service members during the Vietnam War. Types of questions the exhibit may explore include, but are not limited to: What types of things did families write to service members? What types of events taking place at home were communicated to loved ones in letters while they were overseas? How much did service members reveal about their war experiences in letters home? In what ways were letters a comfort for service members? What types of care packages were sent abroad? What about those who did not have a home to write to? What about the familiesand loved ones whose letters were returned with the devastating news of loss?
It is very important to get this right for veterans and we rely on their voices and experiences to shape this exhibition. The State has asked County Veterans Service Agencies to assist in this project to reach out to ask if any veterans from their county or families of Vietnam veterans who have such letters would like to share them. If so, please send scans of the letters and pictures to Sara Hill at [email protected] and Kathleen Brousseau, Assistant Curator at [email protected].
Please contact the Yates County Veterans Services Agency (315-536-5196) if you have any questions
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