Author Archives: John
It Almost Seems an Eternity
September 12 and 15, 1944. Anna writes two letters to her brothers; Anthony, who is at Topeka Army Air Base and due home on furlough shortly, and Stanley, who is in England. The baby was sick for a few days but “she is feeling better. Also she is starting to eat better.” However, since the … Continue reading
Mama Likes the Girl
September 1, 4 and 8, 1944: a few letters from Anna to her brothers. The days are getting shorter in Albany, NY, as Anna mentions, “In fact, by eight thirty it is pretty dark and the streetlights are on.” Anna follows up on a comment that Dad made in a previous letter about Henry “Hank” … Continue reading
We Are All Very Proud of It
August 21 and September 3, 1944: Stanley writes two letters to Dad, apologizing for “the delay in writing.” Still with the 401st Bomb Group at Deenethorpe in England, and in the waning days of the English summer, Stanley reports that “it is kind of chilly outside” and “it is raining. We’re burning logs in the … Continue reading
Trouble on the Home Front
August 25 and 27, 1944: Anna writes two letters to her brothers. The troubles with the upstairs tenants continue, Anna marks little Terry’s 22nd month, and Eddie goes fishing…again. It seems that the O.P.A. denied Pop’s request for eviction of the tenants in ninety days. Nonetheless, he had his lawyer send a thirty day notice … Continue reading
We Could Teach Him a Lesson
August 23 and 27, 1944: Dad writes two relatively short letters home from Topeka Army Air Base where he is serving with the HQ Squadron of the 270th AAF Base Unit. He is catching up on correspondence as “it’s kind of slow in the office.” He is looking forward to his upcoming furlough, mentioning that … Continue reading
Boy Did He Yell and Shake His Fists
August 14 and 18, 1944: Anna writes two letters to her brothers from the home front in Albany, NY. There is not much news about goings on around town, just some personal updates about a trip to a friend’s farm and news about the impending eviction of the upstairs tenants. On the 14th Anna writes … Continue reading
Another Kansan Special
August 10, 17 and 20, 1944: Dad writes a few relatively short handwritten letters home, noting that he is “very short of words.” Summer is starting to wane at Topeka Army Air Base as “The days around here are warm and the cool evenings are a wonderful relief.” As he is writing the letter on … Continue reading
The Rag Was Up
August 10 and 19, 1944, Stanley writes two letters to Dad from Deenethorpe. Summertime is in full swing in England. But even though it is hot, he writes, “I haven’t seen anyone get a sunburn over here yet.” It’s been so hot that when he wakes up in the morning his is often “wet from perspiration.” … Continue reading
Everybody is Getting Married
August 10 and 12, 1944: Anna writes two letters to her brothers to bring them up to speed on what is happening on the home front in Albany, NY. Their cousin Eddie Morawski “has had his operation on his left wrist and it is all okay now and yesterday he was in church with his … Continue reading
I Can Imagine Being Home
August 5 and 7, 1944. Dad writes two letters home from Topeka. He mentions that he had the day before off and went golfing in the morning, getting back to camp before the temperature hit a high of 102 for the day. As he is writing the letter, it is late in the evening (“around … Continue reading