In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes on April 21, 1965, during a lull in operations. The letter itself is quiet — just a few notes about office renovations, a short range trip, and his ongoing frustration with the mail system. Still, even in a slow week, he finds ways to stay connected to home. He ends the letter with a simple dream: when he returns, he wants to pack up the family, grab a few fishing poles, and spend a day down by a creek doing nothing but relaxing together.

Today’s episode includes a special archival reading from the Chicago Tribune, which published a piece mentioning Popi a month after this letter was written. It offers a rare glimpse into the public-facing version of the war — the kind of article that hometown papers might run, describing missions in sweeping terms and sometimes including photos of the men involved. Popi makes a passing mention of this in his postscript, asking Suzie to keep an eye on the Orlando newspapers. “Our Information Officer sends a lot of pictures of us to our hometown papers,” he says, as if he knows just how far from home he feels.

What’s Covered:

• Popi’s letter from April 21, 1965
• A reading from Arthur Vesey’s Chicago Tribune article
• Reflections on how soldiers were represented in the press
• Popi’s desire for stillness and family time after the war

📷 Featured Photo: A shot believed to be Popi’s operations office, with a U.S. flag, a desk, and planning maps or mission boards on the wall.

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