Beginning of December, 1944

Dec 1 1944

Dear Bo

Here I go writing just like I said I would.

I recived a Vmail from Goodwins today but they didn't say much of any thing. Of course, theres very few people who can say much on Vmail.

I made out a money order for $50 but I haven't gotten it yet. I am suppose to get it tomorrow so will enclose it as you probably all ready noticed. I want you to spend evey cent of it on Ma and the kids. If you spend more than that write me and let me know & Ill make it up. I don't want you to hoard any of it now. 

II

The weather is about the same as usual nothing new. 

I havent done a whole lot of any thing since I last wrote you. I did go to town yesterday afternoon but all the stores were closed so couldn't do any thing

We had to clean up the barracks today -- tomorrow is Sat and inspect day. I still have some shoes to shine and etc.

Well I can't think of any more to write so will close

Jack.

This next one is crazy mail! Jack wrote it on December 2, 1944 and it was postmarked by the US Army on December 5. However there is an extra postmark dated Dec 28 1944 from Las Vegas, N. Mex. on the envelope and on the letter itself (on page 3!). Were the postal workers also working as censors? 

Speaking of censors, so far it looks like the censors are from the officers of the crew itself, not some anonymous bespecled mole in a government basement. The letter to Bo was signed off by F/O Rohr (the co-pilot of the crew), and this one by F/O Eaton (the navigator).

December 2 1944

Dear Ma

Seeing that you sent me some paper to write on I'll start off by writing you a letter.

I got the package this morning and was happy to get it. Those pictures sure are good, infact a whole lot better than I expected. I showed them to the part of the crew that was here and they all want prints of them. I'll have to take them up to the officers and and see what they want. I supposed each and evey one will want one of each but I'll let you know. I'll find out when I get Eaton to sign this letter.

Thanks a lot for sending the socks, paper & etc. The box was in good shape infact I had to tear it open to get it open. As you probably know I have taken over Jim's pen all ready I see it writes pretty good but not quite like the pen Nene uses. Some day I'll get a pen that will spell & write like it should.

Those pictures of Nano and Dad Kruse were sure good. I think that one of Nano in the house couldn't be any more like her with out it being her. 

I don't know if you sent Wayne any prints but I suppose he would like some if you haven't all ready sent them. Those pictures of Maggie were good too -- infact the whole bunch was darn good. Those Pictures we took in Ardmore couldn't be any truer to life than they are. It seems thats all we ever did was sleep and now I have the proof. 

The mail hasn't come in yet. I have been expecting a letter from you so maybe I'll get it today. I guess I wrote that just a little too quick I just finished it when they said I didn't get any so I'll just sing "NO letter today" I got a Vmail from Goodwins yesterday but they didn't write any thing. They Said Carol was still with the 1st army and evey one is well.

Don't fall over but the sun has been shining all day. The wind has been blowing so it isn't too nice out even at that. I do wish we would have hit another season here besides winter. May be we will be able to see the spring but I hope to see that in the States.

Say I wrote Bo a letter, which should get there about the same time as this, so please give it to her when she gets home if she isn't there all ready.

Well I'll close and go out and see about shooting some skeet. Maybe Ill see the officers then.

Didn't shoot the skeet evey one was flying so I had to go up and get the boys. They were all pleased with the pictures infact they all like them. They all want one print of each of them. Thats understood that they don't want the other ones. 

Please go and have 9 prints made of each and I'll collect the cash -- maybe I'll be able to use [?] it. You can put them in a package with some old beat up fudge or something to that effect. if that request isn't enough write a letter to your self & see if that will work. If that doesn't go up and See Harv Bloun [?]

I'll close now & get to bed

Love Jack. 

I wonder if this picture of my great grandmother, Jack's grandmother Nano, is the one he mentioned. It really captures her. 

And here is a photo of Jack's grandfather, Charles Frederick Kruse, aka "Dad Kruse."

Here is their gravesite.

Now we're caught up and back in a semblance of order. My last post had a letter to Margaret also dated December 2, 1944, along with a couple of the pictures from the batch Gram sent to Jack.

There haven't been any missions since November 26.

OPL (Other person's letter), the men, and mixed-up dates: Nov-Dec 1944

We have a guest writer! This was spotted in the Washington Post this week. An infantryman fighting the war in Germany wrote a letter to his mother at the end of the war. Its delivery was delayed 76 years, but was delivered this week to his widow. Images from The Washington Post.

The letter:

It reads:

2nd Armd. Division

December 6, 1945

Bad Orb

Dear Mom,
 

Received another letter from you today and was happy to hear that everything is okay. As for myself, I’m fine and getting along okay. But as far as the food, its pretty lousy most of the time, I guess it's because of the strike they had back in the States, whatever it was, I can sure feel it now.

