July 1944: A tendency to use the back of the envelope

This letter was in an envelope postmarked July 15, so it's out of order from when Jack wrote it. 

 July 6 1944

Dear Ma

I scribble you a note while I am setting around here on the line waiting to get a ship. They got us up at 4 this morning & now we can't fly till around 10 so nice.

The tell us our General is comming in today for an inspection so we will have to have everything nice and pretty for him. Those guys kill more time when they come to a place.  

I didn't get much sleep last night after all, I got to bed early enough but couldn't get to sleep. It wasn't because I didn't need to sleep because I really did. I finally got to sleep around 1130 or 12 so you see I have a slight tendacy to be sleepy today.  

The sun is starting to come up & is starting to get hot again. Every one around here says it will get even hotter a little later on but I hope not. We are wring wet with sweat most of the time. I droped off to steep the other day, with my flying cloths on & when I woke they were nothing but sweat. It's hard to get laundry service here so I guess I'll have to wash & iron some cloths myself. I got my only clean uniform dirty yesterday so I don't have any thing to stand inspection in.

I suppose Wayne is having quite a time while home. I still with I were there to help him celebrate a few things

Well I have a few things to do to will close now

Jack

Refer back to the last post with the letter following the General's visit.

This letter is also postmarked July 15.

July 13, 1944

Dear Ma

Well I have a few minutes to my self befor I go flying so will write a note. 

I had a tooth filled this morning, against my own will. I got in this morning around 8 & slept for a hour & had to go get that done. It wasn't so bad though the dentist was really a swell guy he tried his best to keep out of the nerve but couldn't.

I went up to Ada again last night & had quite a time. We drank some beer & then went up to town & was picked up by some college girls with a car. Some fun. Don't tell Nene though she might not like it. 

I got a letter from each of the runts to day & almost thought the were wanting some thing but I guess they weren't. 

15

I know I never finished this but I was so tired I had to get a little sleep. 

This is suppose to be our day off but they messed it up for us. We had a formation last night a 7:30 & another one this morning at 830 so I haven't done much up to now. I don't have anything to do until tomorrow at noon but will probable be a good boy & stay home. 

I flew the other day & was so tired all I did was sleep, well the pilot didn't like it too well so I better start getting more sleep. 

You can tell the kids to fire the candy through if they want to. 

Theres nothing exciting happening around here just the same old routine, Fly & classes & heat. I wish we could get a little of the rain you are getting we really could use it. 

Well I'll close & press some cloths. 

Jack

Notes:

Showing the back of the envelope: Gram had used red pencil to figure something. Just including it as an artifact. I like to think about my family holding these items, and I wonder what Gram was figuring here. It looks like she was perhaps figuring earnings for the month? The left side has numbers corresponding to the calendar days. She multiplied her figures by .30. There are dollar signs in the final figures.

30¢ is equal to $4.41 today, so the $45 range was equal to about $660.

I don't know what she was working on, but I can picture her at the kitchen table, red pencil in hand, working out the money.

 

There are some words and phrases that resonate with me and tell me, yup, that's Jack. Today, it is the word "tendency" (or "tendacy" as he spelled it). It's just a word that he used often, and I can hear him

My scanner is fighting me, so that's all for today! Stay tuned!

July, 1944: Lots of flying

 

We have new stationary today. At the top is the Army Air Force logo, the wings and propellor, as well as a color drawing of a B-17 bomber, the belly of which will be Jack's home for the next many months. 

July 2, 1944

Dear Ma

I'll try to write you a little note pretaining to what I am doing.  We have flown 2 days now & should have flew 2 other but didn't. I personally don't care if I never fly but it's still better than walking  

We took a little P.T. this morning & what did I do but turn my ankle & can hardly walk. I also took 2 more shots but they didn't hurt but for a few minets  

We haven't been doing much of anything except fly. All we do when we fly is just go for the ride & it gets very tiresome. Everyday when a bunch goes up it looks like a bunch going on a picknick. They all have lunches & thermos bottles. It really looks funny.

I got the candy from Edith & Emma so write & tell them thanks a lot. It sure was good the rest of the crew thought so too.

I guess Wayne ought to be home about the time you get this or shorty there after, I sure wish I were there while he is but I guess I cant. Maybe we will go P.O.E. from N.Y. & will be able to see him there.

Well I'll go go bed now

So write soon. 

Jack

Wed

 Well I guess I stuck this back & for got to mail it.

I was going to write you another one but will just go ahead with this one

Well I have been traveling around a little bit of late, in fact I was up all night night befor last trying to get back on time. I started back around 2 AM & didn't have such good luck catching rides. I got back all right but was sure tired when we had to fly that afternoon. I went out again to day to a town about 30 miles noartheast of here but didn't do much of anything. I go mostly to get out of camp. 

