Christmas Day, 1944

We don't have any letters since December 18 until today, Christmas Day, 1944. Jack had not been idle, however, as we shall see!

Dec 25 1944

Dear Ma

Well here it is Xmas and I am so tired I don't know what to do. It is a very poor Day – fog and etc, for a holiday. It is also cold out infact it is about 5º below freezing. I had to ride a truck a bout 60 miles this AM and when I finally got here I was about froze.

I got a bunch of letters today from almost evey one – including you. I got one, set down for this one, from Geog. E. Goodwin, Bo, Nene, and a couple of Xmas cards from you and the kids. You see I haven't been here for a few days to get any mail so it had a chanch to pile up. I also got a package from Maggie, I feel like kicking my self for not sending her some thing. It (Xmas) just slipped up on me befor I had a chanch to think about it.

You know I can't tell you where or what part of England I am in so I won't even try. You remarked about seeing some of the churches over here. I have seen some and they really are some thing, maybe I can get some pictures of them later on, that is if the sun is out when I get a pass. 

The houses have straw roofs and look like they are very old. I have seen some castles from the air and they are some thing to look at. The pictures you have seen pretty well cover most of it. 

I did visit a old town last week, it is Bath, it was very interesting. Evey thing is so old and such. They had a lot of whiskey too. I guess the Romans were there or some thing – it looks that old. They have a hot springs bath there. I also saw some old bomb damage while there. 

I haven't see that stork yet but will keep looking for him. Maybe next time he will bring me a bro next time. 

Well it looks to me as if Elder E is a little over rated at that. Its just too too bad he didn't get a chanch to go O.C.S. I really feel for him but can't quite reach him. I belive I have seen evey thing he has and then some. Of course don't get me wrong I would just as soon trade him places. 

I still haven't seen any of Dads relation but some of the fellows have seen some of theres. I don't think Ill look them up because they wouldn't know me from Adam. There wouldn't be any thing in common any more any way.

I sure wish I were there to get some of that steak it sounds good to me. Just wait until I get back to the states and see the steak I eat then. 

I am glad the kids are doing o.k. in school, just make them keep it up. 

Well I'll close for now so hope you are getting these letters befor they are too old. 

Jack

You ask who the crew is Kale – pilot Rohr – co-p. Eaton nav. Perez. radio; McGarry – Eng. Jim – Waist, Webster Tail. 

Jack did love his steak through his life! I don't eat it any more, but when I was a kid he was thrilled that I loved steak, rare, and that I would eat a bunch. 

OCS is Officer Candidate School.

I remember Jack talking about his RnR weekends in Bath. I think he had a more lively time than he lets on in this letter to Gram.

Next a Christmas letter to Bo:

Dec 25 1944

Dear Bo

I hope you are back teaching by the time you get this. I suppose you will almost have forgotten about Xmas by this time. I have had a very poor xmas but I didn't expect a whole lot either. It has been a miserable day as should be expected. I also had to ride a GI truck about 60 miles and nearly froze. When I did get here I cleaned up and shaved the first time in a week.

I guess you did ok on the Xmas gifts but you never told me the cost of it rather than I hope I sent enough money to help cover it any way. I am glad you did what you did, I know there were or use to be a lot of things I wanted but never got but such is life and I can't kick too much. 

I supposed you had a big party for the kids I remember how I use to think those partys were the real thing. 

I wouldn't worry too much about not teaching the kids too much – remember you didn't take them to raize. Any way next year, the next teacher will have to worry about them and you will have a new bunch. 

We had a nice dinner this evening so it helped things out. Its the best meal I have had for some time. 

I don't know what's wrong with me tonight but I am so mean I can even get along with myself. 

Well I have enough missions in now to be turned in for Staff so will have to jump my pilot the first time I see him. You see it means about $30 a month more and that ain't hay. The more money the better is what I always say. 

I don't think I'll have to worry to much about your Bombadier friend looking me up but if he does I'll put in a good word for you. I suppose he is darn near finished by now at least he should be. 

Oh yes I recived a letter from our Dear uncle George today. I didn't belive it either but it was in writing. 

Well I'll close for now so becareful and don't catch anything unless it has hock value.

Jack.

Jack has flown 16 missions, which according to him, qualifies him for the rank of Staff Sergeant. The $30 extra pay per month that comes with a promotion would be equal to about $473 today. That certainly ain't hay. 

