18 Mar 1918     Arie van Dort      30 Apr 2000

 

Laughter Was the Best Medicine

by Renita Foster

Public Affairs Office The Monmouth Message, vol 61, No. 50 December 17, 2004

If there's one thing that Pvt. Arie Van Dort looked forward to while training for World War II at Fort Jackson, S.C., it was his new bride's letters. It wasn't what was in the letters but what was outside on the envelope.

"Edith just loved drawing cartoons that made fun of the German and Japanese," said Van Dort, who became a glider pilot in the 101st Airborne Division eventually. In a television interview with Reno Channel 8 (KOLO) in 1998 Van Dort said, "When I wrote back and told her how much all the Soldiers were enjoying her art work, she started sending more."

Like many Soldiers who kept their war souvenirs, Van Dort saved the envelopes with their various caricatures of Adolf Hitler and spirited slogans scrawled on the front. His son Paul recently (1997) displayed the envelopes in Reno and Sparks, Nevada post offices where he how resides.

"This was made possible by a good friend of mine who was a stamp collector, " said Paul. "He thought the envelopes were just marvelous and should be seen by the public. That eventually led to my father, Arie, being interviewed on television about the letters and his war experiences as well. My parents are gone now, but they were married for 50 years. I think that unique correspondence between them when life was uncertain contributed to their strong commitment to each other."

 

Read more, view a short TV interview, and look at some WWII Trench Art ...

Seen here is private van Dort with his dog “Airborne”. When Arie returned home to the United States, he smuggled “Airborne” along for the trip in a champagne basket.

Soon after landing in the State, "Airborne" gave birth to a litter of pups. Arie kept one of them whom he named "Kiwi".

  Something a little different, but worth looking at. Hand-drawn envelopes with war-time sentiment and a few "trench-art" items. Here's a look at the private side of a 101st Airborne Soldier from World War II.

Sentiments depictured on the envelopes are not meant to insult any person, race or ethnic background. Please accept them for what they are... a part of history.

View each of the envelopes in a larger format.