Postcards, 1953-1978

File — Box: 2, Folder: 4

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection: The Vince Iturbe papers (1953-2019) consist of primarily correspondence and postcards to/from Iturbe before, during, and after the Vietnam War. The papers include over 70 wartime letters written by Iturbe to his family in Little Ferry, New Jersey. Iturbe begins his letters while training at Fort Dix Army Air Base, New Jersey and continues writing from his division's headquarters in Chu Lai, Quang Tin Province, Vietnam, also known as Landing Zone Professional. He details positive news, such as finding abandoned huts containing weapons and bath time, along with events "which you only read in books" (May 14, 1969). In this letter, he details the loss of 160 men while fighting the North Vietnamese Army. In addition to engaging and evading enemies, Iturbe and his men struggled with dehydration, starvation, infections, mudflows, and human miscalculations. Also included are letters from Glenn Wasil and Rod Bloemer, both serving in Company E, 1/46 196th. The postcards are primarily to Iturbe from friends and family. The papers also include a booklet about the history of Iturbe's unit entitled "1st Battalion, 46th Infantry. Professionals. Chu Lai, Rvn, 1969."

Dates

1953-1978

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.