MICHAEL J. LACIVITA Letters to loved ones have place in history

Recently, my friend Ed Enterline and I were discussing the importance of mail to a serviceman.
We are both U.S. Navy World War II veterans of the Asiatic-Pacific campaign. Mail to us was a top priority, even though letters from home might be several months old when we received them. Stale news was fresh news and much better than no news. Ed showed me several stacks of letters that he had written home that were saved for him by family members.
I wrote and received many letters from my family and relatives and cannot find one. The only exception are two Christmas card type V-mail letters, dated Dec. 25, 1944, which I recall mailing from New Guinea. The V-mails were a single sheet of paper about 4 by 5 inches when received at home.
Several years ago I found an original V-mail form that we had to fill out. In fact, an antique dealer gave it to me when he learned I was a WWII veteran. The blank form states, "V-mail service provides the most expeditious dispatch and reduces the weight of mail to and from personnel of our armed forces outside the continental United States. When addressed to points where microfilm equipment is operated, a miniature photographic negative of the message will be made and sent by the most expeditious transportation available for reproduction and delivery. The original message will be destroyed after the reproduction has been delivered. Messages addressed to or from points where microfilm equipment is not operated will be transmitted in their original form by the most expeditious means available."
I don't recall sending many V-mails. Younger generations reading this can readily see the tremendous progress we have made in the past half-century in the communications field, yet during the war, the mail did get through. I still vividly recall seeing mountains of mail sacks stacked outside on some of the Pacific Islands we visited.
A lesson to be learned would be, when in doubt "don't throw it out," since letters and cards of today may become significant memories of tomorrow.
XMichael J. Lacivita is a Youngstown retiree and an inductee in the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.