Lyman Herbert Smith papers

The majority of the letters in this collection were written to Catherine (Strong) White by her fiancé Lyman Herbert Smith between 1941 and 1945. There are also several letters written to her by Lyman's mother, Cora Smith; Catherine's brother, Stockton Birney Strong; and a few other unidentified individuals. Along with the many letters are a few miscellaneous items that Lyman collected during the period in which the letters were written, including ticket stubs from Cornell football games, a Nazi armband, newspaper clippings and currency. Smith was drafted in 1942 and spent several months traveling with the Army War Show to muster support for the war effort. He then spent the majority of his army training at Camp Polk in Louisiana, where he worked with a tank division. On August 29, 1944 Smith left New York City for his transatlantic voyage to Europe. He arrived in the countryside of England where he spent one month. He spent the next two months traveling from France, near Normandy, to Luxembourg and then Belgium, before arriving in Germany, where he spent much of the remainder of the war, until January 1945. Throughout the letters there are not many details of specifically where Smith was stationed and what battles he fought in, because as an officer he was expected to abide by the laws of censorship. However, we do know that he did fight in the Battle of St. Vitts and was part of one of the first campaigns to cross the Rhine. The letters are rich in detail and imagery. Smith, a graduate of the Cornell Law School, made many references to popular culture and literature throughout his writing. He presented Catherine with details and vivid descriptions of the landscape and people of Europe and many events that he participated in during his tenure with the army. The letters offer insight into Lyman's reactions to the war, to what he sees around him and his it affected him and his fellow soldiers. Also contained in the collection are several other items unique to World War II. Included are several issues of the Stars and Stripes. There are also several letters sent by V-mail. V-mail was used primarily during the later parts of World War II as a means by which soldiers could correspond with loved ones at home. The letters were written on special forms, which were then photographed and placed on film. The reduction of size of the original letter made for cheaper and easier transport overseas and allowed for mail to be sent and received in less time. The government encouraged soldiers to use this form of correspondence, which "made it possible for servicemen halfway across the world to hear news from home on a weekly basis."