Veterans write letters to deployed soldiers

As Iowa National Guard soldiers prepare to deploy to Afghanistan, a group of veterans huddle around a table in Iowa City.

Much has changed since the men and women were on the battlefield decades ago.

“They've got a big job, especially now when it's hard to distinguish enemy from the friendly,” World War II Veteran Eldon Hans said.

World War II veteran Stan Johnson said, “We're not sure as a nation whether we ought to be there or not.”

World War II Veteran Glen Dill said, “When we went to Normandy, we had a purpose in mind - Kill ‘em and get home.”

Now, soldiers are on a peacekeeping mission that may or may not require force. Women also have a lot more responsibilities than they did during World War II.

“Women can tell people how to do things and how to do them right,” World War II veteran Anna Marie Urban said.

The Veterans remember how much they enjoyed getting letters from home. That's why they spent time writing to the soldiers.

“I was elated when I got a letter from home or the girls I went to high school with,” Dill said.

Johnson said, “Mail call was one of the most popular calls we'd have during the daily formations.”

Urban said, “Even if it's just the weather. What's the weather in Iowa? My mother used to write letters and say, ‘It's 47 degrees today.'”

When the veterans served their country, letters were the only way to keep in touch with loved ones.

Today's soldiers can call or email on a regular basis, but somehow that still can't compare to the power of a handwritten note.