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.
