Author Archives: John
Too Darn Fast Back to Camp
August 18 & 21, 1943. Dad writes two relatively brief letters home after his furlough. He is getting back into the swing of things in the office at Topeka Army Air Base after two weeks off and a visit home. The train ride to Topeka from Albany took 25 ½ hours. In Dad’s estimation, it … Continue reading
Keeping the Good Ones Only
August 17 & 18, 1943. Two letters from Stanley to Dad. Stanley acknowledges receiving some of the letters that Dad wrote to him while on furlough and comments, “I sure know you enjoyed your stay at home…I hope it isn’t long before this blasted affair ends so peace will come and we come back home.” … Continue reading
Such a House, Always Noise
August 17 & 19, 1943. Two letters from home. Dad’s furlough is over and Anna picks up the correspondence once again as she mentions that Dad took over the letter writing duties while he was home. Anna notes in the letter that when Dad boarded the train to return to Topeka “the train was so … Continue reading
I Sure Got What I Wanted
Monday, August 2, 1943. Stanley is settling into things at Cut Bank and has time to compose a six page letter to Dad. He is writing in the dayroom so the letter is hand written as opposed to the usual typewritten letters that he normally sends. Before getting into the content of the letter, it … Continue reading
All Set to Be Seeing You
July 31 & August 3 & 4, 1943. A few notes home from Dad as he is preparing for his furlough, his first since being sent to Camp Upton in January. In his letter of the 31st he writes that he signed his furlough papers and will have his furlough from August 5th to the … Continue reading
30 Miles from the Canadian Border
July 28, 1943. A letter from Stanley to Dad. After being stationed at Great Falls for all of eighteen days, Stanley is on the move again and is now stationed at the Army Air Base in Cut Bank Montana. The move was made on July 26th by truck, with ten men in the back of … Continue reading
Time Isn’t Dragging
July 23, 24 and 28, 1943. A few letters from Dad in Topeka, Kansas to the family back home in Albany. Dad is looking forward to his furlough (his first since being inducted at the beginning of the year) and he is starting to make preparations to head home. He is planning to leave either … Continue reading
A Doolittle Raider Visits Great Falls
July 22 & 23, 1943. Two letters from Stanley to Dad. The first one is a short one-page note, and mainly serves as an excuse for Stanley to use some base letterhead that was lying around the office. He mentions that they had a group review the previous day. “We usually have it just before … Continue reading
Two Tiny Feet
July 20, 1943, A letter from Anna at home in Albany to both Dad and his brother. Anna writes that their friend, Joe Miller, has finished his furlough and is on his way back to his station with the Navy. Anna writes that she was sad to see Joe go because “For some reason or another … Continue reading