I also received a letter from Agnes, she done alright for herself, hasn't she?

By the way, mom, if you are thinking of sending any packages, don't, as I think I won't be here to receive them. It looks like it won't be very long before I return to the States, I'm almost positive to be home sometime in the last two weeks of January or the first week of February.

II

What louzy weather we have had here now, the sun hasn't been out but a half-day in about a month. It was raining and snowing again this morning but it stopped inside of an hour. 

As yet I haven't heard any more from Jim or Bill. I suppose Jim has gone home. Have you heard anything of him?

Well Mom, that's about all I can think of so I'll have to close here. Give my love to the family and regards to all.

Take care. 

Love & XXXXX

Your son

Johnny

I'll be seeing you 

–– soon.–– 

–– I hope ––

At the end of my last post, I noted that one aircraft in Jack's last mission of November (Mission 235, his eighth) was lost. Two men were killed and seven others were taken as prisoners. 

Who were they? A snapshot: The mission that was his last was Pilot Frank Boettcher's seventh mission. Co-Pilot Edward Walota also perished. It was his sixth mission. 

Navigator Leonard Mitchell was flying his 34th mission that day he was taken prisoner. It's unusual to have people from other crews sub in, but perhaps their usual navigator, Gottfried Gorr, was sick (or went AWOL! – see below) and Lt. Mitchell subbed in. Undoubtedly he was getting close to shipping home with so many missions under his belt (Jack flew 38 missions total).

It was the rest of the crew's sixth mission: Bombardier Robert Francis; Top Turret gunner Buford Wilhoit;  Radio Operator Robert Wombold, who was injured in the incident, Right Waist Gunner Robert Jerois; Ball Turret Robert Westcott; and Tail Gunner Richard Cook. 

Eventually they all were liberated and sent home. 

Onward! 

Things are getting a little mixed up here, with the mail being so delayed. But I suppose letters were "recived" in similar chaos, so we forge ahead. 

I thought I had closed out November in my last post, as we had letters to Gram dated November 20 and one to Margaret on November 27. Here we pick up with letters to Gram and Bo dated November 21, 27, and 28 and postmarked December 1 and 2. His letter to Margaret is dated December 2 (no postmark).

November 21 1944

Here I go again trying to write you with nothing to write. 

I recived a letter from Nana, Nene & Florence yesterday but 2 of them were rather old. Maybe some day the mail will start to come through. There has been a lot of packages of late but not a whole lot of mail.

I went into town last night and took a stage show in. It was pretty good all in all. I couldn't understand a lot of it, this English gets me. I went to a movie here on the base tonight, it was pretty good considering it was a English picture. 

I haven't heard from any one of late, I have been expecting some mail from you but as usual I'll hope I get some tomorrow. 

Bo seems to like her job all right evey time she writes she say she likes it. She is always telling some incident the kids pull on her. She was rather happy about her raise in pay. Don't write and tell her I make more than she does because she may not like it. Figure it up for your self-- including what you get I do make a little more than she but I also spend a little more

Well I'll close for now. 

Jack. 

November 27 1944

Dear Ma

I finally recived a letter from you and nearly fell over dead. I thought you had either forgotten how to write or may be found a new beau.

That clipping you sent me about Fred Turner, I think it's the same kid I use to know it sure looks like him. 

I got a letter from Bo the other day but haven't gotten around to answering it yet. I'll have to do that about tomorrow or she will began to wonder. She didn't write much, I guess theres not much for her to write about. I suppose she does about the same as I do – nothing. 

So Little Jim thinks he is stuck for 5 or 6 more months. I'll bet Nene hates that. I know I would if I were her. Oh well he's safe enough where he is so tell her not to worry about him.

It seems Neva is doing all right in school this year. I just hope she continues to do so. Say what did her aviator pal ever do. Is he going to come there to see her or just what. 

II

Jimmy & I had a 48 hour pass so we rode in to town to day. It was a pretty good ride about 30 miles round trip. I don't mean on the bus but by bike, I am sorta sore tonight. I guess I am just getting old or some thing. 

It has turned off a little colder of late. It has been freezing at night. The sun was out to day but it didn't warm up a whole lot if any at least I didn't notice it. 

Perez seems to be in a little trouble, he has been messing around of late and they caught up with him the other day. He was A.W.O.L for a couple of days and it happened we flew both days so it will be pretty rough on him. I don't know what they will do with him but will probably throw the book at him. The adj (the Jew) likes to make it rough on such people and evey one else for that matter. 

I hope Jims pen hurry up and gets here I hate to try to write with this pen it's hard enough with a good one.

