Closing out 1944

Two letters and three missions bring 1944 to an end. 

Here is something interesting. Again, due to the postmark it's a little out of synch. Written on December 27, 1944, it was postmarked January 4, 1945.

It is a non-photographed Vmail! It's an 8½ x 11 sheet. Usually after it gets photographed and mailed, it arrives as a small 4 x 6 sheet. This one came intact.

I've scanned the front and back. 

Dec 27, 1944

Dear Ma

Well lets see if this will beat the rest of the letters I have written you in the last few days. I got all your letters out last night and started reading them according to the dates and they seem to make a little more sense. You see they don't get here in the order you write them, I don't suppose mine get there any better. I never got any mail yesterday or today but maybe the Xmas rush is over and it will start comming in. Did I tell you I got the first 3 neg. you sent but haven't recived the rest as of yet. Well I have run out of space so will sign off so write soon  Jack. 

Dec 29 1944

Dear Ma

Here I go trying to ruin your eyes again. I'll bet you think some thing wrong with me writing so often of late. Its just that I am trying to catch up on the letters I have recived from you. I got a letter from Neva to day but no more.

You know I think I'll try to see If I can't look up Bob C on my next 48. I don't know if it can be done but I think I'll try. From the clippings you sent Leland Perry is stationed at the same base so I'll be able to kill 2 birds with 2 stones. Note the 2 stones. 

I don't belive I need anymore stationary with that you sent in the first box and then that in the Xmas package. I also got some from Maggie so I'll have to write like mad to use it all up but I'll try my best. 

I had to wash those socks you sent me to day, one pair was so bad I had to tie it down. I had to wear them for a week and did they stink. It was pretty hard to get them as white as I did but at least they don't stink. 

I also have to start shining shoes tonight, because tomorrow is inspection day. It makes me so mad to have to get up and make my bed and shine shoes. I guess you have to do such things in the army though. 

You say most of the fellows will be shiped from there. I'll bet they wish they could stay there too. As bad as I would hate to be stationed at a place like that I'd take it now. At least you can do down and get a steak or malt once in a while. You also can get a drink of hard whiskey. You don't have to wash your own cloths and such as that. I guess none of us know how well off we are until we have it rough. 

Say thanks for all the stuff you sent including the cigarettes. I was running a little low but that helped out. I suppose we will be getting more soon. How much talking did it take to get them I'll bet you found some batchler. 

Well Kale, for sure, turned me in for the rocker today. I thought he had done so sooner but he hadn't seen the major. I don't know how long it takes but I should have it with in a few days. (I hope) When I get it that will all Ill be able to get. The radio & eng. get Tech but thats all. Ohwell I will probably be able to live with just the one down [?]. I'll close for Now so write soon. 

Jack. 

Here are the rank insignia he is describing:

Jack flew three missions here at the end of December. 

Mission 248 on December 28 hit railroad marshaling yards, again near Koblenz, in the area near the Belgium and Luxembourg borders, so I presume this was part of the Battle of the Bulge. No aircraft were lost. They had no encounters with enemy aircraft or flak. 

Here are a few notes from the crews:

Combat Crew Comments:

    508th Squadron:

A/C Q-799: Flew too low above the water on the way back. - Lt. Galloway.

A/C O-277: Do not want British rations; would rather have chocolate bars. - Lt. Zimmerman.

    510th Squadron:

A/C S-512: Somebody shot a .50 caliber into our No. 4 engine that could have hit one of the crew. - Lt. Miller

    511th Squadron:

A/C H-592: Announce control points and mickey winds over VHF. - Lt. Edelman.

A/C G-070: Suggest handles be put on the boxes holding the flak suits. - F/O Lesch

  [Signed:] Robert P. Ramsey, Major, Air Corps, Group S-2 [Intelligence].

Mission 249 on December 30 bombed a railroad overpass at Kaiserslautern, about 85 miles south of Koblenz.  Another successful mission, with no enemy aircraft or flak encountered. I'm counting "success" as without loss of life. Not sure if the bombs hit their intended targets. Bridges were tiny targets and hard to hit. 

Mission 250, on New Year's Eve, targeted railroad marshaling yards near Krefeld-Uerdingen, Germany, on the Rhine and near the border with the Netherlands. No aircraft were lost, but they did encounter some flak. 

Dec 26-28 and Dec 16, 1944

As you recall, originally all I had was the cache of Jack's letters to his mother. They were all still in their envelopes, with the exception of some of the Vmail. When I organized them, I ordered them in order of their postmark and posted them in that order. Margaret's letters were without the envelopes, so when I brought those in, I started putting them all in order by the date written. But today, we have a delayed Vmail due to the postmark being wildly off. C'est la mail. 

Dec 26 1944

Dear Ma

Here I go trying again to write you so you will get some mail. I guess it's more just getting the envelope than the letter because I never write much. What I do write no one can read so it doesn't make a whole lot of difference.

It has gotten colder to day infact it's quite chilly out. I belive it is as cold as it has ever been since we got here. I sure hope it decides to warm up soon if not sooner. The water on the ground has been frozen all day so you can see it hasn't been too warm. 

You ask me about my first mission, no I wasn't scared. I was trying to see what was going on and didn't want to miss a thing. I seems though things have changed some of late, in fact it is just the opposite now. I almost have to wash my underwear after each one. Maybe I ought to get off that subject. 

