Dear Audrey Letters
THIS SITE IS ON A TEMPORARY HOLD. IT WILL BE BACK.
Love and Army life in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s
It all starts on April 1, 1942... no joke
Welcome to the ongoing story of my Mom and Dad, Lieutenant Colonel Leonard B. Main and Audrey G. Main as told through the letters he wrote to her starting in April of 1942. Mom saved every letter in ever growing boxes as the ever growing family moved from military base to military base. While we thought they were just mushy love letters, Mom was right to save them – they’re so much more. Dad describes his day-to-day life and really paints a picture of what it was like to be drafted into the Army as WWII ramped up in the U.S. Click here and start with April1942.
The Story Begins...
Eighty years ago, Leonard starting writing to Audrey to describe his life and inquire about her days. That’s not the crazy part. That’s what you did back then, you wrote a letter. The fact that she saved them all is amazing. And while the letters are great, a lot of them are in green ink and the handwriting can be challenging so they are scanned and transcribed for readability. In addition, there’s research to fill in the gaps with local stories and news. There is so much going on. Note that Leonard wasn’t writing with any thought they’d ever be shared with the world. In a few of his letters, he even joked about her saving them. “Are you going to use them against me?” he teased. He didn’t save any of hers. While he lived to get a letter, space was limited and weekly inspections were brutal.
It Starts in 1942...
The letters describe Leonard’s life the Army as he climbs the ranks. He is 22 years old when drafted as a Private and Audrey is 20. His starting pay is $20 per month but good news, a raise is in the works. More good news, he stays close to home for the first year. Everyone is making sacrifices. There are shortages of everything like sugar, coffee, and gas plus nightly blackouts. In 1942 we’re in a world war but the focus for our story, just for this first year is the Boston, Massachusetts area where Leonard gets stationed at Fort Banks and later at Fort Ruckman, and Hartford Connecticut where Audrey lives.
The Dear Audrey Project
The ongoing mission of The Dear Audrey Project is to scan, transcribe, and research the letters to provide a fuller picture of the times Audrey and Leonard are living through. Each letter can take hours and the work is a labor of love. I’m Jan, the fourth (out of five) of Leonard and Audrey’s kids. The one who promised her mom to share this with the world. Of course I regret not figuring things out sooner, when they were still around but I hope to redeem myself. Thank you in advance for your support, feedback, and kindness.
