To honor the veterans of World War II on the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, the USS Midway Museum hosted a powerful and profound event that captured the experiences of war in the words of former San Diego State College (University) students from the letters they wrote while serving on the front lines.
“Dear Doc” was a dramatic theatrical presentation based on letters written to Dr. Lauren Post (aka “Doc”), a San Diego State professor, during the war. The nearly 5,000 letters from the former students are now archived in the Servicemen’s Correspondence Collection at the campus library. Nearly 50 of the letters were read aloud during the special presentation that was held in Midway’s hangar bay.
“Although “Dear Doc” has been performed several times at various venues over the past six years, in my opinion, this was by far the best presentation as far as overall experience goes—and also the best attended, with an audience of several hundred men and women,” said Jonnie Wilson, who wrote the script for the presentation. “Our goal is to honor the young men and women who wrote so eloquently of their wartime experiences and also to pay tribute to Dr. Post, the man who supported them throughout the war and preserved their letters for posterity.”
As students at San Diego State College began heading off to World War II, Dr. Lauren Post, a geography professor at the college, asked these young men and women to write to him. Over the next three-and-a-half years, thousands of letters arrived from such far-off places as North Africa, England, France, Germany, Iwo Jima and throughout the Pacific. Dr. Post assembled these letters into monthly newsletters that were mailed to the students stationed around the world assuring them that they would always have support from home. The letters are now housed in a special collection at San Diego State University.
Six actors from the local theatrical group “Write Out Loud” brought the letters to life through their impassioned reading of the correspondence written more than 80 years ago. The letters gave unadorned insight into the myriad experiences of these young college students fighting for freedom and democracy in a global war.
“At this time of uncertainty about the sanctity of our democracy, it is important for people to be reminded of how important democracy is, and what the people involved in World War II sacrificed to assure that it be maintained, both here and abroad,” said Veronica Murphy, the artistic director for Write Out Loud. “Many of these young people faced death every day and yet they found hope in their personal and combined efforts and commitment.”
Through the fervent readings by the actors, “Dear Doc” presented these historic letters in a way that evoked emotions from the audience by giving voice to members of America’s Greatest Generation when they were optimistic and resilient young people eager to serve their country.
“I think it is imperative to make history interesting, relevant and alive for public audiences,” said Dr. Seth Mallios, the university history curator at San Diego State University. “The dramatic reading of the letters, coupled with the historical photos on the screen, brought the 1940’s war correspondences to life in a way that made them brim with emotion and excitement. Nearly everyone in the sold-out crowd was on the edge of their seats and hanging on every word of the performers.”
“The performance was very impressive,” said Carol Crane, one of the presentation’s attendees whose husband is a retired Navy SEAL. “The letters were a mix of both the sobering and humorous moments experienced by the students during the war. It was truly an emotional event.”
More than 16 million Americans served in uniform during World War II. This year, on the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, it’s estimated that there may be only 100,000 veterans still alive. Programs like “Dear Doc” help keep the memory of their service and sacrifice alive.
“Members of this generation are fading away at an amazing rate, so it is important to acknowledge their service and their thoughts about the war,” said Jonnie. “Uses for these materials could extend far beyond the reader’s theater. For the time being, however, the “Dear Doc” performances are doing an amazing job of keeping alive the spirit, and words, of those young San Diego State students who went off to war.”
“Public history events have never been more important,” said Seth, who is also a professor of anthropology at SDSU. “They counter ignorance, misinformation, and an ego-driven fixation on the present. Events that focus on a collective past have the power to reduce polarization, bring people together, and provide essential context, knowledge and solutions for current challenges.”
Research has shown that the emotional experiences are extremely helpful in people remembering events in the context in which they occurred. The “Dear Doc” presentation was successful in striking an emotional chord with the audience.
“The very talented actors we select are what make all the difference,” said Veronica. “We’ve received nothing but positive feedback from the audience folks that we spoke with. There were many comments about how moving it was, and how much they appreciated seeing the photos of the letter writers while hearing the stories they wrote about.”
“I loved it,” said Judy Moerschell, who attended the presentation with friends. “I thought the presentation was extremely well done. My dad went into the Army right after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The presentation made me think that I should have asked him more about his time in the war.”
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