It's been a long hiatus!
My mother Margaret, the Maggie to whom these letters are addressed, died days after I scanned and transcribed this first letter. I was grateful that I got to read some of Jack's letters to her before she passed. I doubt that she had looked at them in the last 75 years!
And so now we begin again, sharing Jack's history during WWII. To remind you, I had started off transcribing Jack's letters to his mother. Later, I found the cache of letters to his sweetheart and eventual wife, my mother. I now focus on these letters to Maggie, posting them here and catching up to the letters he wrote to his mother that I had already shared. When I've caught up, I will dovetail the letters together.
We left off with his letters to Maggie written in July, 1944. Now, we are in August. In the bigger picture, the Battle of Normandy is winding down; the Allies were advancing further into France, and there was an important win for Russia and Poland against Germany in Poland. The Allies are definitely getting the upper hand, but the war has a long way to go.
He writes in pencil today.
Aug 11 1944
Dear Maggie
I guess I'll set down long enough to write you a letter. I don't exactly owe you one but you know me I'll write any way.
I had to get up this AM at 3 to fly, I got down to the ship all right but the pilot needed a oxygen mask so I gave him mine. I came back to the barracks & slept a few hours & then had to get up because I was expecting a inspection officer in & he is liable to ask why I am not on detail. (I hate work.)
I haven't been doing much – as usual except fly & drink beer. We have been going to a little place 60 miles N.E. of here to roping [?] up beer, well we found the town almost out of beer so I don't think I'll be going back.
Around here you can actually drink all the beer in town, providing you get there befor some one else doesn't beat you too it. They just don't seem to be able to get any beer. Oh yes I don't drink whiskey it brings $7.50 a pint & about $13 a qt. They really belive in sticking the prices to us.
The other night I was up at this little town & decided to come back early well I started around 10 P.M. The cars didn't seem to want to stop to pick us up so about 3 AM a coal truck stoped & we road about 45 miles on the top of the coal. We looked like a couple of ni**ers when we got off & felt worse than 2. I got back in to camp & got a hour & a half sleep befor I had to get up to fly. Boy I have to stop that or I'll be cutting off my bottom dog tag.
Well we have rumors to the effect we will get a 7 day furlogh when we leave here. Thats almost enough time to go some place. I don't know how I will get out of this place but will probable have to go to Okla. City or Dallas. I may come through Alb. so next time you write send address & phone no if any.
I would say for sure but I think Ma wrote & said our dear friend Bergie up & married some girl from Santa Fe. I guess he is stationed up here in Mo. At least thats the way I got it from her letter. I really didn't expect Bergie to do such a thing but may be she could run faster than he could.
Its still 10º hotter than hell around here infact I heard it was so hot the devil himself moved out. Its too hot for me & I guess every one else. I swear its 10 times hotter than in Vegas, although Ma writes its been plenty hot there. The only time we get cool is when we fly high alititude & then we about freeze. When we get down it's like stepping in to a oven, you just roast.
Well I hope you had a nice time while home. I imagine things have changed though since you were last there. How bout that.
Well I have to close now so please write soon
Love Bill.
Notes:
The whiskey would cost $115 for a pint and $200 a quart today! They really were sticking it to the soldiers!
The whiskey would cost $115 for a pint and $200 a quart today! They really were sticking it to the soldiers!
Read here for what he means about "cut off my bottom dog tag."
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Aug 18 1944
Dear Maggie
I recived you letter at last so well while I have the time will try to answer it.
Say you must really be waking up late. You ought to know better than that, where does it get you in the end but old. Wow take me oh well we will skip that. No kidding though they must keep you busy.
Me I haven't been doing anything out of the way. We have just been flying, more or less putting in time. It seems they don't know what we want, you know I said I might get a furlogh well that seems to be shot. the rumor is now we won't get any time at all off. Some of the boys decided to go over & raise the roof about it, I doubt if it will do any good. I sure should like to get a little time off & if possible come & see you.
We were flying formations the other day & it scared me so bad I couldn't look out & when I would I had to put on my chute. It really had me worried for a while I guess I am a baby or something. I personally don't like to fly & on top of that I don't like to fly formations.
We went up yesterday & had a nice big watermelon, it must have weighted about 40 lbs. We were bombing the whole county side with watermelon rine & seeds. I'll bet the people wondered were it was comming from. We really had a time eating it. It took about 10 of us to eat it & no one would stop until full.
I had to go up this morning to have a filling put in. Boy that dentist like to take the top off my head. I thought he was trying to make another Grand canyon. He kept telling me he wasn't hurting me it was just the noise (I didn't have the heart to tell him different). From what he said he was just out of school but I could have told him that by the way he worked.
Well Ill close for now & go eat.
Sat
I guess I better get busy & finish this. If I don't make sense its because I have been up since 3 this morning & put in 6 hours of flying.
A fellow just came in & said we had a formation tomorrow, which is our legal day off, to discuss about furloghs. I doubt if we get them but I am still hoping.
We had quite a flight to day -- went in a round about way to Kansas City then to Little Rock Ark & back here. We didn't fly high altitude so I caught about a hours sleep. We had a fight going on back in the waist about all the time. I got down in the fall & the current went off so I had to crank my way out, I decided to stay out of it. The pilot didn't know about it so he go in it & we had a time getting him out. He didn't know any thing about it but finally he got out, I doubt if he ever goes back in it.
Say how is your [____] making out by now. You never said in your last letter so I am wondering. I hope he gets a break & gets to come back to the states.
I don't know if I told you or not but Wayne got another strip not long ago. He is now [1/] Sgt & says theres a chanch he can get Master. I sure hope he does even if I'd never be able to get 1/2 that high. Well I better close so write soon.
Love Bill
I want to say he was asking about her brother (hoping he gets to come back to the states). But I can't read it. Any help?
Wayne's rank: Also hard to decipher. Sergeant First Class is just before Master Sergeant, so I'm assuming that's what he meant.
Here are the letters to his mother around the same time.
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