November 21, 2001

Letters from the homefront

Local veterans send notes to soldiers stationed overseas

By LISA PERKINS
Herald staff writer
       Everyone agreed that the annual Veteran's Dessert Social at the Traverse City Senior Center felt different this year. The patriotic songs were more emotionally charged since the events of September 11 and the deployment of American soldiers overseas.
      It seemed appropriate that this year the social also served as a kickoff to a "Letters from the Homefront" campaign to solicit notes from local veterans to be sent to American troops in Afghanistan.
      "I hope to get as many letters as possible from our local veterans," said Senior Center coordinator Lori Wells. "Today is just the beginning, we want to send letters every month to the men and women who are serving overseas."
      Bill Koons, who served in the infantry during World War II and in Korea, was overwhelmed with emotion when he talked about the soldiers serving today.
      "I have an exceptionally deep feeling for them and an understanding," said Koons, adding "I would just say God bless you to all of them, and may the Good Lord be with them so that they can come home."
      William Green, a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge, echoed Koons' feelings in his letter writing, "God bless you, I'll pray for your safe return."
      Green, a Traverse City native, was a member of the 280th Combat Engineers clearing mines for the infantry. He also played Santa Claus to injured soldiers in Army hospitals.
      Lorraine Hamilton of Traverse City served in the Army Nurses Corps at a General Hospital Unit in southern England during World War II. She saw first hand what a letter from home can mean to a soldier overseas.
      "I helped the healing of young men that had been injured during D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, we felt very honored to be serving them," Hamilton said.
      All of the letters collected at the Senior Center will be forwarded to an Army MARS representative who will send the letters overseas electronically.
      Any veteran who is interested in sending a letter to someone who is currently serving, may drop one off at the Traverse City Senior Center. For more information, call 922-4911.