To the editor:

President Biden’s recent statement that his uncle, who served in World War II, was eaten by cannibals in New Guinea has caused mostly unfavorable comments.

By a unusual coincidence, I have been reading 1944 Reader’s Digests which my father saved along with many other issues over the years. In two different 1944 issues, there were first person accounts of troops who

of their experiences landing in New Guinea, and fearing they might encounter cannibals. One of the writers wrote of seeing a collection of human skulls displayed in one hut. In both cases the soldiers offered the native men simple gifts which were happily received. In both situations the soldiers were not harmed. After reading the ’44 Reader’s Digests, I passed them on to another reader.

President Biden may be mistaken about his uncle’s fate, but why should he be a target for ridicule? Research would be a better response.

Trudy Madetzke

Marshall