Every Thought of You: A Sailor's Love Letters from the Pacific World War II Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Are you looking to buy Every Thought of You: A Sailor's Love Letters from the Pacific World War II? Here is the right place to find the great deals. we can offer discounts of up to 90% on Every Thought of You: A Sailor's Love Letters from the Pacific World War II. Check out the link below:

>> Click Here to See Compare Prices and Get the Best Offers

Every Thought of You: A Sailor's Love Letters from the Pacific World War II ReviewThis book is true to its title and subtitle; it is a collection of love letters. Paul Edwards was not in combat, nor did he write about military operations, such as enemy bombings and strafings of his camps, because that would have been censored, and he did not want to scare his wife. (In brief diary notes at the back of the book, he does describe some of the action that occurred.) The censors would not even let him write about where he was or what he and his fellow Seabees were building. Nevertheless, in between declarations of love and urging his wife to remain faithful to him, Edwards manages to get many of the details of Seabee life past the censors. And by using a clever code, he tells his wife which island he is currently on. As a history buff, I enjoyed this book because it told me what it was like to be a Seabee, rising through the enlisted ranks, in the Pacific war.
In the middle of the book something exciting does happen. Actually, it's two closely related events. First a dentist is killed because he is in the right place at the wrong time, then Edwards narrowly escapes the same fate. The censors leave the relevant letters basically intact, deleting only the name of the dentist from Edwards' letter to his wife (but not from his letter to his mother, showing how arbitrary censorship can be).
A bonus of reading these letters is to enjoy Edwards' inner strength and sense of humor, even in the face of danger and hardship. He was a natural leader; as early as boot camp, he was selected for leadership jobs. By the end of the war, he had risen to the rank of Chief Petty Officer.
While the vast majority of the letters are from Paul to Catherine Edwards, a few additional letters (to or from Paul or Catherine) are included. In addition to the letters, the book includes Edwards' diary (3 pages), an Afterword about his life after the war, a list of his values and sayings, a eulogy, a page about his daughter who compiled this book, a summary and map of South Pacific locations, an index, and 39 photos.Every Thought of You: A Sailor's Love Letters from the Pacific World War II OverviewSailor's Love Lettersfrom Pacific World War IIPaul L. Edwards instilled in his daughter that she could do anything she wanted. He taught her to work hard and play hard. Paula graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Missouri and joined IBM, where she was a manager for many years before taking early retirement. After Paula found her father's World War II letters, she realized they showed her father's love for his wife, and their love created her. So to complete the circle of love Paula compiled all her father's World War II letters as a lasting tribute in “Every Thought of You". Women and men of all ages, lovers, baby boomers, history buffs, and military families will enjoy reading this book of love letters Paul L. Edwards wrote to his bride from training camps and the South Pacific during World War II. They were married November 27, 1941, in Sedalia, Missouri, and on December 7th the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. One year later Paul, a blacksmith who worked for Missouri Pacific Railroad, enlisted in the Navy 88th Construction Battalion (“Seabees") to fight the Japanese and wrote Catherine almost 700 letters, postcards, wires, and V-mail's from December, 1942, to June, 1945. These letters came from Boot Camp in Davisville, RI, two camps in California, and six islands in the South Pacific. After the Marines secured a new island in the South Pacific, Paul's Battalion moved in and built airstrips, roads, and naval bases. Paul belonged to the Masonic Lodge and believed in God, country, and brotherhood. He became an active Christian during Boot Camp. These letters of Paul's true life experiences exemplify: his patriotism and sacrifices to fight the Japanese who attacked U.S. soil in Hawaii, his love for his wife, his values, the hardships of war on sailors, their families, and friends, and the enlisted sailor's view. These letters are a piece of history. Always remember the seventh of December! Ten percent of the author's royalties will be donated to Kansas University Endowment, Kansas City, KS, for Parkinson's disease research.

Want to learn more information about Every Thought of You: A Sailor's Love Letters from the Pacific World War II?

>> Click Here to See All Customer Reviews & Ratings Now