It’s hard to believe that our parents had a life before us. At the same time, it can be incredibly interesting to discover some of what that life entailed. 77 Letters: Operation Morale Booster: Vietnam is an example of this.

Susan Hunter’s mom started a writing campaign during the Vietnam War. She personally sent letters to 40 soldiers. She and Platoon Sgt. Robert “Bob” Johnson shared 77 letters. The letters contained an accurate portrayal of Vietnam veterans while humanizing war. Susan’s mother and Bob discussed many things, the most important being the ability to understand others, even your enemy. These spiritual soulmates understood that you need to change hearts in order to facilitate change.

Hitting that sweet spot between profoundly emotional and highly commercial, 77 Letters is a true story that shreds the many misconceptions about the Vietnam War, as the exclusive voice of this war’s historiography is told through a found treasure trove of letters spanning four tours.

Susan P. Hunter, a born and raised New Englander, emerged as an author in the still of the COVID-19 era after finding a trove of letters in her mother’s attic. While caring for her mother, who is battling dementia, she brings out the letters with hopes of engaging her long-term memory. The content of the letters was so riveting, Susan sought out the soldiers her mother had written to, finding only one of them—Platoon Sergeant Robert Johnson. This began the turn of events, wrongs that needed to be made right, and the most heartwarming redemption. Susan, a mother of three, was fulfilled as a stay-at-home mother and an active civic volunteer until her youngest reached high school.

Check out what Susan’s up to here and connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

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