And finally, a Christmas card and letter to Margaret. The way the letter is folded tells me it was tucked inside the card.

Dec 25 1944

Dear Margaret.

It seems as though I owe you a letter, having recived one from you a week ago. Now don't look that way, it was very impractical for me to try to answer it. You see I have been on the jump so much the last week that I haven't been able to write anyone. 

So our "Dear Mal" stopped over to see you. It sure surprised me, because no one seemed to know where she was any more. I have written Wayne about her but he never has written me since comming over. May be some day she will catch on about how Wayne feels about her.

I really went on a good drunk the other night. We were visiting a town by the name of Bath. There weren't any GIs in town so we really had the run. The whole crew, except 2, went in together and the last I knew I was in a Pub. We started drinking about 6pm and by 9 I could almost stand up. I haven't been so drunk in well over a year and I guess it will keep me for another year. 

The fellows had to tell me the next day what we did I just couldn't seem to remember it all. It was the first time since we have been in England that we could even attempt to buy whiskey so we really made the best of it. I remember once I was out side a Pub and some English soldier would push me against the wall evey time I started to fall. I just couldn't seem to stand up for some unknow reason. We even had the Pilot drunk which is really something. 

We were quite a sight, we were in our flying cloths and thats all. Evey time we would go in a place the peope would sure give us the once over. 

It has been cold here of late and me I almost froze to death. It seemed I just couldn't get enough cloths on. It really has been a miserable day for Christmas. 

So you don't think too much of the picture, well I disagree with you. Infact I think they are pretty good, Ma thinks so too so you might as well stop we have you outnumbered. 

You ask about the Pictures I took in London I'll tell you the truth they weren't very good. I am going to try to go back down and get some better ones. I only got 13 out of the 36 but it was cloudy and it was trying to rain. 

Say I want to thank you for the box you sent me. I was very glad to get it so thanks again.

Boy heres where some one ought to really kick me or some thing. I am very sorry that I didn't send you something but Christmas came up on me so fast I forgot it was so near until too late. If you will give me a idea I'll try to get you some thing. 

Did I tell you the last time I was in London I heard a V-2 buss bomb explode. It was quite a ways off but even then shook the windows.

Well I'll close for Now so write soon

Love Bill

Aha! Here's the truth about Bath! I knew it! When I was there a few years ago, I raised a pint to him. Here is my visit to Bath in 2012. I wonder if he got to partake of the waters? Of course, these days they don't allow people to touch the water. 

Bath is about 140 miles from Polebrook. 

The crew flew two missions during the week.

You may recall that the Battle of the Bulge was being fought during this period (December 16, 1944 through January 25, 1945). I remember Jack talking about flying missions as part of the greater Battle. I am not sure which of his missions were part of it, but if I can discern from the information I have, I will share it. 

Mission 245 was flown on December 19, 1944. Enemy positions along the rail line near Kall and Koblenz, Germany were targeted. The mission was successful, and no B-17s were lost or damaged. There were no enemy aircraft encountered and no flak. The targeted area is not far from the modern Belgian border, so it may be that this was part of the Battle of the Bulge. Indeed  Roger A. Freeman in The Mighty Eighth War Diary notes: "tactical targets in the Luxembourg, Ehrang and Koblenz area with the purpose of impeding the German counter offence launched in the Ardennes on 16 December." Some B-24s that were part of the mission in the other group were lost (11 killed).

Here's their flight map. Image from 351st.com.

Mission 246 was flown on Christmas Eve, 1944. This was a huge mission, with over 2000 bombers and 853 fighters dispatched. The 351st (Jack's group) was the spoofing force. Spoofing is using a small-ish number of aircraft while jamming the enemy's radar, causing a large echo, which creates an illusion that there are numerous aircraft. This can draw attention away from the "real" attackers. The spoofing force, of which Jack's aircraft was one, flew as usual but then diverted and landed at Ridgewell, UK shortly after 1700 hours. Ridgewell is, indeed, about 60 miles away from Polebrook. Thus the freezing cold truck ride back to base on Christmas morning. It was probably the most unremarkable mission of Jack's career. I wonder if he even knew the true nature of the mission at the time. 

You can read about spoofing done during D-Day here. Different kinds of deception created "ghost armies" on the ground, too. 

Thanks for reading!

December 16-18 1944

 A special guest appearance! A VMail to his little sisters, Herbie and Nene (aka Neva and Anita)! 

