APO #2

The story of Sergeant Roberto Linderos is a prime example of the Mexican Americans that fought and died for our country in WWII and their struggle to be treated equally. Originally from humble beginnings, the author tells of the prejudice he encounters during a world conflict, where equality is only truly found on the battlefield, where everyones life is at stake. What motivated Mexican American soldiers to fight for their country, even though they were treated as second-class citizens, could only be described and understood through the experiences shared in this book. Letters addressed to and from remote regions of the world known as V-mail or APO (Army Post Office) assured families their loved ones were still alive. On the other hand, a letter from home was a soldiers only means of communication to the outside world and was the greatest motivator and a delight to receive. These APO letters not only kept the soldiers spirits up but were their only link to sanity during the constant violence of a maddening war. Without the morale these letters provided, the war could not have been won.