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FRONT.
STEPHANIE ELAM HAS THE STORY.
>> DEAR BETTY ANN, I SAW
SOMETHING TODAY THAT MAKES ME
REALIZE WHY WE'RE FIGHTING THIS
WAR.
>> WRITTEN IN APRIL 1945 BUT A
DISTANT COUSIN --
>> Reporter: MEET ANDREW
CARROLL.
HE'S TALKING ABOUT THIS LETTER
WRITTEN BY A WORLD WAR II PILOT.
IT WAS ON ITS WAY TO THE TRASH
BEFORE THE RETIRED VET GAVE IT
TO HIM.
IT INSPIRED HIM TO CREATE THE
LEGACY PROJECT, A COLLECTION OF
CORRESPONDENCE COMPOSED FROM
BATTLEFIELDS AROUND THE WORLD.
HE'S WRITTEN BOOKS BASED ON THE
LETTERS AND EVEN A PLAY THAT WE
CAUGHT IN REHEARSAL.
>> I WONDERED IF I WOULD REALLY
BE ABLE TO USE MY WEAPON AGAINST
SOMEONE ELSE.
>> Reporter: THE NOTES, SOME
BEAUTIFULLY HANDWRITTEN, STRETCH
FROM AMERICA'S EARLIEST WARS TO
E-MAILS FROM AFGHANISTAN.
THERE'S EVEN THIS LETTER FROM A
STAFF SERGEANT WHO WROTE HIS
PARENTS ON ADOLF HITLER'S
STATIONARY AND ANOTHER SCARRED
WITH A BULLET HOLE.
>> WE HAVE LETTERS FROM THE
CIVIL WAR THAT ARE STAINED WITH
LITTLE BLOOD MARKS AND MUD.
WE HAVE LETTERS FROM VIETNAM,
WHERE THE INK IS STREAMED
BECAUSE IT WAS WRITTEN IN A
RAINSTORM.
>> Reporter: THE LETTERS OFTEN
OPEN UNIQUE WINDOWS INTO
HISTORY.
>> THIS WAS WRITTEN FROM INSIDE
THE SHIP AT PEARL HARBOR,
DECEMBER 7, 1941.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M WRITING
THIS BECAUSE IF WE'RE HIT WITH A
BOMB THEY WON'T FIND ENOUGH OF
ME, LET ALONE THIS LETTER.
>> THE EMOTIONS ARE TIMELESS.
IF YOU STRIP AWAY THE DATES AND
THE SALUTATIONS YOU ALMOST CAN'T
TELL ONE WAR FROM ANOTHER.
>> WHAT ABOUT THE WOUNDS YOU
CAN'T SEE, THE PHANTOMS, THE
NIGHTMARES, THE GHOSTS IN YOUR
HEAD.
>> PEOPLE WHO THINK THE TROOPS
SHOULD RESTRAIN THEMSELVES ARE
ASKING TOO MUCH OF HUMAN NATURE.
>> Reporter: BOB LEAHY WAS IN
VIETNAM WHEN HE WROTE THIS
LETTER HE SINCE DONATED TO THE
PROJECT.
>> WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE
HAPPEN TO ALL THE LETTERS THE
LEGACY PROJECT HAS COLLECTED?
>> IDEALLY I WOULD LIKE THEM TO
GO SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY WOULD BE
SAVED FOR THE SCHOLARS OF THE
NEXT GENERATION.
>> Reporter: CARROLL HOPES MORE
PEOPLE FEEL THE SAME WAY.
SO FAR, THE LEGACY PROJECT HAS
COLLECTED UPWARDS OF 90,000
LETTERS JUST LIKE THIS ONE THAT
ARE BEING HELD HERE AT CHAPMAN
UNIVERSITY IN THE NEW CENTER FOR