Life at Home
Many of the letters that appear in Mississippi State University Libraries' WWI and WWII collections contain similar themes relating to family life and happenings. The letters in this section reflect that theme with the servicepeople and their families writing about day-to-day life, holidays, and romance.
Photograph, Porter Swann, circa 1917-1919.
Photograph of Porter Swann, who served in the U.S. Army during World War I in France. Swann was also a 1916 graduate of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of the State of Mississippi.
Letter, Porter Swann to Louise Cavett Swann, February 7, 1919.
Correspondence from Porter Swann while stationed in France to his mother, Louise Cavett Swann. In the letter, he describes two vases made from German shells by a French soldier that he has sent home to her.
Letter, Louise Cavett Swann to Porter Swann, March 21, 1919.
Correspondence from Louise Cavett Swann to her son, Porter Swann, while he served in France during World War I. In the letter, L. C. Swann relates to her son all of the local social happenings such as who took whom to a dance and the night's dinner menu.
Photograph, William S. "Billy" Jackson, 1946.
Portrait of William S. "Billy" Jackson, who was fatally wounded at Nettuno, Italy, on 29 May 1944. This photo was taken from the Service Men's Album: Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, World War II, which was published in 1946.
Letter, William S. "Billy" Jackson to his parents, undated.
Correspondence from Billy Jackson to his parents. In this letter, Jackson relates his pleasure in hearing that his friend, "Goober," married. He also speaks of his plans to marry someday and raise 14 children.
Photograph, Francis Warren Oakley, 1946.
Photograph of Cpl. Francis Warren Oakley. This photo was taken from the Service Men's Album: Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, World War II, which was published in 1946. Oakley enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942. He served as an infantry man and radio operator in the Northern France and the Rhineland Campaigns. He was wounded twice in action.
Letter, George S. Oakley to Francis Warren Oakley, June 13, 1943.
Correspondence from from George S. Oakley to his son, Francis Warren Oakley. In the letter, G. S. Oakley writes that the current season's crops are doing well, especially cotton. During this time, the Oakleys owned a substaintal dairy farm, Oak-Ayr.
Letter, Francis Warren Oakley to his parents, December 1, 1944.
Correspondence from Francis Warren Oakley to his his parents, George S. and Nancy Oakley. In this letter, F. W. Oakley speaks of his injuries he has sustained in action. He also writes to request that his parents purchase his wife, Mary, a Christams gift.