The Wilson Averre Koontz Collection, part of the World War II Collection, was recently added to FSU’s Digital Library. Set against the backdrop of a world war, this collection of love letters exchanged between Wilson Koontz, a U.S. Marine deployed to the Pacific, and his wife, Dorothy, capture the day-to-day lives of a young married couple as they navigate the dangers and uncertainty of war, financial hardships, and raising their young daughter, Rachael. Mr. and Mrs. Koontz preserved their correspondence as a diary for their daughter, who is brought to life in the letters through vivid descriptions from Dorothy, a wife and mother who resolutely endeavors to nurture the loving relationship between father and daughter as they endure years of separation. 

Image Caption: Image of Dorothy and Rachael Koontz

Submitted by: Jack Juliet, Florida State University