Well I have to fly early so ought to close & go take a shower & get to bed.

Jack

"P.O.E." stands for Port of Embarkation. The service members shipped overseas from New York City. Jack is hoping that he can catch his Uncle Wayne when they are both on their way over. 

July 7, 1944

Dear Ma

Since I have gotten quite a few letters from you & the kids may be I should write while I am setting around

You sent that clipping about "Quack" [Quark?] - sure that's the kid I knew. It sort of surprised me but I knew he had gone in the air corp as a gunner. He seems to have done all right by him self now hasn't he.

We had a 2star General on the field yesterday in fact he was the big boy of the 2nd air force. He gave us a nice little talk & & & he promised us a 7 day furlough when we finish here. I don't believe it but it may be so who knows. I am not going to bank too much on it because this is still the army.

We flew a air to ground mission yesterday & shot about 25 or so shells in a hour & half. We kept 3 m.gs. going about all the time & were they hot when we got done. About all the fellows got sick, but for some reason I didn't. I guess I was too busy to get sick. I had to keep working all the time but I will admit it was awfully rough. We have to fly again today but I don't know what it will be, I hope a bombing mission.

Its still warm here but I guess we will be able to take it the people who live here do so I hope.

Tell that nene I am finally finding out the score & I think she should. 

Well I have to go eat so will close now.

Jack.

You probable wonder why I put a box number on my last few letters – well its like a regular P.O. & we each have our own box.

I wonder if the General that visited was Uzal G. Ent. Wikipedia describes him as being Chief of Staff and then Commanding General of the Second Air Force. Even if it wasn't him, enjoy learning about this distinguished general. 

July 11 1944

Dear Ma

No I ain't dead yet but am the next thing to it. We had Sun. off & didn't have any thing to do till noon Mon so we left Sat night. We went to Ada & had quite a time in our little weekend. I didn't get but a couple hours sleep Sat night & none Sun. I did catch a couple of hours Monday morning, I got up rushed over & took 2 shots then came back & shaved & rushed over to eat. When I got through eating I had to grab my stuff & run to fly. We flew high altitude & I came down with a terrible cold. I couldn't clear my ears & can hardly breath to day. I went to sleep in the waist & it was so cold I had to wake up every 30 min.

I had class all day to day & I don't know how I stayed awake. I was so sleepy it was next to impossible, you see we got to bed, from flying around 12 & had to get up at 6. All in all The last few days have been rough  [____]

Well I suppose Uncle Wayne has gone back by this time hasn't he. I was glad to hear he put Mal straight again maybe some day she will take the hint. 

I got a letter from Goodwins saying Gene was missing on May the 14 so I guess the poor Devil finally got it. It's too bad because he never did have a decent break in life. 

Well may be I should close & do a little work around the bed. 

Jack

I couldn't find anything about Gene Goodwin. The only Gene Goodwin from Concordia, Kansas that I found was born in 1933, so he was 11 at the time, and too young to be enlisted in WWII. There was this fellow, Jack Goodwin from Lawrence, Kansas, 158 miles from Concordia. Jack Goodwin was a navigator in a B-17 and rose to the rank of Colonel. The article shows that he was active in POW/MIA groups, but it does not mention that he was ever MIA. Maybe we'll learn more as we read more of Jack's letters.

Once in a while I like to look at what was going on in the war, particularly the European theater, at the time Jack wrote his letters. During the days that he wrote these letters, troops were fighting in the Battle of the Hedgerows. After the Invasion at Normandy, troops marched inland France to St. Lô. There they met German occupation forces. The Allies had a very tough time fighting through the natural fortresses made by ancient hedgerows throughout the area. It was a hard-fought, high-casualty battle. You can read about the Battle of the Hedgerows here. 

Late June, 1944: Ardmore, OK

Jack has been shipped to Ardmore, Oklahoma, for his final training on B-17s. Here is an informative wiki on the Air Base. Interestingly, just when Jack arrived in late June, 1944, WACs were also arriving at the base. I'm curious if Jack will mention them!

June 25, 1944

Dear Ma

We got here last night around 5 o clock & first thing we (my crew) got cursed out for some thing we didn't hear.  The camp & what they have told us isn't too good. We can't get over cpl if that much & all in all it's no good. Even the waters no good. You can put some in a glass and it looks like tea or weak coffiee. It is actually muddy & I am not kidding. It is so hot here we can't sleep at nights, I lay there last night & just sweat.

They started us off right off the bat no time off for anything. I guess we are suppose to leave here in 10 weeks but I will know more about that 10 weeks from today. I guess they throw stuff at you so fast you hardly know whether you are comming or going.

We go every place as a crew officers & all, from what I have seen from the fellows they seem to be a darn nice bunch. They are all over the country from Boston to Cal.

