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.
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!