I'll close for now so write soon

Jack. 

Looks like Fred Turner got married the previous October! Congratulations, Fred and Jean! From the Albuquerque Journal, November 7, 1944.

Perez did indeed miss missions on November 25 and 26. I wonder if he went AWOL with Navigator Garr from the 511th. I hope we'll hear what consequences Perez got from the adjutant! 

Next Jack writes to his sister Bo (Florence):

November 28 1944

Dear Bo

I guess I'll drop you a line - it may not get there befor you go home but I'll take a chanch. 

I haven't been doing much just the same old run nothing new. I am suppose to be on a 48 hour pass but being broke I didn't go any place. It meant I wouldn't have to fly for a couple of days.

It has been a little colder the last few days. The sun came out yesterday but it didn't warm up very much if any. I guess winter is here to stay. It has been raining quite a bit of late too.

I got a letter from my old friend Louie today, it's the first I have heard from him in quiet some time. He didn't write much as usual just dropped me a few lines to say he was ok.

Say about that cash I'm going to send you. I'll send it home so you will be able to get it there. If I send it to Roy you probably wouldn't get it until you got back. I'll send it later this week – shortly after pay day. I haven't figured out how much it will be but probably around $50.

That Neva seems to be doing ok. in school this year doesn't she. I just wish I could have said the same about my older sisters. They were just too dumb to learn thats the only way I could figure it out. Lets not have any cracks about that now. 

Jimmy told me to tell you not to be so hard on the little mexicans, they may ship you over seas into combat. 

I just can't think of any thing to write theres a lot I could tell you but it probably would get by the censors anyway. Say have any my letters ever been cut out or do they get there complete. 

Well I'll close for now so write soon

Jack. 

$50 then would be about $790 today. 

Roy is the name of the town Bo was living and teaching in, not a person. 

He writes to Margaret a few days later. Looks like he finally got Jim's pen, or at least new ink. 

Dec. 2, 1944

Dear Margaret

Here I go again writing and not having a letter to answer. 

I got the pictures, we took in Alb., today and I think they are darn good. I didn't think I could take that good of pictures, I guess it was just an accident. Evey one wants to know what that picture of the tree is in there for so I have to tell them you are gun shy. No kidding though I think they are swell.

Ma sent a bunch of pictures we took at Ardmore and they came out darn good too. I got pictures of the whole crew in there natural positions – asleep. Theres one where the Bombadier, Navigator, Copilot and Jimmy are asleep in the waist. I also have one of the Pilot laying down, he didn't believe it but I have the proof. I have several darn good ones of the little River Rat called Jimmy.

We have been doing the same old usual nothing but I love it. We did have to get up for breakfast this morning because of inspection. Its hard of me to get up that early (7:30) but I guess I can stand it once a week. The bad part of it was no one came through the barracks to inspect.

II

I guess I'll have to unwind the old camera and start taking some pictures befor long. I did miss a good day today but it wasn't my fault. The sun was out but so were the boys. I couldn't round them all up so I gave up as bad debt.

Well Ill close for now so write soon

Love 

Bill

It's hard to reconcile the Jack who thinks 7:30 is too early to get up with the Jack I knew. Later in life, his day was half over by 7:30am!

I sure wish we had those photos.... 

....BUT WAIT! I do!

And it looks like this one of Jack was from the same roll. It is the same size and the same paper as the one above, as well as similar penciled number notation on the back. It was probably taken in Albuquerque too. 

I know that I've run across photos of Jack and his comrades during wartime through the years. I can't put my mind on where they might be right now. If my siblings have them or know where they are, let me know!

Closing out November 1944: Vmails and other letters

Things might get out of whack this post, as some of the VMails do not have envelopes, one doesn't have a date, and one got misdirected! So I'm doing a hybrid approach to the order.  Some by postmarks, some by date. 

Let's go!
 

No envelope for this one:

November 19, 1944

Dear Ma

Here I go a gain trying to write you a note. As per usual I haven't been doing any thing to speak of. From what I hear I got another 48 hour pass Fri, but I don't guess I'll go any place. I haven't the money for one thing, it's all loaned out, and I don't have the desire. The weather is about as same as usual raining. I suppose next summer it will probably clear up enough to let the sun shine. I haven't recived any mail as usual but each day I hope Maybe I'll get some to morrow. I think I told you I heard from Goodwins. Well will close for now. 

Jack. 

The next one doesn't have a date on the letter, but the envelope is postmarked 11/23/1944.

Dear Ma

Since I haven't written you in a few days I'll drop you a line. I haven't recived any mail from you in the last couple of days but as usual I supposed it's on the way. The xmas packages slow down the mail quite a bit. I suppose the packages you sent will get here in another month or so. 

