The last letter we had from Jack to Maggie, he was waiting to ship to Lincoln Nebraska, the jumping-off point for shipping overseas. We catch up to him a few weeks later. Looks like he made it to Polebrook by his mention of spending a pound.
Oct 11, 1944
Dear Margaret.
Seeing I haven't recived any mail yet I guess I'll write and see if it helps to hurry it along. I don't know why I haven't gotten any but I guess it just hasn't had time to catch up with me as yet.
I sure have had it nice the last day & a 1/2, haven't done any thing but lay around & take life easy. I personally think that type of life agrees with me but I don't think the army does. I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night because of a poker game. They played poker until 6 the morning, and on top of that they had a little too much to drink, It developed into a fight & I thought once I would have to bail out of my upper bunk because some one fell against it. I guess out side of a few hangovers know one felt too bad over it They didn't get up until this after noon & then they started the poker game again.
I haven't been to town since I got to this base but from what Jimmy says I should because it's pretty good town. From what he says the towns almost as bad a Santa Fe for getting lost in. He said they tried for 2 hours to find there way to the main part & finally gave up. they did all right last night from what I hear, they all got so drunk they couldn't walk.
Boy this is the real place to save money – that is if you don't go to town you can't spend any money here on the base because theres nothing to by. You get you rations once a week & that's all. I have only spent about a Pound ($4) since I got in England & that's once in town. The shows are free so you can't even spend any there.
Say about those Pictures we took while there, I wold like a print of each – that is if they came out. And say how bout you going up to a studio & having a big one made for me – huh how bout it now? Please do because I really would like to have one.
I guess Ill be getting another strip in a few days – at least I hope too. If I don't I'll start pulling some ones hair & it won't be mine.
Did I tell you I had my hair cut short again. Its only about a 1/2 inch long & it's cold. I had that done at Labrador & like to have froze. I still regret doing it but that doesn't put hair back on my head. Just give me time & it will grow back.
You out to see our barracks they are a mess all the time. No one ever made their bed & only sweep under the beds about 2 or 3 times a week. At least they look nice & confortable at that.
I guess I'll close for tonight so please write soon.
Love
Bill
Next Margaret receives a letter from Bill's mother. It was in chronological order in her folder, but with the delay in mail from overseas, I wonder if she received this before the one above....
Oct 14 1944
Dear Margaret.
Just a note tonight. I had two V. Mail from Jack today the first was written Oct 2 – he is in England.
I got the prints of the pictures he took while in Albuq. and they sure are good of you all.
The girls and I will be in Albuq. for Teachers meeting – will try to see you.
Best wishes
Neva M. Eutsler.
Oct 25 1944
Somewhere in Eng.
Dear Margaret
Seeing I haven't received any mail from you as to yet I'll write you and see if it will help to get some mail. I guess I should say that I haven't recived any mail at all so to speak. I don't know what's wrong except that maybe it just hasn't had time. I sure hope I start getting some soon though.
I went to town the other night and had quite a time. We started drinking English beer & when we could we drank rum, wine or Scotch. In the end I was feeling pretty good, in fact a little too good. I got back to camp all right but Jimmy came in a day or so later. He and the co-pilot got on the wrong bus, I havent found out if it were a mistake or not, and ended up north of here.
About all we do around here
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is eat and sleep. I have been sleeping until around 11 evey morning. I have to get up then to eat dinner. You see we never to go bed until around 2 AM. We do take in a movie once in a while but I have seen about all the ones they show. The one we saw last night was only 8 years old.
They have had a couple of parties since we got here but I didn't go. I guess they had a lot of fun and drank a lot of beer but I don't drink.
Jim & I went out today and walked all over the field trying to find some thing to do. We almost got run out of the supply because we were trying to get too many things they didn't have.
Evey time we go over there we start asking for something they don't have & they can't seem to appreciate it.
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I am going to get a 48 hour pass one of these days & go to London. They say it's a pretty nice place, but there are a lot nice eslewhere. I'll tell you after I have seen a few of them.
The war seems to be going pretty good now doesn't it. I still wish it would hurry up and end so we could get home & start worring about a job
Thats really got me going is what I am going to do after it's all done. I don't think theres much demand for ball turret gunners in civilian life is there?
I have been trying to get Wayne to go into business with me but thats to be seen. I suppose he will get married and be afraid to start any
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thing like that. I suppose if he does that I'll get a job as a sheep hearder & beat my brains out talking to myself.
Oh well so much for that, I guess all I can do is think about it any way. I guess things will work out as they usually do
Well Ill close for tonight so write soon
Love
Bill.
And lastly, a letter from Jack's mom to Margaret. She writes on stationery monogrammed NME. You can't see it in the scans, but the stationery also as a large watermark. A circle with the Zia symbol inside and SUNSHINE STATE BOND around the edge. Bet you didn't know that New Mexico was the original Sunshine State.
Oct 31.
Dear Margaret –
I am so sorry I didn't get to see you – I planned so much to do so – but it seems we spent so much time hurrying to go "somewhere" to meet "some one" and then wasted hours waiting for them.
I brought the pictures with me for you to look them over and will send you som as soon as I have more made.
I had a letter from Jack saying you wanted some. Has he sent you his new A.P.O yet I will write it on this just in case. He was pretty much homesick from his letters but my letters are not going through. All he has had are the ones I sent to Lincoln and one other to the first A.P.O., he will be busy when they all do catch up with him.
Wayne is somewhat homesick to go deer hunting but I tell him he should be contented there with such good luck "dear" hunting
Jack doesn't think much of England's weather altho he says its a pretty country – He has been to "town" several times, spends a lot of his time sleeping and the rest listening to lectures and shooting the 45.
Has met several boys he was in training with at Denver and Las Vegas. also one from Concordia.
The girls are out to a "spook show" so I have spend the evening writing.
Best wishes –
Neva M. Eutsler.
Sgt. Bernard C. Eutsler 39215612
351st Bomb. grp. 508 Bomb Sqdn.
A.P.O. 557
c/o P.M. N.Y. N.Y
Now we are caught up with Jack's letters to his mother, and I will start transcribing them by date written and dovetail them together.
Here are the corresponding letters to Gram for this period of October, 1944. I also wrote a post just before I found this cache to Maggie. This latter one tells about his crew and a little about Jack's role as ball turret gunner. Read End of October 1944: At War.