We are supposed to start flying again about the 29. I hope that will mean that much more money.  

The chow isn't too good – too many flys & etc. We get no K.p. or other detail while here, at least that's what I hear. We are supposed to get a class A pass so will be able to see the town.

Well will close for now

Jack.

June 29, 1944

Dear Ma

I'll write you again since I haven't heard from you since I got here – but I'll probable get a letter today

We were issued our flying cloths yesterday so now we have another couple hundred dollars to take care of. We got a winter flying jacket – fur lined flying shoes summer flying suit & a bunch of other stuff. We took a physical yesterday & I have to have to have 2 teeth filled – which surprised me. I still don't believe it but if they say I do I do. I took 3 shots yesterday & have to take 2 more Sun.They dont bother much but they hurt some. One is for yellow fever – coleria – & typhus. They are the shots we get preparatory to going over.

One of the fellows & I took off last night and hitch hiked about 150 miles. We saw part of what the state of Okla is made up of. There are some pretty nice town around here but we hit them too late to do much good. We got back around one oclock & slept believe it or not till 9.

We didn't have to get up this morning because we are suppose to fly 4th period. We have to go to briefing at 1400 & take off at 1600 & land at 2200. I don't know if I'll go up or not but probable will. If I can get my flying time in for this month I'll try my darndest to.

It's still plenty hot around here & they claim it gets even hotter. If it gets much we will all know they are just getting us ready to go to hell.

Did I tell you we are located about 3 miles from Gene Autry's ranch. I guess this is his home town from what I hear. All in all the country around here isn't so bad it's pretty nice.

Well I guess I'll close for now & go eat. 

Jack

Note: Not only was Gene Autry's ranch close by, but the town of Gene Autry, Okalahoma, which until 1941 had been named Berwyn. When Gene Autry bought the large ranch nearby, the citizens voted to change the name of the town in his honor. It was a big deal!

*

An official-looking envelope from the WAR DEPARTMENT arrived around the same time as that last letter.

Inside: an insurance form. 

The shit's getting real now. Life insurance has been obtained.

Jack bought $10,000 worth of life insurance naming his mother as beneficiary. He will pay $6.50/month.

That's about the same as $148,000 now at an equivalent cost of $96 per month. Pretty pricey. Gulp.

June, 1944: last days at Lincoln and V-Mail from a buddy

Today we have a V-mail written to Gram by James B. O'Connor. You may recall an earlier post that contained a V-mail. V-Mail was a system employed by the armed services to deliver mail from overseas in a more efficient way. The service member would write a 1-page letter on a special sheet. The censors would look it over, and then it would be photographed. The rolls of film would be shipped home, where the letters would be printed and mailed. It made for a much less expensive way to carry letters to the U.S. Not only that, it foiled attempts at espionage, as microdots and invisible ink could not be conveyed through V-Mail.

So here we have Pvt. James B. O'Connor's letter to Jack's ma. I'm not sure who Jim is; it's obvious that Jim knows Gram and Jack's sisters fairly well. 

At the top is the censor's stamp on the left, the receiver's address in the middle, and the sender's address and the date to the right. 

Remember, I'm posting the letter by postmark, not by date written. This is the order that Gram most likely received them, and this comes to play as V-Mail comes into the picture. Jim wrote this on May 29, 1944, but it wasn't postmarked in the U.S. until June 23, 1944.

From: 

Pvt. James B. O'Connor 18122034

A.P.O. 13024-A

c/o Postmaster, N.Y.C., N.Y.

May 29, 1944

Dear Mom & "Runts" – Well here goes my first V-Mail letter to you from me. There really isn't much I can say, but I have a chance to get a letter to you so I will do my best. We (band) have really had a swell trip so far, and I do hope it will continue that way. I have had a chance to see some flying fish, porpoises & such things as that. It is very interesting, but boring at times. Being able to rehearse the band helps like mad so I am doing quite well. I hope everyone there is in tip top shape. I am going to write to Bo in a few minutes & tell Nene & Erba I will write them later if they don't mind. Love to All 

Jim

I'm not sure why he called Neva (Herbie) "Erba" here. Perhaps it was a funny nickname combining her given name and her family nickname.

I don't know who Jim is, and perhaps we'll learn more later. But the forensic researcher in me went digging a bit. I found some Army records. I'm glad he wrote his serial number on the letter! 

He enlisted from Santa Fe, NM, so I'm assuming he knew the family before the war. He enlisted a full year before Jack.

Jim was born and he died in Iowa. Here is his obituary. Here is one reason that I regret not starting this project sooner. I've had these letters for a long time. Jim died in 2017. Here is a picture of him from his Army days:

Back to Jack: 

Gram received the following letter around the same time as she received Jim's V-Mail.

It is last letter from aircraft school in Lincoln, Nebraska. 

