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WASHINGTON NAVY YARD – Naval History and Heritage Command released its newest publication, Best Beloved: The Wartime Letters of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz to His Wife, Catherine, online, Nov. 19, 2024.
The new book, edited by Naval History and Heritage Command historians Tyler R. Bamford and Richard A. Hulver, offers a glimpse into the private life of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz as he commanded the U.S. Pacific Fleet during World War II.
Through these transcribed letters between Nimitz and his wife, along with a new biography, readers can peer into the thoughts and motivations of the man who led Allied forces to victory in the Pacific War.
“These never-before-published letters are a testament to the enduring power of family bonds,” said Adm. Samuel J. Paparo Jr., Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, 2021-2024, in the publication’s foreword. “They remind us that even the strongest leader relies on the unwavering support of their loved ones.”
Nimitz rarely shared his innermost opinions, and he refused to record his opinions for posterity by writing his memoirs. Instead, he reserved his private feelings for his letters to his wife, Catherine, his “best beloved.” It was Nimitz’s understanding that Catherine would burn all of his letters. However, while Catherine did burn most of Nimitz’s letters containing sensitive information, she preserved hand-copied extracts from 73 of his letters and original pages from about 75 more, all of which she entrusted to the Naval Historical Center (predecessor of NHHC) between 1966 and 1982. For the first time, this volume presents all of the surviving wartime correspondence that Nimitz wrote to Catherine.
To download a 508-compliant PDF version, visit: https://www.history.navy.mil/research/publications/publications-by-subject/best-beloved.html
To download other NHHC publications, visit: https://www.history.navy.mil/research/publications/publications-by-subject.html
Naval History and Heritage Command, located at the Washington Navy Yard, is responsible for preserving, analyzing, and disseminating U.S. naval history and heritage. It provides the knowledge foundation for the Navy by maintaining historically relevant resources and products that reflect the Navy’s unique and enduring contributions through our nation’s history and supports the fleet by assisting with and delivering professional research, analysis, and interpretive services. NHHC is composed of many activities, including the Navy Department Library, the Navy Operational Archives, the Navy art and artifact collections, underwater archeology, Navy histories, ten museums, USS Constitution repair facility, and the historic ship Nautilus.
| Date Taken: | 11.19.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.19.2024 09:44 |
| Story ID: | 485634 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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