We don't have any letters since December 18 until today, Christmas Day, 1944. Jack had not been idle, however, as we shall see!
Dec 25 1944
Dear Ma
Well here it is Xmas and I am so tired I don't know what to do. It is a very poor Day – fog and etc, for a holiday. It is also cold out infact it is about 5ยบ below freezing. I had to ride a truck a bout 60 miles this AM and when I finally got here I was about froze.
I got a bunch of letters today from almost evey one – including you. I got one, set down for this one, from Geog. E. Goodwin, Bo, Nene, and a couple of Xmas cards from you and the kids. You see I haven't been here for a few days to get any mail so it had a chanch to pile up. I also got a package from Maggie, I feel like kicking my self for not sending her some thing. It (Xmas) just slipped up on me befor I had a chanch to think about it.
You know I can't tell you where or what part of England I am in so I won't even try. You remarked about seeing some of the churches over here. I have seen some and they really are some thing, maybe I can get some pictures of them later on, that is if the sun is out when I get a pass.
The houses have straw roofs and look like they are very old. I have seen some castles from the air and they are some thing to look at. The pictures you have seen pretty well cover most of it.
I did visit a old town last week, it is Bath, it was very interesting. Evey thing is so old and such. They had a lot of whiskey too. I guess the Romans were there or some thing – it looks that old. They have a hot springs bath there. I also saw some old bomb damage while there.
I haven't see that stork yet but will keep looking for him. Maybe next time he will bring me a bro next time.
Well it looks to me as if Elder E is a little over rated at that. Its just too too bad he didn't get a chanch to go O.C.S. I really feel for him but can't quite reach him. I belive I have seen evey thing he has and then some. Of course don't get me wrong I would just as soon trade him places.
I still haven't seen any of Dads relation but some of the fellows have seen some of theres. I don't think Ill look them up because they wouldn't know me from Adam. There wouldn't be any thing in common any more any way.
I sure wish I were there to get some of that steak it sounds good to me. Just wait until I get back to the states and see the steak I eat then.
I am glad the kids are doing o.k. in school, just make them keep it up.
Well I'll close for now so hope you are getting these letters befor they are too old.
Jack
You ask who the crew is Kale – pilot Rohr – co-p. Eaton nav. Perez. radio; McGarry – Eng. Jim – Waist, Webster Tail.
Jack did love his steak through his life! I don't eat it any more, but when I was a kid he was thrilled that I loved steak, rare, and that I would eat a bunch.
OCS is Officer Candidate School.
I remember Jack talking about his RnR weekends in Bath. I think he had a more lively time than he lets on in this letter to Gram.
Next a Christmas letter to Bo:
Dec 25 1944
Dear Bo
I hope you are back teaching by the time you get this. I suppose you will almost have forgotten about Xmas by this time. I have had a very poor xmas but I didn't expect a whole lot either. It has been a miserable day as should be expected. I also had to ride a GI truck about 60 miles and nearly froze. When I did get here I cleaned up and shaved the first time in a week.
I guess you did ok on the Xmas gifts but you never told me the cost of it rather than I hope I sent enough money to help cover it any way. I am glad you did what you did, I know there were or use to be a lot of things I wanted but never got but such is life and I can't kick too much.
I supposed you had a big party for the kids I remember how I use to think those partys were the real thing.
I wouldn't worry too much about not teaching the kids too much – remember you didn't take them to raize. Any way next year, the next teacher will have to worry about them and you will have a new bunch.
We had a nice dinner this evening so it helped things out. Its the best meal I have had for some time.
I don't know what's wrong with me tonight but I am so mean I can even get along with myself.
Well I have enough missions in now to be turned in for Staff so will have to jump my pilot the first time I see him. You see it means about $30 a month more and that ain't hay. The more money the better is what I always say.
I don't think I'll have to worry to much about your Bombadier friend looking me up but if he does I'll put in a good word for you. I suppose he is darn near finished by now at least he should be.
Oh yes I recived a letter from our Dear uncle George today. I didn't belive it either but it was in writing.
Well I'll close for now so becareful and don't catch anything unless it has hock value.
Jack.
Jack has flown 16 missions, which according to him, qualifies him for the rank of Staff Sergeant. The $30 extra pay per month that comes with a promotion would be equal to about $473 today. That certainly ain't hay.
