Typed Letter Signed about CATCH-22; 1 page (once folded), 8vo, to Prof. James Nagel concerning Heller's late military activities & a mistaken episode concerning his novel Catch-22

New York, 1968. Typed Letter Signed. Near Fine. Typed Letter SIGNED by Joseph Heller, author of CATCH-22: 1 page on Heller's personal deckle-edged stationery [with letterhead: "Joseph Heller / E. Hampton, N.Y."] bearing several ink corrections in the author's hand, dated June 28, 1964. Accompanied by a stamped envelope also addressed to Professor James Nagel of Northeastern University, Boston, Mass, postmarked "June 2[5?], 1968, Smithtown, N.Y.," and typed [presumably by Heller].<br/> <br/> "Joe" Heller writes "Jim" Nagel to to inquire about his new collection of critical essays about Heller's famous novel Catch-22. The author asks for a set of bound galleys of those essays. Evidently, one of the essayists got his facts wrong. In response, Heller relates what actually occurred during his last days in the Army Air Force. He was employeed in PR but couldn't recall doing anything. SIGNED Letter has EXCELLENT CONTENT about Heller's life and novels. It is in Near Fine condition without discoloration; bearing evidence of the author's attention to detail with blue ink corrections of typos.<br/> <br/> Heller summarizes his actual duties during the waning days of service in the Army Air Force and corrects a serious misinterpretation about those activities and their supposed relationship to his celebrated novel. <br/> <br/> Quoting in part: <br/> "Dear Jim:...I insist you send me a copy of the [Critical] essays. <br/> To answer your questions: After my last mission, I waited around for a couple of months to be sent to the U.S. in January, then, from Atlantic City, I was shipped to the air base at San Angelo, Texas, where I waited around to be discharged, along with thousands of others who'd completed their missions and for whom there was no longer need elsewhere. Technically, I was employed in the Public Relations office, but I can't remember doing any work at all. Armorer's school took only about three or four months; again, after a month or two of waiting after qualifiying, I was sent to the Santa Ana Army Air Base as an aviation cadet, then to training school as a bombardier. <br/> The mission you ask about never happened, and I've never heard of it--not the incident you mention....The timing for the essays should be good. The new novel will be out in early October. <br/> Best, Joe [signed clearly in ink]"