Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, November 16, 1943
United States. Army. Infantry Division, 26th
World War, 1939-1945
Soldiers -- Michigan
Correspondence
V-mail
Handwritten V-Mail letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated November 16, 1943. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated December 5, 1943. In the V-Mail letter, Joe writes a brief message to Agnes sharing how he is reminded of her whenever he makes coffee and how he looks forward to her cooking when he returns home to the United States.
Olexa, Joseph P.
Joseph P. Olexa WWII memoir and correspondence, (RHC-93)
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Lemmen Library and Archives
In Copyright
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, November 18, 1943
Handwritten V-Mail letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated November 18, 1943. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated December 4, 1943. In the V-Mail letter, Joe writes a brief message to Agnes as he awaits another letter from her and wonders how she is doing at her new job.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, November 19, 1943
Handwritten V-Mail letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated November 19, 1943. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated November 30, 1943. In the V-Mail letter, Joe writes a brief message to Agnes to let her know he is doing okay despite his chest cold and how he wishes he could see her soon, especially around the holidays.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, November 2, 1944
Love letters
Weddings--Planning
Handwritten letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated November 2, 1944. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated November 6, 1944. In the letter, Joe writes to Agnes as he thinks of all the hugs he has missed while being overseas and how he plans to sweep her off of her feet as soon as he returns home to Michigan.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, November 20, 1942
Africa, North
Oran (Algeria)
Handwritten letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated November 20, 1942. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry, A.P.O. #1, New York, New York, dated November 24, 1942. In the letter, Joe writes to Agnes to let her know he is well and in good health during a period when he hasn't received her letters, in addition to letter her know is he now in North Africa and has been in battle. He also writes of his travels to Oran, Algeria, and how it has been three weeks since his last cigarette.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, November 20, 1943
Handwritten V-Mail letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated November 20, 1943. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated November 30, 1943. In the V-Mail letter, Joe writes a few lines to let Agnes know that he is fine and still thinking of her as usual. He also hasn't received a letter from her in the past three days and encourages her to write soon.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, November 23, 1943
Handwritten V-Mail letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated November 23, 1943. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated December 14, 1943. In the V-Mail letter, Joe writes a brief message to Agnes on a rainy day to let her know he misses her and hopes to receive a letter from her soon.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, November 26, 1943
Thanksgiving Day--1940-1950
Handwritten V-Mail letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated November 26, 1943. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated December 11, 1943. In the V-Mail letter, Joe writes a brief message to Agnes on the day after Thanksgiving hoping she is in good health and that she enjoyed the holiday spent with family.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, November 28, 1943
Handwritten V-Mail letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated November 28, 1943. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated December 11, 1943. In the V-Mail letter, Joe writes to Agnes with boosted morale after receiving two of her letters and offers to sweep her off of her feet when he sees her once again.
England
Handwritten V-Mail letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated November 28, 1943. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated December 11, 1943. In the V-Mail letter, Joe writes a brief message to Agnes from an undisclosed location in England and expresses his appreciation for being stationed in the country.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, November 3, 1941
Fort Bragg (N.C.)
Military maneuvers
Handwritten V-Mail letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated November 3, 1941. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry, A.P.O. #1, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, dated November 4, 1941. In the letter, Joe writes to Agnes as he is leaving for his last maneuver at Fort Bragg before returning back to Fort Devens in Massachusetts. He also writes in great detail telling her the story of his latest manuever, which illustrates some of his most focused and impassioned writing and causes him to wonder why he hadn't become a news writer for his profession.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, November 30, 1943
Great Britain
Handwritten V-Mail letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated November 30, 1943. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated December 12, 1943. In the letter, Joe sends a holiday greeting to Agnes on V-Mail stationary with the words "Greetings from Britain" across the illustration and "Always yours" as his closing signature.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, November 9, 1941
Greensboro (N.C.)
Handwritten letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated November 9, 1941. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry, A.P.O. #1, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, dated November 9, 1941. In the letter, Joe writes to Agnes while staying at a YMCA in Greensboro, North Carolina on a hospitality trip and sharing the news that he most likely won't be able to return home for Thanksgiving that year.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, October 10, 1942
Handwritten V-mail letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated October 10, 1942. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry, A.P.O. #1, New York, New York, dated October 20, 1942. In the V-mail letter, Joe writes to Agnes in his spare time while hoping to catch up on the latest news that fall, including how the football team is doing that year and how the sweater she is knitting is coming along.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, October 11, 1942
Handwritten V-mail letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated October 11, 1942. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry, A.P.O. #1, New York, New York, dated October 1942. In the V-mail letter, Joe writes to Agnes sharing his enjoyment in receiving one of her letters and how he always looks forward to hearing from her, in addition to inquiring about everyone back home and sending his best to them.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, October 11, 1943
Lee, Anna, 1913-2004
Menjou, Adolphe, 1890-1963
Grand Rapids (Mich.)
Handwritten V-Mail letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated October 11, 1943. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated October 27, 1943. In the V-Mail letter, Joe writes a brief message to Agnes to let her know he is thinking of her and hoping she likes her new hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also shares the news of an entertainment show performed for the troops staring the movie stars Anna Lee and Adolphe Menjou.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, October 13, 1943
Handwritten V-Mail letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated October 13, 1943. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated October 27, 1943. In the V-Mail letter, Joe writes a brief message to Agnes to let her know he misses her and her letters after not receiving one in many days. He also writes to ask about her family and how they are settling into their new home.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, October 13, 1944
Handwritten letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated October 13, 1944. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated October 15, 1944. In the letter, Joe writes to Agnes after receiving quite a few of her "loveable letters" while stationed in Germany. He writes that he looks forward to the day they can make their home together and live a happy, peaceful life, in addition to responding to her questions about honeymoon lake cottages and the names of their future children.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, October 14, 1943
Handwritten V-Mail letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated October 14, 1943. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated October 29, 1943. In the V-Mail letter, Joe writes a brief message on another rainy day telling Agnes he misses her and her letters and that he has re-read her past letters many times to make up for her absence.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, October 19, 1941
Handwritten letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated October 19, 1941. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry, A.P.O. #1, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, dated October 21, 1941. In the letter, Joe writes to Agnes thanking her for her recent "novel" of a letter and letting her know more about his trip down south to North Carolina and his life at Fort Bragg so far.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, October 22, 1944
Handwritten letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated October 22, 1944. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated October 27, 1944. In the letter, Joe writes to Agnes while stationed in Germany and discusses various topics including the gift packages they have sent to one another, his experience being out of the hospital, and how he is growing tired of the war and being away from his loved ones.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, October 25, 1944
Handwritten letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated October 25, 1944. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated October 28, 1944. In the letter, Joe writes to Agnes while stationed in Germany, dreaming of their future home together and holding onto his faith to keep him strong while they are oceans apart.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, October 26, 1941
Handwritten letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated October 26, 1941. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry, A.P.O. #1, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, dated October 27, 1941. In the letter, Joe writes to Agnes while being visited by a dog at camp and sharing his harrowing experience during their five day manuever, while anticipating the twelve day problem that is to follow the next day.
Letter from Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, October 28, 1944
Handwritten letter and envelope with transcript by Joe Olexa to Agnes Van Der Weide, dated October 28, 1944. The envelope is sent from Co. L, 26th Infantry A.P.O.-1, c/o Postmaster New York, New York, dated October 31, 1944. In the letter, Joe writes to Agnes while stationed in Germany, sharing how he looks forward to their marriage and living an enjoyable life together. He also writes about his hopes and prayers that he can one day forget about the war and return home to his beloved Agnes.