The Other Side of War

Letters Home From World War II

While serving in the U.S. Army in 1944, Harold Carlton Bunner corresponded with his wife, other family members, and friends to share details about his service life during World War II. The written correspondence gives insight into the constant communication between Harold and his family. The Clayton State University Archives holds thirty-eight pieces of correspondence materials from Harold and his family, making the collection a small segment of the family's entire written correspondence. Harold composed six of the letters, with his wife Ercell, family members, and friends composing the remaining correspondence materials that comprise the archival collection.

Private Bunner's Background & Letter Correspondence Topics

Harold was born in Davistown, Pennsylvania on June 22, 1909, to parents Howard E. Bunner (a farmer) and Minnie D. Linton (a homemaker). He was the third of five children the couple had. Harold married and had two children. He worked as an auto-mechanic at the Koontz Motor Freight in Akron, Ohio while his family remained on their farm in Pennsylvania. In October of 1940, at age 31, he enlisted in the U.S. Army a year after the start of World War II. Harold served as a Private Fifth Class Technician in a Maintenance Company.

In their letter correspondence, Harold and his wife Ercell discussed intimate topics such as romance, their two children (Hattie Carol and Sammy), finances, health issues, fears, the home front, the war front, military advancements, and their day-to-day lives while living apart from one another. The two affectionately used the terms "hubby", "wifey", and "Ole Topper" when referring to each other in the letters. Through the written correspondence, family and friends continued to support and uplift Harold while stationed in Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas during the war. Harold C. Bunner passed away on February 25th, 2002, at the age of ninety-three. These letters within the Harold C. Bunner: "Letters Home from World War II" Collection demonstrate the continued connection of family ties despite being separated by war.