I haven't been doing any thing so there not much to write. Things are about the same as usual.

The fellows got a pup in the barracks now – thats new. Its about the same size as the one Marg. & Mal got that time. It sure is cute but I'll let them keep it. Well write soon

Jack

Finally, this one was misdirected to Las Vegas, Nevada. See the note stamped on the envelope? Same ol' Las Vegas, New Mexico story. A story as old as time. 

The envelope is postmarked 11/28/1944. The postmark from Las Vegas looks like 11/30/1944. Jack wrote it on November 17. It gives us an idea of how long it took the mail to get there. VMail was slower, I believe, as they had to photograph a large volume of letters, ship the film, and process it at home. 

November 17 1944

Dear Ma

I recived your letter of Nov the 2nd today so will answer it, rather try.

So you sent the package, I was glad to hear it but wish you had done it sooner. You say you sent size 12 socks – I suppose they will srink some. I do wish you had of sent 10 instead.

So Little Jim is suppose to return to the States. I bet Nene is happy about that. I hope he does get back, then he will be able to tell you all about it.

Its still rainy around here, just like dear old Seattle. Its also rather cold, I have been wearing my long Johns. I haven't recived Bo's letters as to yet but I haven't recived any mail so won't lay it on to her. 

Write soon Jack

I'm a little ticked that he got mad at his mother for the size 12 socks. In his previous letter, he requested size 12! Nothing about size 10! Also he asked for the socks in the letter dated October 16, and by November 2 she had sent them. Seems like a relatively quick turnaround to me, given the long mail delays! Geez!

Again, with Margaret he's a little freer describing his situation.

November 20 '44

Dear Margaret

Here I go writing you again and I still haven't gotten much mail from you. Are you sure you are writing? How bout it now why don't you stop for a few minents and drop me a line.

As usual I have been doing plenty of nothing. We have had 3 inspections in 3 days. On one of them it seems they were looking for a 45 and had us lay all our stuff out on our beds. They were looking for the 45's because one of the fellows shot 13 times in the floor. He got up to on on a mission and was slightly drunk from a party the night befor. After the first couple of shots I went clean under the covers. It was almost as bad as flak but not quite. 

The weather is about the same as usual, just rain and more rain. It's still pretty cool too but may be I'll live. 

They started giving us sulfur – no not for that, it's to ward off colds.  They say its not enough to bother us with our flying, but it doesn't seem to help my cold either. 

I get another 48 hour pass but don't guess Ill go any place. I can't see going back to London for a while so I'll probably say right here and do nothing. 

Say have you heard from your old friend Mal of late. You haven't said and I was just wondering if she still writes. I haven't heard from Wayne but he never mentions her if he does hear from her.

I don't know I guess that one girl really has him down, thats what I hear from Ma. I wish he would hurry up and marry her and be done with it. I suppose he will in the end any way.

Well I have run down so will close so write soon

Love 

Bill. 

November 27 '44

Dear Margaret

Seeing how I recived a letter from you, I'll get busy and answer it. May be I can get you on the ball and get you to write a little better.

You ask a few questions in this last letter I don't believe I can answer for you. I would like to but they are liable to back fire on me. I'll tell you all about it when I get back.

I have another 48 hour pass today but all I did was ride into town and back. It was a nice bike ride and really got me down, it's about 30 miles round trip. My legs are so tired tonight I can hardly stand on them. It was rather cold riding back, but as long as we kept moving it wasn't too bad. Maybe I should say Jimmy went along as lazy as he is. 

You ask if I had put to practice what I had learned in gunnery – no and I hope I never do. I can't see that noise of shooting at someone while they are shooting back, some ones liable to get hit and I wouldn't want to be me. Sweating out that flak is bad enough because those black puffs have had steal in them.

You ask what the English towns look like. Well they make our oldest towns look modern. Even Santa Fe looks modern to some of these places. They are all very old the streets are narrow, the building are mostly brick. The houses in the villages have grass roofs which looks very odd. All in all I can't get use to them. I have gotten so I ride on the left side of the road. I darn near get run over evey time I am in town though I always look left instead of right. 

November 28 1944

I better finish this and get it mailed or I am liable to put it off for a week or so.

We had to get up early this AM for a inspection that has still to come off. I got up around 8oclock but not because I wanted to but because they begged me too.

Don't faint but I got a letter from Louie to day, it's the first I have heard from him in 3 or 4 months. He wrote a Vmail letter so he didn't say much. I did take the has been buying and selling a few cars of late and he is still welding. He never did write much, just more or less said he was still alive and working 

Did I tell you I saw the vapor trail of a V2 bomb the other day. I didn't know what it was until I saw the same thing in a news paper. 

