Join us Thursday, June 18 at 7pm!

During WWII, thousands of American servicemen depended on letters from home to keep their spirits alive. In Bristol, Connecticut, one factory and one woman made it their mission to ensure that no hometown soldier was ever forgotten.

Carol Denehy of the Memorial Military Museum will present this special program exploring the remarkable story of Lillian O’Connell and the wartime role of Wallace Barnes Company during WWII.

Born in Bristol in 1897, O’Connell began working at Wallace Barnes at the age of 21 as a stenographer. But in 1943, amid the height of WWII, her role took on extraordinary importance.

Tasked with maintaining contact with Bristol’s servicemen and women stationed around the globe, O’Connell began writing monthly letters that became a lifeline between home and the front lines. Every month from 1943 through 1946, she gathered hometown news, updates from the Wallace Barnes factory, and messages received from soldiers overseas. She then wrote, mimeographed, addressed, and mailed nearly 400 copies by hand — all while keeping track of constantly changing military addresses across the world. The letters offered Bristol servicemen something deeply personal during wartime: a reminder that home had not forgotten them.

The program will feature original wartime letters, photographs, and historical materials documenting both O’Connell’s work and Wallace Barnes’ contributions to the war effort.

Doors open at 6:30 pm, program begins at 7pm. Refreshments will be served. Admission is free for BHS members and $5 for non-members. Additional parking is available in the rear of the building.