April 4 and 6 1943. A couple of letters from Dad to the family back home. He only has another week and a half of classes left. He tells Anna that although he has received an invitation from their friends the Weiss’ in Chicago, things are getting down to crunch time and it looks like he will not have time to make the trip to visit.
As he writes the letter it is 8:30 on a Sunday night and he is relaxing in his bunk. We get a good glimpse into daily life on the base. He writes, “I haven’t done much except ate and went to the P.X. and bought a Coca-cola and ice cream. I generally get these refreshments and spend some time doing so.” He has the radio on and is listening to “The Bayer Aspirin Program” that is featuring Frank Munn and Vivien della Chiesa. I did a little research and gathered that he must be referring to “The American Album of Familiar Music” which ran on NBC radio from 1931 to 1951. To listen to a 1928 performance of Frank Munn singing “Are You Lonesome Tonight”, click here. You may note that Munn’s performance was recorded over 30 years before the song was a #1 hit for Elvis Presley.
Known as the Golden Voice of Radio, Frank Munn was featured on a weekly radio program on NBC from 1931 through his retirement in 1945. Image credit: hitoftheweek.blogspot.com
He goes on to ask, “Do you know what a “chow hound” is? We have a bunch (they must be these corn-fed guys, young fellows from farms) and boy do they own the table and have eagle sharp eyes. You’d think they never ate…and if you thought I had bad manners, then I wonder what the fellows around here have. I’m kidding, more or less.”
He says, “I haven’t heard from Billy [his relative who is stationed at Truax Field in Wisconsin] but I guess it won’t work out to see each other. That’s the Army. You seem so close to each other but so far away. I am looking forward to the day when I’ll be on the loose again.”
On the 6th he dashes off a quick letter. He says “We were called out today and asked for volunteers for Salt Lake City. Nobody volunteered and I think that is where I am going to go. The place is a pool of all Air Forces and it is possible to be sent to the New England states if you are lucky enough. Another place they can send us is a few miles outside of San Francisco. I am still not positive where I am going but should know in a day or two. I just thought I would give you this info in this letter about what I think I will get so you won’t get disappointed all of a sudden.”