Marchetti family collection, 1944-1945
132 items
This collection is made up of 13 letters and 119 photographic negatives related to the Marchetti family of Providence, Rhode Island. Luigi Marchetti ("Louis") served in the 809th Engineer Aviation Battalion in Italy during World War II, and the family received several letters from "Dita Impiglia," an acquaintance in Grosseto, Italy, during and just after the war.
Louis Marchetti wrote a 15-page letter to "Red" on December 9, 1944, from Italy. He discussed military life, described the scenery, and commented on a visit to his father's hometown, where he met his uncle and other family members. The remaining 10 letters are written in Italian. Pasquale Altruda wrote a letter to Louis Marchetti on December 4, 1944, and enclosed 6 postcards: 2 with a painting of the Roger Williams Monument and 2 with a painting of the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul, both in Providence, Rhode Island; 1 with a painting of a memorial gate on the Brown University campus; and 1 with a painting of a hula dancer and a man playing a ukulele. The postcards, which are addressed to multiple individuals, contain brief handwritten messages in Italian. "Dita Impiglia" of Grosseto, Italy, sent 9 letters to the Marchetti family between December 29, 1944, and November 4, 1945.
The collection contains 2 pamphlets: a Catholic Church catechism and an informational booklet for United States soldiers heading to North Africa, both in English. The army booklet offers comments on Islamic customs and provides advice for Americans serving in the region. A group of 119 photographic negatives is housed with its original envelopes, which group the pictures by location: North Africa, Sicily, "Pico," and Italy. Many photographs depict United States military personnel, often at leisure.