Letters served as the main source of communications between soldiers, nurses, and other military support personnel and their communities during the American wars of the 18th through mid-20th centuries. The written word connected the individuals far from home to their families and friends, providing comfort, support, and the exchange of news. This talk illuminates how private wartime letters provide insight into the personal, lived experiences of Ohioans from the earliest days of statehood to the Vietnam War, and how, through their own words, we might better understand the transformative nature of war on American society, and how society reacted to and affected U.S. military actions.