Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Lauderdale, Pauline and Dorothy Labardini (Second World War correspondence)
2018.152.w.r
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Pauline Lauderdale and Dorothy Labardini Second World War correspondence
Creator:
Labardini, Raul, Private First Class
Creator:
Sappington, Myron O., Private First Class
Creator:
Labardini née Traxler, Dorothy
source:
Labardini, Gabe
Identifier/Call Number: 2018.152.w.r
Physical Description:
0.025 Linear feet
(1 folder)
Date (inclusive): 1944 June - 1949
Abstract: This collection contains correspondence from PFC Myron O. Sappington, USA, and PFC Raul Labardini, USA, during the Second
World War. The collection also includes one original and three copies of photographs.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWII 5
Container: 12
Container: 1
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Gabe Labardini.
This collection is arranged by material type and chronological order.
Pauline Lauderdale, the donor's grandmother, was born Pauline Smith in 1905 and passed away in 1957, interred in Columbia,
Missouri. She had been married six times, most recently to a man named Christian.
PFC Myron O. Sappington, USA was born in 1911 in Colorado, lived in Columbia, Missouri and died in late 1944 in Metz, France.
He had served with Company I, 359th Infantry. His remains were returned to his family and interred in Columbia.
Private First Class Raul Labardini, United States Army served with Company B, 1st Platoon, 3160 Signals Battalion.
The donor is unsure of the relationship of Private Everett L. Foxwell, United States Army and his grandmother Pauline.
[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Pauline Lauderdale and Dorothy Labardini Second World War correspondence
(2018.152.w.r), Center for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this
collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.
This collection contains six V-Mail and one letter from various soldiers to Pauline Lauderdale (Smith) and Dorothy Labardini
during the Second World War. Included are two V-Mail and one letter from PFC Myron O. Sappington, USA, two V-Mail from Pvt.
Everett L. Foxwell, USA, and two V-Mail from PFC Raul Labardini, USA. Also included are one original photograph of Raul and
Dorothy Labardini, and three photocopied pictures. Included in the photocopies are one photo of Myron and Dorothy, Myron's
headstone in Columbia, Missouri, and Pauline Lauderdale (Smith).
The V-Mail dated July 12, 1944 from PFC Sappington informs Pauline that a friend, "Hill" was killed on or around D-Day, mentioning
"the poor kid never had a chance." His letter dated August 16, 1944 to Dorothy and Pauline may have been, according to the
donor, the last letter he sent home before being killed in Metz, France. He mentions writing while on guard duty at a cross
roads "near a town." He also discusses Hills death, saying that it was shrapnel that got him, including some explanation of
what shrapnel is. He also says that he has "seen a pile of Germans since being here. Both good Jerrys and prisoners. Good
Jerrys are dead ones. They have more tricks than any thing that can fight. But the Yanks are catching on to all their dirty
tricks and some of their good ones."
PFC Labardini's V-Mail dated May 4, 1945 from Germany mentions to Dorothy moving back across the Rhine River from a place
"pretty near" Berlin. On July 7, 1945 he tells Dorothy that he will not write her and will cancel her alottment if he does
not receive a letter soon, also offering a divorce if that is what she would like.
Pvt. Foxwell wrote to Pauline on April 23, 1944 after reaching North Africa. His second V-Mail, dated June 28, 1944 was written
from Italy and mentions seeing his brother (Nick?).
There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the
responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War (1939-1945) -- Campaigns -- France -- Normandy.
World War (1939-1945)
World War (1939-1945) -- Casualties
Last letters before death
V-mail
Correspondence -- World War, 1939-1945
Photographs
World War (1939-1945) -- Photography
Labardini, Gabe