Dec 16 1944

Dear Neva & Anita,

I ought to get busy and write you kids a letter so I can get some more from you.

I got a couple of letters from little Jim so will have to answer them soon. He didn't write much of course he doesn't love me, just wants to keep in good with the family.

I guess, from what you and Ma write, you kids are doing ok in your school work. May be I should say that about the men folk too. I want you to be good and not forget little Jim also the navy [?].

Ma wrote saying I got some pretty good pictures on the color film, I sure hope they get here soon. Maybe they will about the time we get ready to leave here to come home.

Well answer soon

Jack. 

Dec 17 1944

Dear Ma

Seeing how I recived some old Vmail from you and the Kids I'll try to answer it. When I say old I mean old it was dated from Oct 15-18. Its meant letters so I was happy to get them even then. 

It warmed up some last night infact quit a bit. I hope it stays this way a while longer.

Say not reciving any mail from you I don't know if you are reciving mine. Thats the big reason for writing Vmail this time. I thought maybe the air mail wasn't getting through so am hoping this will. I wrote you a short letter yesterday and put a cuple of pictures in it so we will see which gets there first. 

There was another big bunch of pacages came in to day but none for me. 

Well will close now

Jack. 

This next one was so delicate. It's on thin typing paper and his pen was quite short of ink. His letters are difficult to decipher on the best of days! 

Dec 17 1944

Dear Ma

I will proceed to write and tell you I recived a package from you today. It was one that was addressed to my old A.P.O. it was the one that had the candy & cookies in. Thanks a lot for sending it. 

I recived 2 letters from Little Jim, one yesterday and one today. He propably wrote you evey thing he wrote me and then some. I'll have to get busy and answer them tonight. 

I went back to London yesterday, you see I had a 48 hour pass. I didn't do much of any thing while there just killed time. We took in a couple of movies but they weren't any thing to brag about. We did here a buzz bomb go off, but it sounded quite a ways off. 

I got the pictures we took while in London the last time but they aren't too good. It wasn't very good weater to take pictures in and then we were taking them out of the back of a taxi. I'll put them in a envelope and mail them to you.

I guess the mail will start comming in one of these days, no one seems to be getting much of any thing. I hope you are getting my mail a little better than I am getting yours. 

Well I cant think of any more to write so will close. 

Hope you got the money order Jack

The same day he writes to Margaret. As a reminder, in his last letter to her, written a week before, he popped the question! 

Dec 17 1944

Dear Margaret

I will try to write you a letter, but don't know how it will come out. It's so darn hard to write when I don't get any mail, also when I don't do any thing to write about. 

I went to London again the other day but didn't do any thing but take in a couple of movies. I can't even rember the names of them. We did hear a V-2 buzz bomb go off, but it must have been a couple of miles off, at least it didn't hit me. I started to jump but stoped to think I had heard it not felt it so went a head eating. I have gotten so when any thing make a sudden noise it scares me. 

It has been rather cold the last few days but did warm up some to day. I just wish it would warm up some more and then stay that way, but this is England. 

The boys have been having some pretty good black jack games of late. They have been playing all night keeping every one awake and then griping about us being in the barracks the next day. Oh well payday just comes twice a month. 

It seems they have stoped giving the D.F.C. the last few fellows that have finished haven't gotten it. I was hoping I could get it but I guess I can figure I wont get it. 

Well I guess I'll close for now so write soon

Love 

Bill

We get the first glimpse of his PTSD. I so wish it was recognized and treated back then. 

D.F.C, as you recall, is the Distinguished Flying Cross. 

Our final letter for now was written the next day: 

Dec 18, 1944

Dear Ma

Seeing how I recived 2 letters and a vmail from you to day I'll try to write you. I am pretty tired to night so if I don't make sense in places just over look it. 

I got the letter with the 3 neg. in it. I showed them to the fellows & they think they are all right. I haven't tried to get a projector to see them with but will in the next few days. I sure hope the rest of them get here soon but suppose it will be some time. 

I read in the paper a while back where some German prisoner escaped & was recaptured his last name was Kruse. I don't know how common the name is but I am not going to look him up either. 

I am sorry you got the wrong impression of the air medal – it just comes as a matter of course. When I finish my tour I should have 5 clusters on it, of course that means 1 silver.

About that other clipping you sent about the 17 flying wild. We had sort of the same experience but didn't bail out, it was funny after we got to thinking about it. Evey thing has been going swell though so don't you worry. 

