Author Archives: John
The Snow is All Drifted
February 6, 1945. In an interesting coincidence, both Isabell Pawluc and Stanislaus Kosinski, two friends from Albany who are associated with the St Cecilia’s choir, write letters to Dad on the same day. The letters are interesting in that the same themes that were covered in Anna’s letter of February 3 are covered regarding the … Continue reading
Spring is Just Around the Corner
February 3 and 8, 1945: Two letters to Dad from his brother Stanley. Dad is still stationed at Topeka while his brother writes from Deenethorpe RAF Air Base in England where he is stationed with the 401st Bomb Group. He mentions that the letters that he is getting from stateside (home in Albany, NY and … Continue reading
A Critical Shortage of Coal
February 3, 1945. Anna writes a letter to her brothers from Albany. She acknowledges that “…it is again almost two weeks or over that I am typing to you, but time flies so fast…” Little Terry is taking a nap, so Anna takes the opportunity to get a letter done. She has a lot of … Continue reading
There is No End to It
January 6, 16 and 25, 1945. Stanley writes a few letters to Dad from England. The letters are few and far between, with Stanley only having the chance to write when he has CQ duty or when he has some time off. On the 6th he writes while he is on CQ “with a long … Continue reading
He Really Was Tops.
January 23, 1945: Dad gets a letter from Joe Damusis, a fellow that he struck up a friendship with early in his Army career. From the contents of the letter, it seems that Joe is stationed at Great Bend, Kansas. Joe indicated that his group, the “4503d is definitely being turned into an outfit full … Continue reading
For the Future to Decide
January 20, 23 and 29, 1945. Dad writes several letters home from Topeka. He responds to the news from his sister about the heavy snowfalls that they’ve had back home in Albany, NY. He writes that “A 1st Lt. who works here and who comes from Albany received some newspaper clippings and pictures of that … Continue reading
Don’t Fence Me In
January 15 and 19, 1945. Anna writes two letters to her brothers to keep them abreast of news from the home front in Albany, NY. She is still getting used to typing 1945 on the letters and the weather in Albany is typical for the winter with “another snow storm…a foot of snow…that dry fine … Continue reading
Everything is Running Normally
January 5, 8 and 14, 1945. Dad writes a few letters home to Albany, NY from Topeka. He notes that “now that the holidays are over, everything is running normally again.” After reading Anna’s letter detailing the Christmas festivities back home he pines that he “would have liked to been home with you on Christmas … Continue reading
Santa Claus Was Very Good to Us
January 2, 1945. Happy New Year. Anna writes to her brothers, apologizing that “These holidays have held up my letter production.” She types a five page letter to bring her brothers up to speed on what has been going on in Albany at Christmastime. Like many holidays it included “all the good things to eat” … Continue reading
It Feels More Like Christmas This Year
December 19, 25 and 30, 1944. Stanley rings out the old year with three letters from England to Dad in Topeka. On the 19th, Stanley writes that he just finished up work and had some time to catch up on some letters. He asks about Dad’s machine shop classes and expresses that he wishes he … Continue reading