Well I jumped Kale (the pilot) about Staff today so if he turned me in I should have it with in the next few days. I sure hope I get it soon because it means about a dollar a day or more and I belive I can use it. I guess I shouldn't kick too much though I haven't one too bad as far as ratings go. 

You ask about the cigaretts, no I don't need them. We have been cut to 5 packs a week but I can get a couple of extra packs from one of the boys if I run out. Maybe I can cut out smoking or cut down would probably be more like it. Did I tell you I had to smoke English cigarettes for a week not because I didn't have any but just couldn't get too what I had. Those English cigarettes darn near killed me but I lived through it.

I haven't been riding my bike much of late, infact I think I'll sell it. I am not sure I still have it though tonight it disappeared but one of the guys probably took it to the show or some place I hope. 

I did get up and wash some cloths this AM but I didn't get them very white. I guess I'll have to send them to the laundry to get them white again. 

Oh yess you ask about ODs – yes we wear them and we have no cleaning facatillicty for them. We use to wash them in avation gas but they made us stop so I guess we will have to wash them out in soap an water. Oh well we can get new issue when we get back to the states. 

Well I'll close for now

Jack. 

Jack told me that the tobacco companies got service members addicted by providing free cigarettes to each. Jack told stories of smoking during missions and that he had to use his oxygen mask to light them while at altitude! 

I suppose he was already addicted when he went over, but Jack came back quite the smoker. He smoked heavily until the mid-1960s and then quit cold turkey when the surgeon general made it clear how truly hazardous smoking was. Not sure if his earlier habit contributed to his death, but it is likely. He suffered a stroke in his 50s and a severe stroke that killed him just before he turned 80. If you smoke, quit today. Keep trying.

Dec 26 1944

Dear Margaret.

Here I go again trying to ruin your eyes and nerves trying to read my writing. 

I had a big day to day. slept until 9 and then decided to get up. The only reason I got up was because the sack was so cold I couldn't sleep any more. I have gotten so I can't sleep when cold but never put me where its warm or Ill drop off evey time. 

I have a hard time trying to keep a wake while flying. I usually turn my heated suit up a little too much and then get sleepy. I have almost gone to sleep a couple of times while on the bomb run, but when the flak starts up I usually come to but quick. 

I use to think that flak was pretty but I soon changed that idea of it. Evey time I see it now I just set there and pray. It is rather pretty when its way off and you see the black puffs against the white clouds but then it starts getting nearer. The difference between us and the ground forces is they can dig in but all we can do is just set there and hope and pray. After a while it seems to get even the best of them. Oh well it (the war) can't last forever although it seems the ground forces are having it pretty tough of late. 

It has been nice and cold again to day, it never did get above freezing I dont think. I know the ground never did thaw out. 

Say how is your Bro in Italy doing now. You haven't said any thing about him so I was wondering. 

Well I'll close for now so please write soon

Love 

Bill

Ooooh! I wonder where Uncle Pat's letters to Mom ended up? It would be very cool to read his experience. 

Here is a training video about flak. Perhaps Jack viewed this very film during his training.

And here is a CGI version, which gives you an idea of how vulnerable the ball turret was. 

Dec 28 [27?] 1944

Dear Ma

I suppose I should drop you a line to let you know I recived some letters from you and also the package. I also got a card letter combination from the Folks, Krohns, and our Indiana cousins. Your letters were the ones with the neg in it. Some of them looked pretty good but we haven't run down a projector so wouldn't say too much about them. 

Well it seems as though the mail has at last started to come through some. I know the rest of the fellows have been getting some as well as my self. I hope it gets so you can write a letter and get a answer befor you forgot just what you wrote in the first place. 

So you really think the air medal is some thing I still hate to disapoint you but It still doesn't mean any thing. 

Say I think I am going to have some needle work for you one of these days if I can get around to doing what I want, or should I say have it done. 

You folks talk about it being cold all right I'll tell one now. I'll bet you never have seen it -57º C and I have. I guess thats enough said. Webster said to say also I had on a heated suit but I'll bet Nene would look cute in heated pants. 

I am so tired I can't seem to be able to think to write. I was going to put it off till tomorrow but probably would put it off again. 

You can tell Wayne maybe – if things go like I think they will and hope they will I'll beat him home. I hope to be home befor my next birthday. 

Did I tell you Kale made 1st this last week.

Well I'll close for now & try again tomorrow. 

Love 

Jack. 

Jack's next birthday would be May 23, 1945, just five months hence. 

Now the wayward Vmail to Bo. Postmarked Dec 31, 1944, it was written on Dec 16.

Dec 16 1944.

Dear Bo

I guess I ought to write you a letter even though I haven't recived any from you for a while. I won't blame you until later may be you have written me and I just haven't gotten them. I did get one from you today but it was only dated Oct 15 so that doesn't count. 

I hope you got the money order befor Xmas but if you aren't getting the mail any better than I it will be in time for Next Xmas. I suppose you will get this some time after Xmas vacation.

I haven't done much of late. I did go to London the other day but didn't do a whole lot. We (the Navigator Eaton) just took in a couple movies and thats about all. I got the pictures I took in London the other time but they aren't too good. I am sending them home so you can see them there. 

Will close now Jack. 

No missions to report today.