About sending that clipping to the Blade – I suppose you just spun your wheels there. I made it out to be sent to the blade also.

Well I'll close for tonight will try to write again tomorrow

Jack.

The Blade is newspaper Toledo (Ohio) Blade, published since 1835. We'll never know what news they were sending (maybe about the air medal?), but Ohio is where a lot the Eutslers had settled and where they were still living. 

Kruse is a name most common in Germany, but is not one of the top 100 surnames there. 

Jack had not flown any missions in the week since the last letter I had shared. He did fly Mission 244 on December 18, the date of this letter, but bombs were not dropped due to cloud cover. No enemy air craft were encountered; no flak. "Evey" one returned to base safely. Swell.

Mid-December 1944 and a detour

December 12 1944

Dear Ma

Here I go again with out any mail from you, but I did get a letter from Neva. She wrote saying I had my name in the paper for getting the air Medal. I guess you knew of befor I did then at least from the date on the letter. 

That Neva seems to be doing just plenty swell in her school work, I hope she keeps it up. Its too bad I didn't get one or the other. I don't have the brains on the looks but I guess I am happy.

The weather has warmed up to day some but it's still pretty cold for me. I hope I can be some place to get some sunshine by at least next summer. 

Evey thing is going about the same as usual nothing new. I did run in to a kid I knew in basic & gunner with. I sure was glad to see him but I guess he is going home. Well will close now

So write soon

Jack. 

Dec. 13 1944

Dear Ma

I guess I'll drop you a short note tonight so as to send the money order. I didn't get around to getting it yesterday but as you see I did today.

The weather hasn't been too nice today, it was foggy all day. It was so bad they stopped all traffic around here. We were going to town tonight but no busses so like a good little boy I stayed home. I should be getting a 48 in the next few days so will go then. 

They got some of the boys out and marched them around for missing a class. I didn't go so suppose they will call me up for it but I don't think I missed it. If it was yesterday I know I am in the right, but if it was today I suppose it's like the English say I've had it.

I don't care though they can't rather won't do much if any thing about it.

I never got any mail again today but as usual I hope maybe I'll get some tomorrow. About all that has been comming in is the mail and thats next to no letter at all. 

I don't know if I told you or not but these socks are the real thing. The only trouble is I have to wash them after I wear them a couple of days. That white shows the color pretty good.

Say maybe you ought to tell that Nene she owes me a letter about now. Tell her I can't help it if mine to her always gets lost in the mail or some place. 

Oh yes I picked up some of the invasion money so will enclose it with this letter. I think its cute, it's a whole lot nicer than this Britih pound we use. 

The trouble with this English money is it's worth more than we think. We always figure a pound as about 1 dollar where it really is worth $4.

The Copilot made 2nd Lt the other day and the Pilot is going to make 1st in a week or so. Our bombardier was too good for us so they made him lead and we lost him. I told Eaton (the navigator) to go up and tell them he wanted 2nd Lt also. I don't know if he did or not but he probably did. I guess I'll have to get the Pilot on the ball and get that other strip. It will be the last one I get but it means about a $30 increase over what I now get. To my notion that ain't to be laughed at. 

Well I's run down so will stop.

Jack.

$30 is about $470 today. 

I was thinking that by "invasion currency" he means allied military currency, but the article doesn't indicate that they used it in Britain. 

Next, Margaret received a letter from Jack's mother. 

 Dec 14

Dear Margaret. Thanks so much for the prints Yes, I think they are very good, also.

I do not think Jack cares for England, people or weather from the letters I have had and the way I have figure things out he has gone on "plenty" missions. The last of Oct he wrote "We have gone to work for a change,' then when he wrote Florence about going to London, he said, "I am up for the Air Medal but do not tell Mom" and at that time he had a 48 hr. pass also had made six missions, then Nov 19 he wrote "he had another 48 hr pass but he did not think he would use it since he had no money, loaned it all out'. Then the last letter I had, written Nov 27, he said, 'they had another 48 hr pass and he and Jim had gone to one of the near bye towns on their bicycles and he was plenty sore and stiff from the 30 mile ride.'

He also told about one of the crew being A.W.O.L on two days that they flew. So I am thinking he has been on all the big raids over Germany. 

We were sure happy and proud when we read about him receiving the Air Medal, but not one word from the little 'skunk' said about it. I suppose one of these days I will get a letter saying "O! it wasn't much".

It has been quite cold here but the snow we had Sunday is all gone. 

