Deenethorpe
Orders for Rest and Recuperation
July 5, 1945. Stanley is back in the States and has been back in Albany for a few days and writes that “It sure feels good to be home again after twenty-one months overseas.” He arrived home on the 3rd and laid down “about 7 PM on the bed for a while”. He states that he … Continue reading
We Don’t Get Any Mail
June 15, 1945. Stanley writes what will turn out to be his last letter from England. The air base at Deenethorpe is starting to empty out of GIs and airmen, and Stanley’s workload has decreased to almost nothing. He mentions that he is just getting over a cold and that the “effects of the cold … Continue reading
All My Work is Finished
June 1, 8, and 11, 1945. We have three relatively short letters from Stanley to Dad. With VE Day having come and gone, the 401st has long since wound down their bombing operations in Europe. At this point, they have completed their post-engagement missions of flying POWs to processing bases in Western Europe as well. … Continue reading
You Probably Never Heard of the Place
May 18, 1945. Now that VE Day has come to Deenethorpe, certain restrictions on the 401st Bomb Group have been relaxed. Among them, is the censorship of letters. As such, in the first letter that Stanley writes to Dad after censorship requirements have been diminished, Stanley is able to share some of the details about his … Continue reading
The News Has Greatly Improved
April 26 and May 5, 1945. Stanley wraps up the month of April with a short one page letter to Dad “to let you know that I’ve received your change of address. Based on Dad’s San Francisco APO, Stanley surmises “Looks like I won’t see you for a while. Maybe someday in the future I’ll … Continue reading
Three Day Pass
April 21, 1945. Stanley writes to Dad and details some traveling that he did while on a three day pass. It was the first chance he had to get away since the furlough that he took in October 1944. He explains, “I kept postponing the pass as anytime I was ready to go on pass … Continue reading
He Died Before Victory Came
April 15, 1945. Stanley writes to Dad from England. He has two of Dad’s letters from late March in front of him. He acknowledges that “Army time flies really fast” and that “in another five and a half months I’ll be collecting longevity pay” by which time he hopes to be “back in the states”. … Continue reading
British Double Summer Time
April 2 and 7, 1945: Stanley writes two letters to Dad from England. Based on the comment that he just received Dad’s letter “which was written on the Ides of March” it looks like letters are taking about two and a half weeks to get from McCook, Nebraska to Deenethorpe, England. He writes “I guess … Continue reading
Many Things Have Happened
March 19 and 27, 1945: Stanley wraps up another month with the 401st Bomb Group in England with two letters to Dad. He writes the first letter “in the barracks. It is now eight thirty five. The radio is playing but it is starting to go on the bum. We have had a lot of … Continue reading