Two Brothers, One War

Dear Mother was how the letters began. Love Rum or Love Ed was how they ended. Roman and Edward Bartz are brothers. They were also a sailor and a soldier. In Two Brothers, One War, they speak across years and oceans to deliver first person accounts of World War II. Told exclusively through letters, these two brothers tell of traveling from their home in Buffalo, New York to the far reaches of the world. They speak of combat, adventure, and the longing for home. Each letter gives a vivid and personal account of what it was like to fight in World War II. Edward speaks of the simple pleasure of watching the movie Sergeant York and finding an octopus in Puget Sound. Roman, known as Rum tells of playing football in Washington DC and taking Class E Allotment in order to send $75.00 back to his mother. Each letter reveals details and emotions that can only be found in the voices of the men who lived through and fought during America’s involvement in the war.