Florence was home for a little while Sat and Sun. She came over with some of the teachers from Roy, who were here to shop.

Wayne is going to Vt. with one of his Aberdeen pals for a short Xmas vacation. I do not think he went deer hunting this year with the friend from Penn.

Write me when you have time as I alwys enjoy hearing from you –

Best wishes for the Xmas season –

Love

Neva M. Eutsler. 

Around the time these letters were written, Jack's crew flew a mission on December 11, targeting railroad marshaling yards near Frankfort, Germany. Mission 241 experienced bad weather, but was otherwise unremarkable. Whew!

He won't fly again for a week. 

And now, the detour. The following letter was tucked in Margaret's cache of Jack's letters. I'm sure it is meant to be with some other box of letters, but it is here, so I add it. It's from her mother, and it's from a year-plus earlier.

Return address on the envelope: Clapham, New Mexico. Postmark is hard to read but I believe it's Bueyeros, which is a location near Clapham according to this old map. 

Mon P.M.

Sept. 13 – 1943

Dear Margaret.

I should have written long ago but gee I've been busy.

I sorter left the writing to Cecilia while she was here but now that she's gone its up to me I guess.

We've had so many nice letters from you since I've written.

I'm so lost without Cecilia and those dear kids I can hardly stand it. 

I guess they were glad to get away and have done forgot us as we haven't had a word since they left a week ago tomorrow. I'll go nuts if I don't hear from them soon. Ann Marie said theyed write bless her heart. 

I sorter thought I might get a few lines from you Sat. too but not a word from any-body.

I'm writing a mile a minute as I have a way to send my letters to the box and am hurrying to get this ready. 

I'm canning tomatoes today or was until I took a notion to write then I dropped everything. 

Guess I'd better answer some of your questions. I've canned several qts of green beans a few peas some corn and now tomatoes. 

We didn't have any fruit. Our trees didn't even bloom this time, and fruit is so high its out of the question. Peaches are selling at $5.29 per bu. Won't have many wonderberries even.

About the canning sugar the stamps will be good through Oct. I could use your sugar and might even get a few watermelon sweet pickles made but don't bother to send it for I'm sure you are far too busy to do such things. 

Fritz is just fine but sure is grieving for the kids. Sits out by their door and looks so pitiful. I'm wondering if they have reached Albu. yet. If they have Cecilia told you she got a letter from Pat dated Aug. 18th I think it was. 

I'm getting anxious to know where the 7th army is now. They're evidently on their way to another front. I hope the darn Germans haven't sunk their ships. 

Hows the kittens? I sorter wish I had one. 

Yes Rose & Chester still have CoCo only Chester calls him Bull.

He is a mean dog but sure loves us.

Nice you hear from your friend Oren. I bet he is getting a kick out of rambling around. 

I won't have time to write more now. Must hurry and get all my canning done so I can send this message. Ready for journey to Albu. Rush fare. Ha! By gosh I may fool you and take you up on that yet. 

We are shipping our cows this week. Wont have much left after paying off loan but will be out of debt. Will keep two or three milk cows I think. 

Mike & Bob are back in Calif. Roseville Gen. Del. Agnes is in Provedence R.I. 230 Lockwood St, Our windmill went bad and daddy want down and got Junior to climb it and find out what was wrong and is ready to take him home now. Something broke at top of tower. 

No Wendla has no prospects for increase as I know of. Her baby is only 9 months old. A big old ugly boy.

If Cecilia is there tell Ann Marie Oscar ate dinner with us today. She thinks he is just it and he says he sure misses her. 

Please excuse this awful hurry of letter.

Marie's new address is 2321 Opal St. Los Angeles 23 Calif. Please take care of that letter of Pats.

Write when you have time and I'll try to take a day off and write next time.

Love

Mother.

P.S. Thanks a million for the stamps. 

Speaking of stamps, postage was 3¢ (48¢ today). The price of postage has outpaced inflation. It costs 58¢ these days to mail a letter. 

$5.29 is equal to about $85 today. A bushel of peaches is about 50 pounds, so Grandma would've had to pay about about $1.70 a pound. Pricey for a poor farm folk. 

December 10, 1944: A red letter day.

This post has just two letters, both written on December 10, 1944.

 

December 10 1944

Dear Ma

Here I go again trying to write you a letter with, nothing to say.

