February 9, 1945

 Yikes! I've been letting too much time pass between posts. Here we go.

Feb 9, 1945

Dear Ma,

I got a card and a short letter from you you so will try to answer it. You said something about the package I sent. I think you are. mistaken about it going through El Paso. I can't see why is should it will go through N.Y. I have some pictures in it & hope if they open it they don't take them. You let me know imadeatly when you get it and all all the contents

I recived a little mail today but don't know if I'll answer it or not. I am so tired I can almost see. To top that off I have a nice cold, but I'll probably live and beat you out of the insurance money. put that one in your pipe and smoke it. 

While I am talking about smoking if you can get a few packs of cigarettes get them & keep them. I would hate to get home and roll my own. I have done it but it's a little bit too low for me know. 

I got a letter from Goodwins but they didn't say a whole lot. From what I take Carol doesn't write them near as often as I write you. I guess I have spoiled you – I have noticed a odor of late May be it could be Nene I think she stinks so bad I can smell it strong clear over here. 

I was noticing the postmarks on the letters. It seems they really come on the fly. The one from Goodwins was marked Jan 30 thats the best. The rest of them were a couple of days older. Bo's was marked 29. All in all they came through in good time. 

Ill close now

Jack. 

Feb 9 1945

Dear Bo

Ill drop you a short note to night and try to do better in a couple of days. I am pretty tired to night so it probably won't be long. 

I got your letter fo Jan 29 to day – it came through in good time I wish they were all that way. 

So you really think the 17 is the real plane maybe you out to change to B29. Think when I get back to the states I'll go on them. I don't think much of them but its better than walking.

Don't tell the those kids too much about gunners. Its far from being the best life to lead. You sort of get scared at times and I do mean scared. 

So you are still hiting it high about the O.L.C. well you just keep it up. Theres no use telling you any difference because you won't listen. These women are so hard headed. How bout that. 

I sure hope Dad Kruse is better now, when I get home I'll have to take him in hand. You tell him I said so Ill get even with him yet. Ma wrote about it in a Vmail and I didn't hardly get enough to know what it was all about. I finally got it in a series of letters. I guess it wasn't quite as bad as I thought it was at first. It did have me wondering. 

I am almost run down, infact I am beging to spin my wheels. Its just too darn hard for me to write. I can always think of plenty to write but just to lazy to write it. I guess I teak the cake, – choclate please. 

The weather has been fair of late but nothing to brag about. This is England and you can't brag about any thing ove here.

I don't think Ma has to bring Pete up as a cowboy – the red shirt & a pair of horns would probably be more like it. 

You ask about juke boxes – we have one in the PX but I only go over there once a week so wouldn't know what they have in it. I listen to the radio quite a bit we keep pretty well up on the popular hits. We have a regular army station – and no advertisements on it.

Well I'll close for now

Jack.

O.L.C refers to oak leaf clusters. 

The military tried to keep the troops entertained. Radio programs were part of that. Read here about entertaining the troops. 

The top hits of February, 1945 were:

Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters – Don’t Fence Me In

The Andrews Sisters – Rum and Coca-Cola 

Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra–Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive

Feb. 9, 1945

Dear Margaret.

Don't fall ovr dead, just because you recived a few letters from me. It looks like you have take a little time to write so I'll do the same. You just keep it up now, how bout it?

Your last letter got here I would like them all to. It was dated Jan 26, I hope mine are comming to you as fast. I doubt it though because of the system of getting mail out of here. I won't try to explain it because I would propably end up in a straight jacket. 

You talk about dodging flak. Well by the time you see it burst you know the damage is over. I am still scared of it and get worse evey time. I still have my fingers crossed on evey mission. It's like the pilot says the plan is just a 4 engin chapel. He is entirly correct.

No the 2 gun Pete [?] wasn't on my crew, he has finished up and gone home. He had quite a time while he was here, always in to something. He really was a swell kid though. 

How bout this buying a house I thought I was the only one who got such ideas. If you want some "hot" ideas or good rumors come to me.

Evey time I tell my pilot the latest he starts to laugh. I don't blame him because I can't or don't belive them my self. 

II

I don't know why I go around telling them – I guess it's to keep up with the rest of the lies. I'll tell a good rumor, I just picked up out of the gutter, and about 10 minets later some body will have the truth. Oh well it's something to do. 

You say you never have any thing to do. You know I have only been out of camp once in 2 months & that was to go on my 7 day. I really am in a rut. I just can't seem to go these English so I just stay home. 

If your friend is in B24's don't worry about me ever running into him. We won't even walk near one of those crates. They are liable to fall a part and hurt you. We just don't have any thing to do with those guys. 

Well I guess thats enough for tonight so write soon

Love 

Bill

Jack no doubt was tired this day. He has reported for breakfast at 0345 before flying a mission to bomb synthetic oil plants at Lutzkendorf, Germany. The bombs were way off their targets. No aircraft were lost.