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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.

DiChristina, Richard J., 1949-2016 to Joyce Robinson

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09626.11.01 Author/Creator: DiChristina, Richard J., 1949-2016 Place Written: Vietnam Type: Autograph letter signed Date: February 6, 1970 Pagination: 4 p. : envelope Height: 20.3 cm, Width: 12.7 cm Order a Copy

One letter addressed to Joyce Robinson from Richard J. DiChristina dated February 6, 1970. He writes of the number of letters he has yet to mail to Joyce. His platoon has walked 500 meters today, and they are "up on one hell of a mountain." He relays that some will be sent to the bottom of the mountain while others will be going for water. He mentions that a water buffalo ran after them yesterday and that he ran "to the hills" in fear. He mentions an exchange of photographs in the mail and discusses details of a monetary issue. After satisfying a debt, they will be able to pay for wedding rings. DiChristina relays that a priest visits them once a month in the field and that when he returns home he will attend church every Sunday. He writes it will make him "very very happy" to see her at the airport when he arrives home and signs his letter with lots of x's and o's.

DiChristina, Richard J., 1949-2016
Robinson, Joyce, 1957-

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