This collection consists of approximately 152 letters, covering the period from August 10, 1942 to April 9, 1945.
WRITER: Leach, Saidee R.
Location: Rhode Island
Relation to Recipient: Mother
Ethnicity: Not identified
Socio/Econ Circum.: Professional - Misc.
RECIPIENT: Douglas Leach
Location: Central Pacific
Military Branch: Navy
Rank first letter: Ensign
Rank last letter: Ensign
Saidee R. Leach of Edgewood, Rhode Island regularly corresponded with her son, Douglas, who served on the USS Elden which operated primarily out of the Central Pacific. During the war Saidee worked at the British War Relief Society in Providence and often wrote letters to her son from this location. Saidee's husband, Arthur E. Leach, had a small jewelry business in Providence and also was a volunteer air raid warden during the war years.
Saidee's letters to her son are filled with information about food and fuel shortages, rationing, air raid drills and her work at the British War Relief Society. As a member of the Calvary Baptist church, she also wrote about special religious services held in honor of those in the service.
Douglas Leach was born in Providence on May 27, 1920. He graduated from Brown University in 1942. After his discharge from the Navy in 1946 he took advantage of the G.I. Bill to finance his graduate education and received his Ph.D. in History from Harvard University in 1952. He taught at Bates and Vanderbilt and retired in 1986. In 1987, his book, Now Hear This : the memoir of a junior naval officer in the great Pacific war, was published. Douglas Leach died on July 1, 2003.
Letters from 1943
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated June 01, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated May 24, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated May 17, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated May 11, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated May 10, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated May 03, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated May 01, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated April 20, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated April 15, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated March 29, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated March 23, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated March 15, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated March 12, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated March 05, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated March 01, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated February 16, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated February 9, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated February 5, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated January 27, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated January 18, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated January 11, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated January 4, 1943, Saidee R. Leach
Letters from 1942
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated December 31, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated December 28, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated December 21, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated December 15, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated November 29, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated November 24, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated November 19, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated November 12, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated November 06, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated November 03, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated October 26, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated October 22, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated October 15, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated October 6, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated September 29, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated September 23, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated September 21, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated September 12, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated September 9, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated September 7, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated August 28, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated August 24, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated August 18, 1942, Saidee R. Leach
Letter Written by Saidee R. Leach to her Son, Navy Ensign Douglas Leach, Dated August 10, 1942, Saidee R. Leach