Say you know in a few days I'll celebrate my first year in the army. Don't get me wrong I am not braging but complaining. I hope I don't see another year in here but probably will.

Well I'll close now so please write soon

Love 

Bill

So. Sulfer. He's really talking about sulfa, Sulphanilimide, which was commonly used as an antibiotic during WWII, often treating wounds as well as "that" -- venereal disease. And, apparently, colds.

A V2 bomb is the German Vergeltungswaffen-2, a ballistic missile. It was quite a formidable weapon and was the forerunner of modern long-range ballistic missiles and space rockets.

In the last half of November, Jack flew just three missions.

Mission 232 on November 21 and Mission 234 on November 25 were similar: they bombed synthetic oil plants in Merseberg, Germany. Visibility was poor and flak was intense on the first go, and the airplane that Jack flew in sustained some damage. From 351st.org: "Airplane No. 42-31711, 508th Squadron. Flak skin damage to leading edge of RH Stabilizer. Flak hole underside of right wing, damaging tokio tank. Flak hole left side of fuselage rear of waist window. (Major)." 

Jack could not have been comfortable watching that flak from the exposed belly of the plane that day, his eighth mission. 

Quite a few other aircraft sustained damage during the mission.  Mission 234 was similar: poor visibility and flak, though the flak was inaccurate and only one airplane sustained damage. A few others aborted the mission (not Jack's), one "Reason for abortive - Waist Gunner had an attack of Belly ache."

Mission 235 on November 26 hit another oil plant at Misburg, Germany. Visibility was poor and flak was abundant, but mostly inaccurate. However, a few ships were hit, and sadly one airplane from the lead squadron was lost, with two fatal casualties, one injured, and seven men taken as POWs.

Here is an accounting of that crew's fate from 351st.org:

Missing Air Crew Report (MACR):

A/C# 43-37571   DS-X  "Dotties Taxi"  Pilot: Lt. Boettcher  A/C's 59th Mission   MACR # 11203

Aircraft Loss Circumstances:

Eyewitness Account

I, Milton Schwartz, 0-819881, was flying as Pilot of Aircraft No. 43-38691, leading the Low Section of the Lead Squadron on a mission to Misburg, Germany on 26 November 1944. Shortly after bombs away, I noticed that Lt Boettcher was slowly lagging behind the formation with one engine feathered. Two or three minutes later he phoned on VHF that he was losing another engine and requested fighter support. He stated that he might attempt to head for France. I saw no parachutes.

[Signed] Milton Schwartz, 1st Lt., Air Corps.

Eyewitness Account

I, Robert R. Kasper, 0-823615, was flying as Pilot of Aircraft No. 43-38650, on a mission to Misburg, Germany on November 26, 1944. Lt. Boettcher was flying in front of me and on my right and about 15 minutes after bombs away I noticed that he had fallen out of his position. I could not see him, but I heard over VHF that heavy flak over the target had knocked out two engines and they were both feathered. He called for fighter support, of which there was plenty nearby and said he had fallen back into formation directly behind us. He intended to make France. I saw no parachutes and heard nothing more.

[Signed] Robert R. Kasper, 1st Lt., Air Corps.

Members of the crew reported on casualty questionnaires in the Missing Air Crew Report that the pilot & co-pilot held the plane steady while the crew bailed out about 15 miles east of Cologne, Germany and the plane blew up before the pilots could jump out.

The Radio Operator, Sgt Robert E. Wombold, was reported as wounded and was taken to a Hospital.

Individual Accounts of Crewmen Fates:

• Pilot - 2nd Lt Boettcher, Frank P. - Killed In Action.

• Co-pilot - F/O Walota, Edward L. - Killed In Action.

• Navigator - 2nd Lt Mitchell, Leonard U. POW at Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia 54-12. Returned to Military Control, Liberated.

• Bombardier - 2nd Lt Francis, Robert L. POW at Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia 54-12. Returned to Military Control, Liberated.

• Top Turret Gunner - M/Sgt Wilhoit, Buford POW at Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia 54-12. Returned to Military Control, Liberated.

• Radio Operator - Sgt Wombold, Robert E. POW at Stalag 6G Bonn Rheinland, Prussia 50-07. Returned to Military Control, Liberated.

• Waist Gunner - Sgt Jarois, Robert S. POW camp not listed in National Archives database. Returned to Military Control, Liberated.

• Ball Turret Gunner - Sgt Westcott, Robert B. POW at Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang Prussia 54-12. Returned to Military Control, Liberated.

• Tail Gunner - Sgt Cook, Richard J. POW at Dulag Luft Grosstychow Dulag 12. Returned to Military Control, Liberated.

