December 16-18 1944

 A special guest appearance! A VMail to his little sisters, Herbie and Nene (aka Neva and Anita)! 

Dec 16 1944

Dear Neva & Anita,

I ought to get busy and write you kids a letter so I can get some more from you.

I got a couple of letters from little Jim so will have to answer them soon. He didn't write much of course he doesn't love me, just wants to keep in good with the family.

I guess, from what you and Ma write, you kids are doing ok in your school work. May be I should say that about the men folk too. I want you to be good and not forget little Jim also the navy [?].

Ma wrote saying I got some pretty good pictures on the color film, I sure hope they get here soon. Maybe they will about the time we get ready to leave here to come home.

Well answer soon

Jack. 

Dec 17 1944

Dear Ma

Seeing how I recived some old Vmail from you and the Kids I'll try to answer it. When I say old I mean old it was dated from Oct 15-18. Its meant letters so I was happy to get them even then. 

It warmed up some last night infact quit a bit. I hope it stays this way a while longer.

Say not reciving any mail from you I don't know if you are reciving mine. Thats the big reason for writing Vmail this time. I thought maybe the air mail wasn't getting through so am hoping this will. I wrote you a short letter yesterday and put a cuple of pictures in it so we will see which gets there first. 

There was another big bunch of pacages came in to day but none for me. 

Well will close now

Jack. 

This next one was so delicate. It's on thin typing paper and his pen was quite short of ink. His letters are difficult to decipher on the best of days! 

Dec 17 1944

Dear Ma

I will proceed to write and tell you I recived a package from you today. It was one that was addressed to my old A.P.O. it was the one that had the candy & cookies in. Thanks a lot for sending it. 

I recived 2 letters from Little Jim, one yesterday and one today. He propably wrote you evey thing he wrote me and then some. I'll have to get busy and answer them tonight. 

I went back to London yesterday, you see I had a 48 hour pass. I didn't do much of any thing while there just killed time. We took in a couple of movies but they weren't any thing to brag about. We did here a buzz bomb go off, but it sounded quite a ways off. 

I got the pictures we took while in London the last time but they aren't too good. It wasn't very good weater to take pictures in and then we were taking them out of the back of a taxi. I'll put them in a envelope and mail them to you.

I guess the mail will start comming in one of these days, no one seems to be getting much of any thing. I hope you are getting my mail a little better than I am getting yours. 

Well I cant think of any more to write so will close. 

Hope you got the money order Jack

The same day he writes to Margaret. As a reminder, in his last letter to her, written a week before, he popped the question! 

Dec 17 1944

Dear Margaret

I will try to write you a letter, but don't know how it will come out. It's so darn hard to write when I don't get any mail, also when I don't do any thing to write about. 

I went to London again the other day but didn't do any thing but take in a couple of movies. I can't even rember the names of them. We did hear a V-2 buzz bomb go off, but it must have been a couple of miles off, at least it didn't hit me. I started to jump but stoped to think I had heard it not felt it so went a head eating. I have gotten so when any thing make a sudden noise it scares me. 

It has been rather cold the last few days but did warm up some to day. I just wish it would warm up some more and then stay that way, but this is England. 

The boys have been having some pretty good black jack games of late. They have been playing all night keeping every one awake and then griping about us being in the barracks the next day. Oh well payday just comes twice a month. 

It seems they have stoped giving the D.F.C. the last few fellows that have finished haven't gotten it. I was hoping I could get it but I guess I can figure I wont get it. 

Well I guess I'll close for now so write soon

Love 

Bill

We get the first glimpse of his PTSD. I so wish it was recognized and treated back then. 

D.F.C, as you recall, is the Distinguished Flying Cross. 

Our final letter for now was written the next day: 

Dec 18, 1944

Dear Ma

Seeing how I recived 2 letters and a vmail from you to day I'll try to write you. I am pretty tired to night so if I don't make sense in places just over look it. 

I got the letter with the 3 neg. in it. I showed them to the fellows & they think they are all right. I haven't tried to get a projector to see them with but will in the next few days. I sure hope the rest of them get here soon but suppose it will be some time. 

I read in the paper a while back where some German prisoner escaped & was recaptured his last name was Kruse. I don't know how common the name is but I am not going to look him up either. 

I am sorry you got the wrong impression of the air medal – it just comes as a matter of course. When I finish my tour I should have 5 clusters on it, of course that means 1 silver.

About that other clipping you sent about the 17 flying wild. We had sort of the same experience but didn't bail out, it was funny after we got to thinking about it. Evey thing has been going swell though so don't you worry. 

About sending that clipping to the Blade – I suppose you just spun your wheels there. I made it out to be sent to the blade also.

Well I'll close for tonight will try to write again tomorrow

Jack.

The Blade is newspaper Toledo (Ohio) Blade, published since 1835. We'll never know what news they were sending (maybe about the air medal?), but Ohio is where a lot the Eutslers had settled and where they were still living. 

Kruse is a name most common in Germany, but is not one of the top 100 surnames there. 

Jack had not flown any missions in the week since the last letter I had shared. He did fly Mission 244 on December 18, the date of this letter, but bombs were not dropped due to cloud cover. No enemy air craft were encountered; no flak. "Evey" one returned to base safely. Swell.