John B. Moullette Letters
The published letters exhibited here were written and inspired by Sgt. John B. Moullette. He served two stints in the United States Marine Corps-one in the western Pacific and China from 1944 to 1946 with Weapons Company, First Battalion, First Division, Fleet Marine Force-Marine Forces China. Moullette’s second stint was as a Sergeant with Able Company, First Amphibious Tractor Battalion, First Marine Regiment, First Marine Division-Fleet Marine Force in Korea from 1950 to 1952. The following letters are from a few of his published texts about his experiences leading up to U.S. entry into WWII and the Korean War, his experiences as a Marine stationed in the western Pacific, China, the Caribbean, South America and Korea, and the boot camp experiences of Platoon 396, 8th Training Battalion stationed at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, South Carolina. Moullette also served as a lecturer in the Department of Vocational-Technical Education at Rutgers University-New Brunswick from 1966 to 1970 and now lives in Fort Garland, Colorado.
“But now you’re back home/And all you feel is alone/In spite of what all of them preach/And now you can see/You’ll never get free/No matter which gods you beseech.” -The Lucky Ones, Joseph J. Cornish, III, unknown date
This stanza is from “The Lucky Ones”, a poem written by Joseph J. Cornish, III, PhD., a Marine serving in WWII. He was inspired by Sgt. J.B. Moullette's writing about soldier experiences in the war and wrote the poem in response. “The Lucky Ones” reflects a side of the war that often isn’t highlighted in veteran’s accounts of WWII: their emotions regarding the futility of war and the isolation and post-traumatic stress disorder they experienced after returning home.
“The morale of the fighting man is very low. Mainly because the American people aren’t behind him. Here at Pendleton most of these men know what war is or what its after-effects are and will be.”
“These men aren’t afraid to fight, it’s just that they have no cause to fight…we will, but only because of the obligation we have to each other. I guess it’s a form of “brotherly love.” –John B. Moulette, Letter to Dad, January 16, 1951
This quote is from a letter written to Moulette's father, Clarence, when he was stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA during the Korean War. In the letter, he expresses his displeasure with the U.S.'s handling of foreign policy, including Truman's appropriation of funds and China's exclusion from the U.N. He believed that the U.S. should withdraw from Korea because he felt that other countries weren't contributing enough men or money to the war effort. This letter became controversial when it reached the Secretary of State Dean Acheson and gained national attention when it made it to the front page of the New York Post.
“Those of us who have been in Vietnam know fully, however, that America does not lack for true patriots within the ranks of the Armed Forces…But what we do lack is articulate, strong-willed Americans here at home who do not hesitate to express their appreciation of our efforts in South Vietnam…” -D.T. Kane, Letter from D.T. Kane, November 21, 1969
This is an excerpt from a letter from D.T. Kane, a Colonel at the Policy Analysis Division at the U. S. Marine Corps. Written while Moullette was a lecturer in the Department of Vocational/Technical Education at Rutgers University, he requested to volunteer for the Marine Corps for 30 days to fight in the Vietnam War. Kane appreciated his offer to enlist, however the minimum period of service in the Marines at that time was two years. He not only commended Moullette's patriotism but also his support of the U.S. involvement in the War as an academic. Moullette later wrote that he was surprised that a statement that he wrote on the U.S. involvement in Vietnam was accepted by Rutgers University students because he discovered that,”…young people desperately were seeking an understanding of America’s involvement in Vietnam…”.