This collection contains letters that were mostly sent by D-Day veteran, Mike J Chavez to his wife Stella Chavez during his tour in World War II. Also included in this collection are letters from Percy Chavez to Mrs. Mike Joe Chavez; a draft of a eulogy for Mike Chavez written by one of his children; a copy of a program for the "Jubilee of Liberty, Normany Beach 1944" award ceremony; one copy of "Stars and Stripes" Vol. 5, No. 195; and empty War Department envelopes.

Mike Joe Chavez was born in El Moro, Colorado to Juan and Onofria Chavez. Chavez's first job was as a paperboy, and later during his teenage years he became a boxer. In 1933 he met his wife Stella, a social worker for the Colorado school system, at a dance at Meredith Lake outside Ordway, Colorado. After five years, on August 28th, 1938 he married Stella and one year later they had a son named Rick. Before he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943, they had a daughter named Delores.

2 boxes

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