Sold – Ronald Reagan Feels Responsibility for Ensuring Peace and and Equality

World War II was an event that involved and absorbed the attention of the entire nation, and Hollywood stars were no exception. The Army Air Force called Reagan to active duty as a Lieutenant in 1942, but because of poor eyesight assigned him to a desk job – making training films with the 1st Motion Picture Unit in Culver City, California. He served in this unit until the war’s end, receiving a promotion to the rank of Captain in 1943.

The currents in Reagan ran deep, and he thoughtfully pondered both the nature of the world that had made such a fearsome struggle necessary, and the limited role he had played in that struggle. He empathized with those who had carried the burden of actually fighting the war, and as manifested in the following letter, felt that he should somehow have done more.

This feeling of personal responsibility would grow within him and finally lead him to a career where he could (and would) make a real difference. Reagan married Jane Wyman in 1940, and they had two children, Mike and Maureen. Bill Schaeffer was a photographer who had just got out of the Army after fighting throughout the war. He was a fan of Wyman and sent her a kerchief.

Ronald Reagan Autograph Letter Signed, 3 pages 8vo, Burbank, Oct. 8, 1946. “Hi Bill, Would you mind if the other (worse) half answers your letter of July 31st. Jane requested it. You see the nurse is on a month’s vacation and Jane kind-a-thought she’d like to try the job instead of calling in an extra nurse – well, between Maureen and Mike, she hasn’t had many free minutes for herself and she did think you should know how much she liked the head-piece or scarf or whatever it’s called, it is really beautiful and she is like a kid with a new toy, she goes for it in a big way. And in her own words, quote, ÔO thank you Bill Schaeffer – thanks a million’ (as she waltzed around the room with it on her head). So I know she likes your gift, may I add my thanks to hers. These gals go for all the pretty do-dads. Well, Bill, you did a grand piece of work, sorry I was fenced in on this side flying a desk, but I can assure you that I would have given anything to have been able to do my part in a bigger better way, rather than have some of those young kids giving their lives before they had much chance to know life, it just didn’t seem right. Now we have the job of keeping another war from ever breaking out again, we’ve got to educate the people against race-hatreds we’ve just got to realize there is room for us all in this old world and on an equal basis…Sincerely, Ronald.”

At the conclusion of Reagan’s part of the letter, Jane Wyman has added a note in her own hand, “Hello Bill: I am glad you are home safely. Thanks a million for the lovely gift. I love it. As always, Jane.”

This was an astonishing statement for Reagan to make. At this time he was just a movie actor, and would not become president of the Screen Actor’s Guild, his first foray into the world of politics, until the next year. Writing Schaeffer, he undoubtedly had no conscious political ambitions of any kind. Yet his later political career, culminating in the presidency itself, is foreshadowed perfectly by him in this historic letter, which indicates its first stirrings, as he seems to assume responsibility for improving the world in the future. As for the goals articulated here, Pres. Reagan would be instrumental, 45 years later, in bringing down communism and making the world a more peaceful place. He also proved himself to be an implacable foe of intolerance and predjudice.