Jan 7 1944 [he means 1945]
Dear Ma
I recived a letter from you to day so will try to answer now. I don't know how I'll do becaus Iam so tired to night I can hardly keep my eyes open.
You ask if I had recived any letters from any of the aunts or unckls. As I think I wrote you befor I recived a short letter from Geo. but thats the only one I have recived any mail from. Maybe the rest of them will get around to writing me some day if not sooner (I doubt it).
So dear Carl has been sent over all ready. They didn't loose much time in doing it did they. I suppose it hurts him but he dodged it long enough so now he can have the works.
You said it had been snowing there, well you don't have any thing on us. It snowed here again today, almost enough to cover the ground.
I should shave tonight but I am just too darn tired so will let it go. I'll just hope I don't have to fly tomorrow because it will bother me
Well I'll close for now
Love Jack
P.S. Your letter was dated Dec 14
Jan 7 1945
Dear Bo
Ill drop you a short line tonight in answer to a letter I recived from you today. It was dated Dec 11 so it didn't take too long to get here. I guess thats about as fast as they will ever get here though. I am glad that you are reciving my mail befor it's too old.
I supposed you have recived the letter with the cash in it by now – I hope. It may have helped out some on the Xmas presents. You say I should keep my money – how bout you. I'll bet you I can save as much if not more than you can – Of course thats only while I am on this side of the pond. I am hoping to send Ma a $100 this next pay day if I can collect from the boys. You see I have about $80 loaned out and maybe able to collect about $50 this time.
Things are going about the same as usual nothing new has happened. It tried to snow some again to day and almost made the ground white. It makes it awful cold but I guess its better to be a little cold than muddy.
I still want you to take it easy on the Mex's because you were young once your self. Maybe you didn't want to take a bath who knows.
Well I'll close for now because I am so tired I have to hold my eyes open to see.
Jack.
$100 back then would be worth about $1579 today. Nice chunk of change he's sending home!
Here is his January 7 letter to Margaret. Remember, he sent his proposal on December 10. It's taking three to four weeks for mail to reach him from NM, and who knows how long to get to the U.S.
Jan 7 1945
Dear Margaret.
I almost dropped over to night when I came in and saw I had a letter from you. I belive that makes about 2 in less than a week. Don't get me wrong just keep it up and see if maybe you can get 3 a week in.
As usual I haven't done any thing of late I can write about so I'll just try.
It tried to snow today so thats some thing new. It snowed almost enough to make the ground white. The wind also started to blow so it made it nice and cold. I'll be glad when it starts to warm up even if I have to be in the states when it does come summer.
II
I got the pictures in your letter and I thought the one of you was very good. Now me I can't say much about my self.
So you are thinking of changing jobs? If you ask me (but who is) I would stay at the one I had. When this thing ends jobs will be sort of far and few between. At least thats what I think
So Mal has finally given up Wayne after so long of a time. I guess he hasn't even written her since she was back to see him. I really think he has it good with the girl he has now. He even has Florence writing to her. From what Florence writes, she writes nice letters. He even plans on taking her back to N.M. on his next furlogh.
You ask about the shooting in the barracks – no they haven't had any since the last time. Did I tell you the fellow who did the shooting got the Purple Heart. It wasn't for the shooting, it was because he stopped a piece of flak. It seem he was setting on a flak suit and a piece of flak hit the suit and barreled up in to his – well thats enough said. He still won't show us where the flak hit him.
Well I'll close for now so write soon.
Love
Bill.
Jack flew a mission this morning. Mission 256 took the crew over Bitburg, Germany, where they targeted a communications center. No wonder he was tired. Take-off was at 0800, so they must've gotten to breakfast about 0330-0400 as on other similar missions. They returned to base at 1430. Long day! No aircraft were lost and only meager flak was encountered. They all got their asses home safely.
