Finding Aid for the Lee Van DeBery Operation Joint Forge, Bosnia correspondence 2017.073.w.r
Andrew Harman
Center for American War Letters Archives
10/1/2019
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Lee Van DeBery Operation Joint Forge, Bosnia correspondence
source:
Scheibel, Craig
Creator:
Van Debery, Lee
Identifier/Call Number: 2017.073.w.r
Physical Description:
.01 Linear feet
(1 folder)
Date: 1998 June 23
Abstract: This collection contains one correspondence from Lee Van DeBery to Nate Boird during while in Sarajevo, Bosnia as part of
Operation Joint Forge in 1998.
Physical Location: This collection has been physically arranged with Cold War collections due to the thematic timeframe.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: Cold War 3
Container: 2
Container: 1
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Craig Scheibel.
[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Lee Van Debery Operation Joint Forge, Bosnia correspondence (2017.073.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 one correspondence from Lee Van DeBery to Nate Boird during while in Sarajevo, Bosnia as part of
the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force during Operation Joint Forge in 1998. Joint Forge was the last of three peace
keeping operations in the region after the Yugoslav War from 1991 to 1995.
Nate was a student at Sage School in Phoenix, Arizona writing to soldiers overseas, prompting this response from Van DeBery,
who opened his discussion by talking about US History as a subject. He then goes on to explain that he is a radio operator
and repair man at an Army base in Sarajevo, Bosnia called Ilidza and that he works closely with the Navy SEALS and Army Green
Berets. He goes on to describe how beautiful the country is, laying in a valley between mountains that "if the trees were
pine instead of hard woods it would look just like Asheville, N.C.," Van DeBery's hometown.
Van DeBery's last paragraph addressed his participation in Bosnia:
"Yes, war is a horrible thing, that is why we are here, to prevent the people of Bosnia from experiencing it. They have lived
with war for too long it is time for them to have peace. It is my duty to put my life in danger so the people of my country
do not have to. It makes me feel good to know Iam appreciated."
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
Siege of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina : 1992-1996)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
North Atlantic Treaty Organization -- Armed Forces
Yugoslav War (1991-1995)
Scheibel, Craig