And finally, a Christmas card and letter to Margaret. The way the letter is folded tells me it was tucked inside the card.
Dear Margaret.
It seems as though I owe you a letter, having recived one from you a week ago. Now don't look that way, it was very impractical for me to try to answer it. You see I have been on the jump so much the last week that I haven't been able to write anyone.
So our "Dear Mal" stopped over to see you. It sure surprised me, because no one seemed to know where she was any more. I have written Wayne about her but he never has written me since comming over. May be some day she will catch on about how Wayne feels about her.
I really went on a good drunk the other night. We were visiting a town by the name of Bath. There weren't any GIs in town so we really had the run. The whole crew, except 2, went in together and the last I knew I was in a Pub. We started drinking about 6pm and by 9 I could almost stand up. I haven't been so drunk in well over a year and I guess it will keep me for another year.
The fellows had to tell me the next day what we did I just couldn't seem to remember it all. It was the first time since we have been in England that we could even attempt to buy whiskey so we really made the best of it. I remember once I was out side a Pub and some English soldier would push me against the wall evey time I started to fall. I just couldn't seem to stand up for some unknow reason. We even had the Pilot drunk which is really something.
We were quite a sight, we were in our flying cloths and thats all. Evey time we would go in a place the peope would sure give us the once over.
It has been cold here of late and me I almost froze to death. It seemed I just couldn't get enough cloths on. It really has been a miserable day for Christmas.
So you don't think too much of the picture, well I disagree with you. Infact I think they are pretty good, Ma thinks so too so you might as well stop we have you outnumbered.
You ask about the Pictures I took in London I'll tell you the truth they weren't very good. I am going to try to go back down and get some better ones. I only got 13 out of the 36 but it was cloudy and it was trying to rain.
Say I want to thank you for the box you sent me. I was very glad to get it so thanks again.
Boy heres where some one ought to really kick me or some thing. I am very sorry that I didn't send you something but Christmas came up on me so fast I forgot it was so near until too late. If you will give me a idea I'll try to get you some thing.
Did I tell you the last time I was in London I heard a V-2 buss bomb explode. It was quite a ways off but even then shook the windows.
Well I'll close for Now so write soon
Love Bill
Aha! Here's the truth about Bath! I knew it! When I was there a few years ago, I raised a pint to him. Here is my visit to Bath in 2012. I wonder if he got to partake of the waters? Of course, these days they don't allow people to touch the water.
Bath is about 140 miles from Polebrook.
The crew flew two missions during the week.
You may recall that the Battle of the Bulge was being fought during this period (December 16, 1944 through January 25, 1945). I remember Jack talking about flying missions as part of the greater Battle. I am not sure which of his missions were part of it, but if I can discern from the information I have, I will share it.
Mission 245 was flown on December 19, 1944. Enemy positions along the rail line near Kall and Koblenz, Germany were targeted. The mission was successful, and no B-17s were lost or damaged. There were no enemy aircraft encountered and no flak. The targeted area is not far from the modern Belgian border, so it may be that this was part of the Battle of the Bulge. Indeed Roger A. Freeman in The Mighty Eighth War Diary notes: "tactical targets in the Luxembourg, Ehrang and Koblenz area with the purpose of impeding the German counter offence launched in the Ardennes on 16 December." Some B-24s that were part of the mission in the other group were lost (11 killed).
Here's their flight map. Image from 351st.com.
Mission 246 was flown on Christmas Eve, 1944. This was a huge mission, with over 2000 bombers and 853 fighters dispatched. The 351st (Jack's group) was the spoofing force. Spoofing is using a small-ish number of aircraft while jamming the enemy's radar, causing a large echo, which creates an illusion that there are numerous aircraft. This can draw attention away from the "real" attackers. The spoofing force, of which Jack's aircraft was one, flew as usual but then diverted and landed at Ridgewell, UK shortly after 1700 hours. Ridgewell is, indeed, about 60 miles away from Polebrook. Thus the freezing cold truck ride back to base on Christmas morning. It was probably the most unremarkable mission of Jack's career. I wonder if he even knew the true nature of the mission at the time.
You can read about spoofing done during D-Day here. Different kinds of deception created "ghost armies" on the ground, too.
Thanks for reading!