June-Wed [The closest Wednesday to the postmark was June 21]

Dear Ma

Maybe I ought to write you a note and let you know I am shipping. I should ship Friday but where I don't know. I hear 2 L. rumors one to Souix City and one to Ardmore Okla. but you can't bank too much on them yet theres still a couple of days to go. The last day or 2 the rumors. I just heard (sure thing) Ardmore.

It's sort of warm this morning but we had a good rain last night. I woke up & started to close the window but said to hell with it & went back to sleep. It's hot enough to be very sultry now but I heard we will live.

I have been cutting grass the last day or two but it hasn't killed me yet. It's a pretty good job very easy money [?].

I got a letter from the Goodmans saying they had gotten the picture. They thought it was good.

Well I'll close now Jack.

Follow-up, February 1944: Dee Bibb in New Mexico Magazine

In a letter I posted a few weeks ago, Jack mentioned an article about family friend Dee Bibb, who was quite a character. A beloved New Mexico fixture, Dee was married to my mom's best friend Mabel. 

To refresh your memory, Jack wrote in his February 9, 1944 letter, "I got the N. Mex. mag & that article about Dee was all right."

The investigator in me went to work, and I found a short notice that had been published in the local paper, the Santa Fe New Mexican, about the New Mexico Magazine article. I made a cursory look for the magazine article itself, but when I found the website didn't have archives, I dropped my search. 

In reading Jack's letters to my mom, we discussed the magazine article about Dee, and she wanted to go to the library and try to find it. A trip to the library wasn't in the cards (there's a pandemic, after all), so I decided to contact the folks at the magazine. Luckily, despite the pandemic, they were able to help. They sent me a PDF of the entire February, 1944 issue. You can find it here or click the picture below. The article about Dee Bibb begins on page 13.

Many thanks to the Circulation Department at New Mexico Magazine!

mid-June, 1944. Going My Way

Jack is still in Lincoln, Nebraska at aircraft school. His last letter was dated June 7, 1944. Not sure where he's been in the last nine days. Surely by now Jack and Gram would've heard the news about Operation Overlord, known now as D-Day. There's no mention of the war, though.

Today he foregoes his fountain pen and army stationery. He writes in pencil on a couple of sheets of plain rough paper. 

June 16 1944

Dear Ma

Maybe you have noticed I haven't written for a few days but I was sweating out a shipment. I have been placed on the supernumerary list so I didn't know just what the score was. They finally went off and left me here. From the best L. rumors I heard they went to La. the swamp country. I wasn't mad about not shipping with them even at that. I am hoping I can be sent to Souix City & take my training there. If it so happens I'll be able to live off the post & should get 3 day passes quite often.

It is plenty hot here in fact so damn hot. That's all we have been doing the last few days is sweat blood. The winds whipping it up pretty good now but its still plenty hot. 

I got the watch last night & the hands were sort of messed up but I fixed that so it seems to run fair. I'll send the other one home in a few days I am keeping it to check mine with. 

I guess I'll go on another shipment in the next few days. After we on on the alert we are here 4 days so I'll probable be here for 5 or 6 days more. I don't mind too much as long as I don't catch any detail.

I worked my way on to a sleeping [?] pass today. That means I didn't have any detail today. Some of the fellows don't see how I did it but I did. 

I haven't heard from any one the last few days except you so I can't write about that. That darn Wayne hasn't written me & I have written him about 3 or 4 letters since I got back. 

Well I'll close for now. 

Jack. 

This one is not dated, but it is postmarked June 20, 1944. Sunday would have been June 18.

June - Sun

Dear Ma

I guess I ought to drop you a line & get over this lazy spell. 

I haven't done a thing to day except loaf. believe it or not it's the 2nd day in a row. I found out this morning that it was Sun so I decided I should take it easy. I sort of walked out of a formation & never got back there for I didn't get any detail. 

I went to the show to night & I thought It was a darn good show. Bing in "Going My Way" It really is a good show you out to see it. It made me stop and think. 

It wasn't quite so hot today but it was still plenty hot. I took a sun bath yesterday but couldn't tell it. I didn't get sunburnt or anything. I went out again today but was out for just a few minutes.

I guess I'll sent the little watch home tomorrow. I am darn near tempted to keep it. I like it better than mine but I'll be good to nene & send it back. 

I don't know what's wring with me tonight. I just can't seem to write I guess my brains in a whirl. (what brain)

So Neva is really going to town with her work. May be she will be glad she took the typing after all. Has Nene taken any thing yet or is she planning on getting her's next year. 

Well I guess I'll close for now. 

Jack

Jack wasn't the only one who thought "Going My Way" was a darn good show. It was the highest-grossing movie of 1944 and was nominated for 10 Academy awards. It won seven Oscars, including Best Picture.