Burial Records: 

The burial records below courtesy of the American Battle Monuments Commission. http://www.abmc.gov and findagrave.com

• Frank P. Boettcher, Burial: Plot: J, 14194, Long Island National Cemetery, East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York

• Edward L. Walota, Burial: Plot: J, 14194, Long Island National Cemetery, East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York

Let us remember these men and millions of others that suffered similar fates. War is not good.

Mid-November 1944

Apologies for the long interim....

We're back!

November 12. 1944

Dear Ma 

Maybe I ought to get off my lazy spell and drop you a line. 

Things are going along as per usual, not a while lot has happend since the last time I wrote. Eaton, the navigator, had his bike stolen last night and I guess he hasn't found it as yet.  The co-pilot rode it to a little town near here and didn't lock it when he left it. I guess thats all because there aint no more. 

I had to wash some cloths today -- I ran out. It just about kills me to have to do it but I still have to have clean cloths. I mean some what clean. I just put them in a bucket and boil them a while then rinse them out and call it a day. Boy am I worn out. 

About those color film, we didn't want prints make of them just send the negatives. Say have you sent the other pictures yet, if you haven't I wish you would do so. Don't get me wrong I suppose you have all ready sent them but I am just reminding you in case you haven't. 

The weather has been cold of late infact it froze the last couple of nights. When it freezes it's cold and I don't mean maybe.

I got a letter from Goodwins and they said the last they heard of Carol he was Some where in Germany. They didn't mention anything about his hearing or the such. It was a Vmail so I guess he is o.k.

Say when you write Jim O Conner tell him I can meet him at the Red Cross in Peterborough if its all right with him. He may have some other place he would rather meet me so have him let me know. 

I guess I bought to write my old pal Chas but I just haven't gotten around to it. Goodwins wrote he is working in some Hospital in Texas I think. I never have heard from Louie. I guess he has forgotten me, I did write him, from here but he never did answer maybe he will later on. 

Say you know it was just a year ago to day I raized my right hand and said I do. I just hope in a nother year I'll be doing just the opposite and be putting on civys. It's a nice thought anyway. 

Well I'll close & hope to get some of your mail soon

Jack. 

November 13 1944

Dear Margaret

Here I go again so polish those glasses and see if you can read this one.

As per usual I haven't been doing much of any thing. I did go to a class this afternoon and stayed for about 5 min. It got very boring so I sort of left. 

It seems as though they are going to break up our crew. To start with they took our Bombadier, I guess he's too good for us. I don't know if they will take any one else for a while but I look for them to befor too long. I guess thats the way it goes when you get a good bunch together. It seems like a lot of the crews are jelious of ours, we really get along swell together. 

You said something about that kid that told my fortune. I'll say he hit my shipping date on the head. He also got some other things right, but theres one thing I hope he messed up on. I personally don't want the Purple Heart. He told me I would be injured on the left side not serious but would catch it. I sure watch that side. I just pile flak suits on that side of the turret. Therse not a whole lot of room down there but I always seem to get some thing in there. 

I'll bet you can't guess what we have in the barracks now. Some guy got drunk and brought a cute little black pup. Its about the same size as the one you & Mal had. It cried all night lat night so this morning somebody put him it bed with them and it shut up. They feed it evey time they think about it and it's half sick all the time. I just hope they keep it up at there end of the barracks

The weather is still rather cold, too cold for me. It has been freezing the last few nights and that means it's cold. 

14

Gee it looks as if I didn't finish this so I better get busy and do so.

Things are the same as yesterday just 24 hours later. Nothing new has happened, there-for theres nothing new to write. 

I'll close for now so write soon -- don't wait to get a letter each time just set down and write. Have you had that picture taken yet if not why not? 

Well till the next time

Love

Bill

You may recall he had his fortune told back in February when he was in Colorado. Here's the letter that described it. I hope he was watching the right side as diligently as he was watching the left. 

Side-note: the bombadier they had early on stayed in their crew through November, 1944, and then there were a bunch of missions without a bombardier. Weird. 

One of the stories I do remember from Jack was that a lot of airmen were "jelious" and wanted to be on their crew because they never had a casualty. This was very rare for B-17 missions!

And Margaret received a letter from Jack's Ma:

Nov 18 1944

Dear Margaret –

I am enclosing the pictures Jack ask me to send you. I have had several letters from him all three or four week old. It certainly takes a long time for the mail to come from England. 

In the last letter written he said, 'they were not doing anything so there was nothing to write and even if they were doing anything he couldn't tell me."  Very enlightening, No? Yet I am glad when he writes they are not doing anything, at least I feel there have not gone on any missions.

