War and Family:Letters Home
What if a letter your grandfather wrote—one you never even knew existed—suddenly turned up in the world? That’s what this podcast is about: real letters written home by U.S. servicemen and women during World War II. Each one is a time capsule, carrying the voice of someone far from home, writing from a foxhole, a bunk, a ship, or a field hospital. My mission is simple: to bring these voices back to the families they belong to—one letter, one story at a time. And who knows? Maybe today, you’ll hear a familiar name or a place. Maybe this letter was meant for you.
During WW2 men and women were deployed throughout Europe and the Pacific and their only means to communicate home was through letters, handwritten notes to assure those at home they were alright and waiting for letters from their loved ones to provide semblance of support and normalcy. Over the years I have collected letters with the intention of returning to family - but first I’d like to share who these men were, where were they from and the context of where the soldiers were and what role they played in the War.
Please sit back and get to know these members of the greatest generation. It is my hope that All letters in these podcasts will return to family. If you recognize the soldiers or families, please reach out to me at warandfamily@outlook.com and help me get the letters home
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Thank you for listening!
John Radvak hailed from Pennsylvania and was the son of immigrants from Czechoslovakia. He served as a ground crewmaan helping to keep B=26 Marauders in the air at home in the US and deployed in the European Theater. A young man who went from working in the Pittsburgh area... to a soldier called into service during World War II... to a ground crewman helping keep B-26 Marauders in the air... to a combat veteran who served through D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge.
Welcome to War and Family: Letters Home. I’m your host, Lauren Muise. Imagine sitting down while serving in WW2 with a piece of paper in front of you, thousands of miles from home, and writing a letter to the people you love. You don't know when or if they'll receive it.
You simply write—and hope it gets there. More than eighty years later, some of those letters are still here. They've found their way into antique stores, estate sales, and auctions—small pieces of history, separated from the families who once treasured them. Each week, I uncover the story behind one of those forgotten letters—the person who wrote it, the family waiting for it. Honoring the men and women who served, telling their stories and whenever possible, return their letters home. Maybe this letter is meant for you.
6 Sept 2026
Pvt Michael T McVeigh, US Army, 782nd Military Police Battalion
Pvt. Michael Thomas McVeight served in the China India Burma Theater of WW2 in 782nd Military Police Battalion. His letters home to his sister give a glimpse of a the experiences of a young man from Midland Maryland, who found himself thousands of miles from home with the job of keeping order. History is not only found in textbooks - Sometimes, history is found in a box of old letters—written by an ordinary young man, far from home, trying to stay connected to the people he loved. Michael McVeigh’s letters give us a glimpse of his life in India, but more importantly, they remind us that behind every uniform was a son, a brother, a friend—someone whose family was waiting at home.
Welcome to War and Family: Letters Home. I’m your host, Lauren Muise. Imagine sitting down in 1944 with a piece of paper in front of you, thousands of miles from home, and writing a letter to the people you love. You don't know when they'll receive it. You don't know when you'll be home.
More than eighty years later, some of those letters have found their way into antique stores, estate sales, and auctions—small pieces of history, separated from the families who once treasured them. And that's where this podcast begins. I uncover the story behind these forgotten letters— who wrote it, the family waiting for it.
My hope is simple: to honor the men and women who served during World War II, preserve their stories, and whenever possible, return their letters home. Because these aren't just old letters. They're voices from the past. And somewhere out there, one of those voices may belong to your family. Maybe this letter is meant for you.
22 Aug 2026
PFC Wilbert E. Krieger, US Army 15th Infantry Co. K
PFC Wilbert E. Krieger wrote his letter home to his girl Helen Ruetz on May 30, 1943. When he wrote this letter he had no idea what the next two years would bring for him - He didn't know that within a few months he would be fighting his way through Italy. He didn't know that he would be wounded—not once, but three times, and three times went back to his unit after recovering.
Welcome to War and Family: Letters Home. I'm your host, Lauren Muise. More than eighty years ago, members of the Greatest Generation sat down with pen and paper to write home. They never imagined those letters would survive long after the war had ended. Yet some did. Today, they surface in antique stores, estate sales, and auctions—small pieces of history, separated from the families who once treasured them. That's what this podcast is all about—honoring the men and women who served during World War II and reuniting their letters with the families who once cherished them. Maybe this letter is meant for you.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 47 / 100
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Quality
70
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
60
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