Author Archives: John
Working the Swing Shift
March 28 and 30, 1945: Dad writes two letters home. Both are typewritten and rather short by his standards (one and a half pages and one page respectively). With every day that passes, he gets closer to being deployed overseas. On the 28th he is “working the Swing Shift here, 4:30 PM to 12:30…it gives … Continue reading
Snowed in with Letters
March 21 and 15, 1945. Dad writes two letters home from McCook, Nebraska where he has recently been attached to the 331st Bomb Group. It seems that since word has gotten out about his new assignment and the prospect that he will soon be sent overseas he “has been snowed in with letters.” When he … Continue reading
Used to the Quiet Again
March 18, 1945: Anna writes a letter to her brothers with some news from the home front. She is “doing the best” but doesn’t know how things will be “when the new papoose comes.” This is one of the first letters that she has had a chance to write since Dad left Albany to return … Continue reading
Three Years Since I Saw You Last
March 10 and 14, 1945: Stanley writes two letters to dad from Deenethorpe where he is stationed with the 401st Bomb Group. The letter on the 10th is written in ink on a v-mail form but was sent regular mail, While it is clear from the address on the form that Stanley had Dads new … Continue reading
The Little Trivialities
March 7 and 14, 1945: Dad writes two relatively short letters home from McCook, Nebraska where he is attached to the 331st Bomb Group. He is back on base after a quick furlough spent home in Albany, NY and is starting his preparations for the next stage of his service. As he is writing on … Continue reading
The News on the Home Front
March 2, 1945: Anna writes a letter to her brothers, although most of the letter is directed to Stanley. She has a lot of updates. The first being that she expects to deliver her second child in four months, or as she puts it, “I have my good and sick days but it will soon … Continue reading
Catching Spring Fever
February 14, 21 and 28, 1945: Stanley writes a few letters to Dad. Stanley continues his duties managing payroll for the 613th Squadron of the 401st Bomb Group in Deenethorpe, England. On the 14th he sends a short V-mail. As is the case with most of his correspondence, topics are mostly the seemingly day-to-day trivialities of his … Continue reading
I’ll Be Here a Little While
February 10, 13 and 19, 1945. Dad writes a few short letters home and includes some postcards from his new address. The letter of the tenth is the first to indicate that he is with the 331st Bomb Group. He is settling into things at McCook Army Air Field. He writes that he is “a … Continue reading
Write as Much as You Can
February 9, 1945: Anna writes a letter to her brothers. She admits that “I haven’t much to tell you in this letter.” She does mention, however, that they “haven’t heard from brother Stanley in three weeks and folks back home especially mama are wondering what has happened. Stanley, write as much as you can. You … Continue reading
Don’t Know Where I May End Up
February 7, 1945: Dad writes a letter home with the news that after nineteen months at Topeka he will be moving on to his next assignment shortly. “I’ll have a new address soon, so you needn’t write until you hear from me. I’m going to be assigned to a Bombardment Group at McCook, Nebraska in … Continue reading