I recived a envelope, with some clippings in it, yeterday but thats all. I did get a letter from Marg K the other day but she didn't write much, just about Pete & James. She never does, when she writes, say a whole lot but I guess she is like me nothing to write about. 

The weather has turned off pretty cold of late, infact it froze last night and the night befor. Its trying to snow now so that doesn't help matters very much. They said it snowed some the other morning but me being a sleep I wouldn't know.

I slept rather late this AM but then had to get up to go get paid. Thats one nice thing about flying is you get that old flying pay. I some times wonder if it is worth it at that. 

Say I am going to send you a $50 money order in one of my next 3 letters. You see you have to wait until they make it out & it takes a few days. I want you to put it away for me. I might want it a letter later on so must keep track of it. I would keep it my self but thats a little too much to be flying with. 

I sure hope those slides hurry up and get here, we are getting overly anxious to see them. They should be getting here pretty soon, at least I think they should. 

Well seeing I am all wrote out – I shuld mention I am sending my air medal home to day so you can look for that too.

I'll close now

Jack.

[with a flourish]

Again, $50 is about $783 today.

The same day he gets out the fancy writin' paper and writes to Margaret:

December 10 1944

Dear Margaret

Here I go again to see if I can get you to write a little better. How bout it can't you drope me a line just a litte oftener than you have been.

I recived the air medal the other day, that is I recived it officially. I knew I had it comming for some time but I have it for sure now. Its a pretty nice looking medal but doesn't mean much, more or less given to keep our spirits up. I'll get a cluster on it too, that is as soon as they get around to giving it to me. What I really want is the D.F.C but from what they tell me the chanches are very slim. They say you have to bring the ship back all shot up or the like to get it and if it's that way I would just as soon not get it. The D.F.C. use to be given when you finished up but they say things aren't as rough now so we don't get it. I personally think we earn it now if any one ever did. You see our Missions are a lot longer than they use to be. They are getting on the avg. of about 7 to 8 hours long. When you stop to think you get up about 4 hours before take off & then eat again a hour or so after you land its quite a little time between meals. Usually when we get down I am so nervious I don't feel like eating much, just tired and want to go to bed. They do give us a shot of whiskey to help out and it does on a empty stomach. 

I got paid again today so I have some money, but that's about all. I guess I'll just send it home & then when I get home we will go out and have a good time. I can't seem to have much fun going out here, just a waist of time & money.

Perez (the radio man) went out the other night and came back drunk. We were called to go on a mission and I tried to get him up and he didn't like it so he jumped down my neck. That was all right but after we got the guns and such in he came over & started it again so we went round & round again. To top it off we were ask to make up by the pilot he said he didn't want us fighting up there while the other boys were fighting on the ground. I had all ready appologize gone over to Perez & made up so we laughed at the pilot. I guess it wasn't a very good thing to fight that way but I still don't like to get steped on. 

It has been cold around here of late, has frozen 3 nights straight. It also tired to snow today but melted as fast as it came down. 

Well here goes may be I am spinning my wheels but will you marry me. I have been thinking a whole lot of late so now we will see what you have to say.

I'll close with that I hope to get a answer soon.

Love Bill

Well that was unexpected!  Can't wait to see what she says (errr...what he says she says)!

We finally got a little taste of what it is like flying missions. Just enough lack of detail to satisfy the censors. 

The D.F.C. is the Distinguished Flying Cross. Yeah, that's the trouble with medals. You have to go through hell to get them. I think I'd rather go home without them. 

Perez is a bit of a trouble maker! You'll remember he went AWOL and missed a flight recently.

The flight Perez had difficulty getting up for, Mission 240, appears to have been a picture-perfect mission.  

Missions and Medals: December 1944

A Vmail dated December 5, 1944. For some reason, Gram did not save most of the Vmail envelopes.

Dec. 5 1944

Dear Ma

I'll drop you a little line tonight having recived a letter from you. I also got one from Glady and Bo and all 3 were dated Nov 5 & 6. That's pretty fast time I know.

I have been pretty busy the last couple of days. Infact I am pretty tired tonight and I'm going to bed eary.

I haven't been doing a whole lot other than work, just lay around.

The weather has cleared up some of late but it's still pretty cold out. It's just a little too cold out for me and I don't go out except when I have to.

Did I tell you I got a letter from Goodwins recently. They didn't say much as usual

I'll close now

Your son Jack.

To Bo he writes:

December 6 1944

Dear Bo

Well I have to write some one to try to get it out of my system so seeing I owe you a letter I'll write you.

