Diamond, Sidney (1922-1945) to Estelle Spero
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09120.533 Author/Creator: Diamond, Sidney (1922-1945) Place Written: Unknown Island in South Pacific Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1 November 1944 Pagination: 6 p. ; 21.5 x 28 cm. Order a Copy
Diamond describes his day of departure, which is still "so clear" in his mind, despite the seventeen months that have passed: "There was a peculiar sensation that all this wasn't new - that our ancestors somewhere had experienced the same tightening around the stomach." He then writes about "Johnny Martin", a "nice kid" who had been killed. Sidney ends by apologizing for "this morbid nonsense", explaining that "sometimes the loneliness overwhelms" him.
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.