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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Shadow, John R., fl. 1943-1944 to Leonard Eugene Graeff

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09611.055 Author/Creator: Shadow, John R., fl. 1943-1944 Place Written: Flint, Michigan Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 7 June 1943 Pagination: 4 p. : envelope Height: 23.8 cm, Width: 18.8 cm Order a Copy

One letter from John Shadow to Leonard Eugene Graeff dated June 7, 1943. John relays he has three more weeks left in his training. The previous week was engine assembly this week he worked engine adjustment. He insists that his love interest Pearl is cheating on him so he has decided to date. He hopes Graeff will receive another deferment. He notes "The army is not bad at all, but it would be better to be a civilian." He concludes his letter by saying he will be leaving his location on the 26th but does not know his destination. Signed, "John."

Graeff, Leonard Eugene, 1920-2016
Shadow, John R., fl. 1943-1944

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