I got a letter from you the other day, it was only a month old but it was still a letter I also got one from Glady, she seemed to be feeling pretty good gave me all the gossip.

I washed some cloths to day, believe it or not, I don't exactly wash them just boil them until they are 1/2 way clean and rinse them out. Its pretty hard on me but its about the only way to get them in a hurry. We have laundry service 9 pieces a week & it takes about 10 days.

It got pretty cold last night, there was frost all over evey thing this morning. The pools of water we frozen too.

Say did you see the pictures I took of the crew in Ardmore. You probably wouldn't know what they were all about but we sure thought they were good. They look so real we couldn't help but laugh about them. I got a couple of pretty good pictures of you and one good one of Neva too. All they guys look at them and ask where I was when the looks were passed out thats what I have often wondered my self, ohwell I guess my Ma still loves my puss.

I want you to stop picking on the poor little Mex cause he can't help it. His feet may stink but so do mine. 

I wish Xmas would hurry up and get over with so the mail would start comming in 1/2 way decent. It takes so darn long for any thing to get through. By the time I get an answer I have forgotten what it is all about. 

Say what are we going to do about that Neva She seems to be too popular in school, I guess from what Ma says, she really knocks them out well look who she is. Don't tell know one but wait until next year when that Nene gets there they will probably close up all together 

I guess this enough for tonight so will close

Jack.

December 7 1944

Dear Ma

Well here I go again trying to write as usual.

As you see by the date the war started 3 years ago today. I sure wish it were all over but I know I am not alone in that thought. A lot of things have happened in those 3 years haven't they

I never got any mail as usual but am still hoping maybe tomorrow. They brought in a big bunch of packages today but none for little me, I really wasn't expecting any so I wasn't dissappointed about it. 

I got the Air Medal today, it was just about a month old. The date was Nov 10 but better late than never. I'll send it to you as soon as I get the time. Its not a bad looking medal but it doesn't mean a whole lot, you get it for a certain number of missions. From what I hear you probably read about it in the news paper some time ago. 

I am so tired tonight I can hardly keep my eyes open. A couple of the crew came in rather late last night and kept me awake. This morning they slept & I got up but I'll get even yet. 

I got a couple more shots yesterday so that doesn't help me fell any better, they made me rather sick yesterday. 

Eaton the Nav. gave me a sun tan shirt today so I had some washing to do. Its a pretty nice shirt but he didn't wear it so I claimed it. I also got a hold of another flying suit so washed it also. 

Well maybe I should close –

Oh yes Glady keeps asking if I have ever met any one from Vegas. Yes when I met Chas Mayfield there was a Mex cook there that was from Vegas. He wasn't very smart so I didn't even try to talk to him. He didn't know Wayne & hadn't heard of him, enough said. 

Well thats it for tonight

Jack

Here is information about the Air Medal. 

And here is Jack's actual medal:

Tucked away in the medal's box was this gun license, which has probably never been moved since Jack received it at about the same time he received his medal. He probably biked to Oundle to buy it. 

10 shillings is about £22.68 today, or about $30.84. 

Latest missions. Text and image from 351st.org. 

Jack flew December 4 and 5, the first missions since November 26.

December 4, 1944: Mission 238, Target: Railroad marshaling yards. 

It appears to have been a smooth mission overall. Here are a couple notes and remarks on the mission:

"This is too early in the morning!" [They took off at about 7am]

"If shot down, kindly crash at A-70 or A-83 (Vincennes [near Paris], Laon Couvron [75 miles NE of Paris])"

 "No enemy aircraft were encountered. A moderate, scattered and inaccurate flak barrage was encountered at the target."

Notes from the 508th squadron (Jack's squadron):

A/C 753-C: I can't see any necessity for tail men in Low box to have to pull 200 miles per hour. - Lt. Wiese.

A/C 711-F: Poor lead formation - 22 minutes late over target.

      Why did we let down to 500 feet over the Channel in very rough air when the weather forecast was 1/10 at 3000 feet?

      - Lt. Galloway.

A/C 567-G: Squadron climbed too fast and had to draw terrific power to maintain formation.

      Excellent formation for about an hour shortly after target. - Lt. Kale [Jack's pilot]

December 5, 1944: Mission 239. Target: Berlin, Tegal armament works

One aircraft went down, with all the crew surviving to become POWs, later liberated.

Here is a map of the mission flight path: