COMES A Soldier’s Whisper is proud to share Michelle Cahill’s journey and her reconnection with her WWII uncles:
“In 1945, my father lost two brothers. In 2012, I found them.
The Cahill brothers, Army fliers Tom and Jack, were shot down over Europe on bombing missions near the end of World War II. In our large family, as is common with such a loss, little was said about “the boys.” Though the few questions my generation asked were always answered, my uncles remained silent portraits on my grandmother’s wall.
While looking through old photos for a family reunion, my cousins and I found over 500 pages of Tom and Jack’s letters to their mother, stored since the war. Introducing themselves to me, the boys shared their lives amid the backdrop of war: touching, detailed and hilarious stories of training, flying, travel, friends, girls. It became clear how much my family loved them and that their loss triggered an emptiness that trickled through the family for decades.
Did I find Tom and Jack? Or did they find me? Their letters had the long awaited answers to questions that I never knew to ask, letters that now filled that lingering hollowness with love and understanding.
~ Michelle Cahill”
As Michelle read each of her newly found uncle’s letters, she realized that she had a story to tell, one that many children like me of WWII Veterans could relate to. Michelle will be launching her new book later this year, Dear Mom. We applaud Michelle for telling her story and sharing her uncle’s stories with the world.
From the Civil War, to Vietnam, to World War II, and more contemporary conflicts such as Iraq and Afghanistan, soldiers have been writing home from the front lines for centuries. We civilians can learn a lot just by reading between the lines.
We are very grateful to Michelle for sharing her story and look forward to her book, Dear Mom.
Please share your family photos and story of those who served, so we may feature and honor them on Comes A Soldier’s Whisper, where we are all connected.
Jenny La Sala
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WWII Letters: www.ComesASoldiersWhisper.com
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