Around 1933, Peter Sevastenok left his home in Pittsburgh and moved to Detroit, Michigan. Seven years later he decided to renew his relationship with his sisters. On March 5, 1940, Peter wrote concerning the effect that the Depression had had on his family. He recounted his own struggles during the past seven years while he was on his own and how on Thanksgiving morning he "woke up with a lone nickel and did not eat any supper the night before."
During the time he regained contact with his family, Peter was working at Dodge Brothers, and had just "been on strike for 3 months" with a group of his fellow workers. He discussed the union he belonged to, and how they took "care of [their] grievances" and had arranged for them to get compensation for the time they lost during strike. Peter expressed his desire to join the army, and hoped that by contacting his sister he would be able to attain his birth certificate, which was necessary for enlistment.
Peter successfully acquired his birth certificate and joined the army around May 1941. He discussed the procedures he underwent to register, and requested that the family send him some miscellaneous items. Peter described some of the training he went through and was soon stationed in Australia where he was at Camp Mackall, "attached to K-Btry. 208th C.A.". While in Australia, he recounted his daily life in the army. On the journey back from Australia, in September 1943, he anticipated "some excitement, but nothing occurred."
A year later, in September 1944, Peter was discharged from the army, and found himself in Texas at a place full of "overseas vets who suffered casualties while in the line of duty." He didn't know how long he would have to stay there, and he predicted that they would be sent "to a redistribution center." Peter lamented, that all they did there was "lay around and eat to gain [their] strength."
In October 1944, Peter returned to active duty and informed his sister of rumors that they're "going to make garrison soldiers out of [the] returnees," including himself. His prediction did not happen and when the war ended in 1945, Peter found himself in New Orleans. Eventually he worked his way back to Detroit, Michigan where he died in 1990, at the age of 85.