We had a nice snow the past week, but today the sun came out for a change and we really enjoyed sunshine again. 

The last letter from Wayne, he was busy instructing, had a change of offices and he has one now he had for a while a couple of years ago. 

He was undecided as to whether he would go deer hunting in Penn. with one of his friends or go to Vermont with another. The season there opens Dec 1.

Best wishes – 

Neva M. Eutsler 

Gram is not wrong. Even though the letters come late, we do not have any missions on record for this period. His last mission was on November 6, and he won't fly again until the 21st. 

Stay tuned.

November 9, 1944: A trip to London

 In the last batch, Jack had mentioned a planned trip to London. Well........

 

 

November 9 1944

Dear Ma

I guess I hit the jackpot the last couple of days. All of your mail finally caught up with me and it seems I got a few letters. I haven't counted them but I must have gotten around 8 letters from you alone. I got one from Bo, 2 from Nene, 1 from Little Jim also one Vmail from Glady. I had the time sorting them all out so I could get the conection of one to the other. I just hope from now on that it comes in a little better. 

I was glad to hear the color pictures came out pretty good. I was surprised the ones I took even came out. I haven't seen Eaton about if he wants prints but will take this up & let him censor it, and put it down then. I really don't belive he wants prints we just want the slides. If you would put one or two in each letter I suppose they would get here about as fast as any way you could sent them. 

We went to London on our 48 hour pass & tried to take the town in. We went on a tour and saw some of the places London is noted for. The one I really liked was St Pauls Cathedral. 

 

II

 

We also saw London Bridge, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament Buckingham Palace and a whole lot of other places. We also were on Downing St It was all rather interesting. As a whole I don't think too much of London. The business distric is very poor to my notion. Its all so old and such, I guess thats why I didn't like it. Oh yes tell Nene we were at the Piccadilly Circus (its not the kind she thinks either) We took a roll of film and ran out befor we got 1/2 way started I wish we could have had some more but we are planning on going back and see if we can't get some pictures of the windows in the Cathedral & the Abby. They are really very beautiful if the sun would just come out while we were there. It started to rain so I guess its a good thing we ran out or we would have ruined the film. As soon as I get the film developed I send either the negatives or some pictures. 

 

So Bo really raves about her little Bro. Well tell her if he was just 1/2 the guy she thinks he is he woule be a pretty good guy.

Every thing has been going along swell. Infact I think we have one swell crew t seems they have all settled down quite a bit. 

So Bro Smith has been having his share of trouble as well as the rest of them. I suppose they will find the guy but none of the stuff so evey one will be the loser. 

 

III

 

I suppose I should start tapering this off as I have some more letters to write. 

I hadn't heard any thing, until you wrote, about Carol. It's too bad but I guess those things do happen. As soon as I get a hold of his address I'll see if I can get to see him. I may be able to meet him some place on a 48 if he's not too far from here. 

 

You can tell Bo I don't know where her friend is stationed. The A.P.O. no doesn't mean too much, of course if I knew him it would be too much trouble to look him up. 

 

Well I'll close now and write a few more letters

 

Jack. 

 

He mentions talking to Eaton about the promotion and taking the letter to him to be censored. Indeed, the envelope has the censor stamp and F/O Eaton's signature. F/O Donald Eaton, you may recall, was Jack's crew's navigator.  

 

 

 

And he writes to his sister Bo:

 

 

November 9, 1944

The way you write, or at least the impression I get is that I dont write you. Now you know better than that. you know I write you evey day it must be the mail system, you know it wouldn't be me. I guess I'll stop lying & tell you I figure Ma writes to you all I write so I neglect it some times. 

I went to London on my 48 and did the town up. I saw quite a few of the different places of interest. I really enjoyed seeing St. Pauls Cathedral. It is such a large building and is really beautiful. As a whole I didn't care too much about the town, evey thing is so old. I also saw where the blitz hit and also saw where a buzz bomb hit. It sort of blew up a few buildings infact there were quit a few buildings in sort of a dilapadated condition. 

I am resting up from it all today, trying to recuperate. I was writing away not bothering any one and a fellow came in and said we had missed a class. I guess we will catch it about tomorrow or the next day. Oh well all they can do is restrict us and when we can't get a pass we just set around and save our money.

While I am on that subject, if I can manage to get a little cash ahead and sent it to you do you belive you could help me out for Christmas. I wouldn't swear to it, that is about getting ahead of my self so if & when I do Ill leave it up to you from there. 

