East Texas State Teachers College in World War II

Letters and News From Home in World War II

During World War II, news sent between soldiers and the homefront was a major aspect of life, as people answered their nation’s call of duty and served in various roles in the war effort. News carried between the homefront and any of the other avenues of war provided comfort to those deployed and allowed those at home to know that their loved ones were still alive. Soldiers that felt homesick were relieved to hear about their home and those on the home front learned about the war from those who went abroad.

In this display, various letters and news sent to East Texas State Teachers College (ETSTC) and Commerce locals give insight into these people’s thoughts, experiences, and emotions of the time while being paired with posters from the war that served to persuade Americans to participate in the war effort for their nation. Various organizations such as the Red Cross and United Service Organization (USO) helped to bridge the wide gap between those at home and abroad.

Together, these artifacts tell the wartime stories of those who lived and worked in Commerce, as these men worked or attended ETSTC and were shipped overseas to various fronts during the war.