WWII Love Letters Discovered in Tennessee Home Offer Intimate Glimpse of Wartime Romance
A remarkable trove of more than 200 love letters from World War II, unearthed in a Tennessee residence, provides an intimate and poignant portrait of romance during a tumultuous period in history. These letters, which chronicle the courtship and marriage of a couple separated by war, are now available for public viewing through a digital exhibition hosted by the Nashville Public Library.
The Discovery and Donation of the Letters
The correspondence was found in a Nashville home that previously belonged to Jane Dean and her siblings. In 2016, the collection was generously donated to the Metro Nashville Archives. The letters were exchanged between William Raymond Whittaker, known as Ray, and Jane Dean, offering a deeply personal narrative of their relationship amidst the global conflict.
The Couple's Background and Reconnection
Ray Whittaker hailed from New Rochelle, New York, and relocated to Nashville to attend the historically Black Meharry Medical College. It was there that he met and began dating Jane, who was also a student at the institution. After losing touch when Ray departed Nashville, their connection was rekindled in the summer of 1942 when Ray, drafted into the Army and stationed at Fort Huachuca in Arizona, decided to reach out to Jane. At that time, Jane was employed as a medical lab technician at Vanderbilt University.
Jane's Initial Response and the Evolution of Their Romance
The library's collection includes Jane's reply to Ray's initial letter, dated July 30, 1942. She greeted him somewhat formally as "Dear Wm R.," expressing mixed emotions: "It sure was a pleasant and sad surprise to hear from you." Jane elaborated that it was pleasant because Ray held a special place in her heart, but sad due to his enlistment in the armed forces during an uncertain war. She also hinted at their future by listing mutual acquaintances who had recently married or started families, signing off with "Write, wire or call me real soon — Lovingly Jane."
Kelley Sirko, the library's metropolitan archivist, remarked, "You can’t help but smile when you read through these letters. This was just such an intimate look at two regular people during a really complicated time in our history." Archivists have been unable to locate any living relatives of Ray and Jane, so much of their story is pieced together from the letters themselves. The donation also included photographs and Ray's patch from the historically Black fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha.
Beyond Romance: Insights into Historical Context
Beyond documenting a love story, this collection offers valuable insights into the era, providing "this in-the-moment perspective of ... what it’s like just navigating certain racial issues, certain gender issues, their work, the life of a soldier, all of these things," Sirko noted. This historical significance motivated archivists to make the letters more accessible to the public.
From Doubts to Marriage: The Relationship Deepens
By September 1942, the romance had intensified. Ray was reassigned to Fort McClellan in Alabama, where he assisted in organizing the reactivated and segregated 92nd Infantry Division, which later saw combat in Europe. In an undated letter from that month, Ray teased Jane about a potential marriage proposal, joking about the financial benefits of officer training school: "I can't leave my excess amount of money to the government and must have someone to help me spend it."
Initially skeptical, Jane questioned Ray's motives in a letter dated September 23, asking, "What makes you think you still love me? Is it that you are lonesome and a long way from home?" However, Ray's response on September 24 was more earnest, explaining that he had dated others but found only trouble, and that distance had previously kept them apart.
The Wedding and Life Apart
Ray ultimately won Jane over, and the couple married on November 7, 1942, in Birmingham. In a letter dated November 9, Jane addressed Ray as "my darling husband," expressing joy over their union but sadness at their separation as she returned to Nashville and he to his Army base. She wrote, "It’s a wonderful thing to have such a sweet and lovely husband. The only regret is that we didn't marry years ago... But maybe this old war will soon be over and we can be together for always." She concluded with a heartfelt plea for correspondence, reaffirming her love.
According to Ray's obituary, the couple had no children, and Ray passed away in Nashville in 1989. This collection not only preserves their personal love story but also serves as a testament to the resilience of relationships during one of history's most challenging periods.