Don't tell ma but I am up for the air medal, it will probably be a couple of weeks befor I get it though. It will probably come out in the paper at home so don't write or tell her anything about it. I guess I'll have to get the Pilot on the ball and see if I can get another strip in the next 2 or 3 months. Don't get me wrong I am not strip happy just want the old stuff they call money. You see I don't have but about $140 a month but by the time they take it all out I get is about $100 of it. 

Well don't be to mean to your little kids, rember you were yet that were young once your self. 

Well I'll close so write soon

Jack. 

To remind you, the Blitz was an unrelenting air assault from Germany against the whole of Britain from September, 1940 through May, 1941. Here are some photos. 

• 15 Powerful Photos of the Blitz
• and a set of composite then-and-now photos from The Atlantic. 
  

 
A buzz bomb was also known as a V-1 flying bomb, and it was an early type of cruise missile that Germany used against London.

His $140 ($100 net) in pay would be worth $2170 ($1550) today.

 

 

And to my mother he wrote that day:

 

 

November 9 1944

 

Dear Margaret

 

Having recived another letter from you I'll try to answer it while I have a little time. If I don't do it now I probably won't get another chance for a couple of days.

I wrote I was going to London on my 48, well belive it or not I did. We went down and really took in the sights. I had my camera a long so we also got some pictures, the only trouble we had was we ran out of film. The navigator started in and had the roll finished befor we really got started. We took in Westminster Abby, St. Pauls Cathedral, Buckingham Palace and a whole lot of other places. I really enjoyed going in St Pauls, it's really a enormuse place and really beautiful. We are planning on going back and spending a little more time at a few of them. I didn't think much of the business discric but I guess it's all right. You can't buy a thing because evey things rationed. You can't even get a good meal, just take what you get and hope you can make it back to camp. I gave one old man a can of tomatoe juice & you should have seen him he was really happy.

Oh yes I'll really have to start on you. Now are you or aren't you going to have that picture made. I don't know how I could bribe you, but I am going to have to do something. Lets not give excuses and rush right down next Sat afternoon and get it done.You know you can't look at excuses or the like so there too. Is that enough or do I have to really do something to get you to do it. 

I really hit the jackpot as far as letters go, yesterday I got about a dozen of them. I guess my mail is just about to catch up with me I hope. I even got a letter from India, it got here as fast as Moms letters have been. 

I haven't heard from that dear uncle of mine but I guess he still has woman trouble. The last time I wrote him I told him he ought to just go a head and get married and either end all his trouble or start it all over again. He hasn't answered that one. 

I have had a break on the work but will probably start in a day or so. They throw it at us for a few days & then let up. I like the let up part of it. 

Oh yes did I tell you I froze a ear the other day. I didn't know it until the next day, when it started hurting. It seems to be all right now all though it hurts some when it gets cold. 

The weather has turned off cold, infact it froze last night. Its cold enough that I guess I'll have to start wearing my long handles.

I hope you are a good Demo because it looks like Roosevelt has it for another 4 years. I was glad to hear it, mostly because of the war. If it wasn't time of war I wouldn't feel that way.

I am having one big time trying to finish this thing The boys are always pestering. 

Mom never did say why she didn't get to see you while she was in Alb. I don't know how much time they spent there, but I don't' think it was over a couple of days. I guess while I was home I should have left her your address or a Phone no. or some thing. 

I am still going strong on the bike, but it's still pretty hard on me. Just about evey day we take and ride around a little.

Well I guess I'll have to close now so write soon. 

Love 

Bill 

Have you noticed that since his trip to NM, he has been addressing his letters to Margaret instead of Maggie? I wonder if she told him that her preference was Margaret. She once told me that she never much cared for Maggie, a nickname he had bestowed on her. 

Longhandles is a slang term for long underwear. I had never heard it before!

Jack has flown three more missions since his first bunch in late October. 

 

On the morning of Saturday, November 4, they were one of 38 planes who bombed an Oil Refinery in Hamburg during Mission 227. It was a successful, no-casualty, no-damage mission.

They bombed railroad marshaling yards on Mission 228 and another oil refinery on Mission 229 on November 5 and 6. 

From Mighty Eighth War Diary by Roger A. Freeman:

When the bombers returned from Frankfurt on 5 November 1944, deteriorating weather caused some formations to be diverted to coastal airfields in England. Part of the 351st group put down at RAF Beccles in high winds, blowing rain and overcast. When conditions improved the B-17's prepared to take off but the pilots could not understand the instructions from the control tower given by an RAF man with a very pronounced accent. Confusion reigned until the formation leader, Major John Gorham, decided the only thing to be done was to go to the tower himself and handle the radio "American fashion." It was yet another case of two nations divided by a common language.

Gorham was the lead pilot in the formation that Jack and his crew were flying (Kale is Jack's pilot). Images from 351st.org.

Their flight path: