This is a selection of some of the entries in the diary my grandfather, Jack Bairstow, kept when he was in World War II, and some of the letters he wrote home. I've corrected his spelling. February 14, 1943 Left Hanford 6:00 P.M. arrived San Francisco 2:00 A. M. Rode up with a Hanford kid. Met a soldier on the bus between Oakland and San Francisco. Together we found a place to stay at the YMCA. Rolled in around 1:45 A. M. February 15, 1943 Got up about 9 A. M., and ate a little breakfast. Then reported down at the Finy Building. Took a walk around the waterfront and came across Jaccols Malcome and Burtt commission house. Met Michael at noon and we went up Telegraph Hill and took a look at the bridges, the Bay and San Francisco, at the same time. It was really a sight. Those bridges are something that can't be imagined unless you see them yourself. Left S. F. about 4:30 and crossed the bay on a ferry to Oakland. Then got aboard W. R. train and headed East. There is 125 fellows in our consolidation. Rolled in about 10:00 P. M. February 18, 1943 First day of army life. Got my G. I. issue and did alot of marching. Tired as hell. Nothing to kick about yet. Kinda pulled a boner when I butted in when a Lieutenant was talking of a guy. He didn't say anything though. I guess he knew I was pretty green. Learned how to make a bunk and some other stuff everybody has to ham. February 20, 1943 More marching and then some more. One guy passed out on the drill field this morning. We were issued wooden rifles this morning and taught the manual of arms. Guess I'll learn this stuff some day, although some of the guys are worse than me. Putting in about twelve hours a day. More drill tomorrow. Getting better at making my bunk and cutting the [triple?] time up until we fall in for roll call. I'll have things down pat pretty soon. Took out my government insurance policy today. Wrote a bunch of letters, mostly cards. February 28 1943 We arrived here at Houghton Michigan at 3:00 A. M. and marched about a mile to the college. There is about 2 feet of snow on the ground and it sure looks a pretty white blanket of snow everywhere. We sure had wonderful meals here today. I don't know if it's for a good impression or what but it was good just the same. I'm in a dormitory room with three other fellows - One from Oregon and the other two are from Fresno. We got a set of rules and regulations this morning and boy are they strict. We start hitting the ball tomorrow and the way things sound it's going to be business. March 8, 1943 We moved around into different rooms today and also to different flights. I am in flight E now. There are three of us in this room. One fellow called Glenn Banks from Sacramento, the other fellow's name is Ed Baron from Great Faus, Montana, and me. I have an upper bunk which I believe is going to be O. K. My new room mates seem to be pretty good fellows. Ted is the same fellow but in flight A and on the other side of the building. I got a letter from Henry today. He is still in bed. He sure has it tough for a regular guy. March 22, 1943 It was a real spring day today. The sun was shining and it was actually warm. Glenn is still in the hospital and Ed went to bed this afternoon feeling like the Devil. I have a sore throat and a little headache. I hope it doesn't turn into anything. I got some letters from home today. One from Auntie Carmen, one from Dad, and one from Lot. Lot said he shot a coyote in Butler's alfalfa. I can hardly believe it. In fact, I'm still not convinced yet. Dad's arms getting a little better so he says, but not well enough to work yet. April 3, 1943 Saturday night and not a thing done. I've about given up getting to town on a Saturday night. I tried a few tricks the fellows were doing in the room down the hall, such as balancing a glass of water on a nickel, jumping through your arms while holding a stick in both hands, and when sitting position in a chair, reach around behind the chair and pick up a match placed on the seat with your mouth. We also tried to pull a joke on a guy by putting a milk bottle full of water on his bed and fastened a string to the lid, so when he pulled the bottle, the lid would come off and get his bed wet. He caught on though and it was a flop. April 9, 1943 We got a new P. O. instructor today. He's a regular Army Air Corps man and he knows how to pour on the heat. I got a letter from Johnny Cardoza today. He's sick tired of this war and wants to go home. I ain't blaming him. He lost his bet to me. His wife had a baby girl. I believe he owes me a buck. April 11, 1943 I got up about 7:00 A. M. and ate breakfast, then wrote a few letters home. I had a date this afternoon, a little girl named Clara Lund, we went to the show and had something to eat. We went to the community building this evening and danced and had a good time. It was fun, the most pleasant day I've had since I left home. April 21, 1943 I got a nice box of See's Candy from Auntie Fryer and Uncle Arthur today. It sure is delicious. The ice is melting fast in the lake or I should say the channel in back of the campers. It should be all gone in a few days. April 22, 1943 We had a movie in geography today on how the Earth is tore down and built up, and how mountains and are formed, also what causes volcanoes. April 23, 1943 A new bunch of guys came in from Mississippi today. They sure looked like rookies. I don't know if I looked that green at first or not. We had a mass formation drill this morning in front of the C. O. One of the fellows in our outfit did quite a bit of cutting up out there and made some of the fellows kinda sore. So we had a little court martial of our own outfit. We found him guilty but recommended leniency on the account of he wasn't the only one but was the most outstanding. He has to be on good behavior and report to the flight leader for a week. May 9, 1943 I went to church today, imagine that. This afternoon I went to a show and saw Random Harvest. it was pretty good. I've been writing letters this evening. I'm just about caught up. I got back to the dorm to late for chow this evening and I'm as hungry as a bear right now. May 14, 1943 I went down to the airport today and got my ground instructions. I would have flown this afternoon but it was to windy. I go again tomorrow morning. I do hope I go up. May 15, 1943 I went up for my first time today. I think this flying is great stuff. I was up for 3/4 of an hour. About all I did was banks, turns, and straight and level flying. May 17, 1943 I went up twice today. I had to square a [fueled?] I didn't do so good. I also made a couple of landings. They could have been better but the last one wasn't so bad. May 18, 1943 I took off and landed today. My landing was a little off. I mean I tried to land about 10 feet off the ground. The instructor took me into a spin today. It was a funny feeling. I also did a series of turns. I got a letter from Dad today. He said he was still sick but not getting any worse. I hope he changes for the better soon. He also said his ears were bothering him and he's pretty deaf. He said Lot has about caught up with the work. That's good. May 22, 1943 I went up this morning and practiced landings and take offs are period. I'm getting a little better. I ran the Cross Country this afternoon. It was hot as Hell but I kept up a trot most of the way. I went to the dance and a show tonight. May 29, 1943 Left Houghton, Mich. at 5:45 today (afternoon). I kinda hated to leave. It was coming summer and I was beginning to enjoy the place. May 30, 1943 Got into Chicago and had a couple of hours layover. Boy, that Union Station sure is large. We got into Louisville, Ky. about 5 P. M. We had a four hour layover. Three fellows and I went to show. It was the largest theater I was ever in. We went to the U. S. O. then. It sure was nice. We got all we could eat for 15 cents. The people were sure swell to us. It's kinda hot here though. It's 11:10 P. M. now and we're on our way to Nashville. May 31, 1943 Arrived here at 3:30 this morning. It is hot and sultry. The heat reminds me of home. There is more humidity in the air than at home though. The chow here isn't as good as what we had in Houghton. We didn't do much today. We had a detail of pulling weeds this morning. June 2, 1943 What a day. K. P. from 0500 to 1400 hours. Then we moved to another barracks. We G.I.'d the barracks and had an inspection. They took us out and assigned us to platoons and had us full a bunch of papers out. We got in the barracks at 2100 hours and the damn lights wouldn't go on. June 4, 1943 We went through a gas chamber today. It was tear gas and it burnt my face and eyes a little before I got the gas mask on. I'm on K. P. again tomorrow (damn it) June 6, 1943 A bunch of fellows are outside of the barracks singing songs. One of the fellows has a guitar. They are singing "You are my sunshine". That seems to be the most popular song I've heard since I've been in the army. I didn't do much today but loaf around. It was sure hot today. There was a shower this afternoon though. It only lasted a few minutes and it was over. June 17, 1943 I had a detail of shoveling dirt today. I'm sure getting soft. I've missed a couple of blisters on my hands. June 20, 1943 I dressed up in my cadet issue for the first time. I'm proud of it. The kid that bunks next to me has a camera and I had a couple of snaps taken. I wrote a few letters this afternoon and have just about caught up. June 24, 1943 I got screwed out of my open post last night and the goddamn lieutenant wouldn't give me a pass for tonight. July 2, 1943 We were already to ship today, had our barracks bags packed and ready to load on the truck, when we got orders to have them back in the barracks. We weren't shipping. It was sort of a let down. I'm hoping we go tomorrow. I went to the show this evening and saw the picture "My sister, I leave". I liked it pretty well. July 4, 1943 Left Nashville at about 7:30 P. M. headed for Maxwell Field, Alabama. We have day coaches and they are rugged. July 5, 1943 Got here to Maxwell at 6:30 A. M. What A ride. I ain't think I slept one half hour all night. Things around seem to be rather rugged. I think it'll be alright here though. August 4, 1943 I had quite an experience today. We went in the decompression. It simulated atmospheric conditions up to 38, 000 feet. At 30, 000 feet, I took my mask off (according to plan). It didn't take long before I was out like a light. When they gave me oxygen, I came around pretty fast. Some fellows got the bends, and one passed out despite the oxygen mask. It was quite an experience. August 17, 1943 We got four battleships to learn today - Texas, Arkansas, Penn., and Nevada. I guess they'll keep throwing them at us. August 27, 1943 We got our shipping orders today. Most of the fellows are going to Florida. I'm going to Mississippi. Dave is also going there. August 31, 1943 What a hell of a ride on the train. I bet I had about a half inch of coal dust on me when we got here. I really like it here though. The chow is wonderful. It is only a small place. I think about 400 cadets. The planes are Fauchilds and they sure look neat. I guess we'll start flying in a day or so. September 3, 1943 I went up for my first time here today. There ships are pretty nice. They sure have a lot more than a cub. September 7, 1943 General Hanley was here today. Everyone was sure on the ball as soon as they saw his plane come in sight. We flew today but there is nothing new. September 16, 1943 My instructor took me through the paces today. I followed through and he did the maneuvers, slow rolls, snap rolls, loops, lazy eights, and chandolls. I enjoyed them very much. September 24, 1943 SOLOED TODAY! I thought I would be scared but I wasn't a bit afraid. I shot three landings. They weren't so awful bad, in fact pretty good. I was also Officer of the Day today. September 27, 1943 I had my first solo stage today. I shot seven landings which I think were a little better than the ones the day before. A couple of lieutenants got killed today while they were buzzing Clacksdale. A guy's pup came off today when he was about 2000 feet up. He didn't know whether to jump or not. He decided to take the plane down. He hit in a cotton field for a nice forced landing. October 6, 1943 I had a dual ride with my instructor today. My gasports were plugged up with paper as I had been up solo the day before. I couldn't hear a word he said. I didn't realize what was wrong until we were up over half an hour. He was getting madder every minute we were up and I didn't know what the reason was. I think he was madder at me for not having heard him than the P. P. job of flying I did. October 15, 1943 I got a scare today. When I got on the flight line this morning, the check pilot wanted to see me. I thought it was for a check. I was on pins and needles for 2 hours waiting for him. When he showed up, I reported to him. All he wanted was to know where the earphones were I used when I was up with him. October 26, 1943 I had my bitch ride today. I sure gave my instructor hell for a change. I also shot my cross wind stage. My bitch ride was my last ride with my instructor. I'm going to miss him. He is a swell guy and a damn good flyer. November 2, 1943 We had our graduation tonight, which was pretty nice. We also had our graduation party out at the country club. We all had a swell time. Some fellows had a little to much of a good time. November 4, 1943 We left last night about twelve o'clock and got here [Greenville Army Air Field, Greenville, Mississippi] about 4 A. M. We were up at 6:30 so we didn't get much sleep. They kept us pretty busy today. We got our ground school books and the stuff we need while we are here. I caught hell for wearing an O. D. shirt under a blouse. We live in a two story barracks here. There are three of us in our room. November 9, 1943 I got my first ride in a B. T. today. Boy are they a neat plane. I believe I'm going to enjoy flying them. November 15, 1943 Shot dual landings today. Boy are we kept busy, from 6:20 A. M. to 7: 00 P. M. I met a guy from Corcoran today. He knew quite a few people there, and some that I knew November 25, 1943 Had a swell Thanksgiving dinner today. I wish it had been at home, though. Didn't fly today. It was to foggy. We did have ground school this afternoon, though. November 30, 1943 Boy did I catch hell today. A lieutenant chewed me up one side and down the other for accidentally hitting the bottom of a B. T. with a little pebble. December 7, 1943 Saw a U. S. O. camp show tonight. It was put on by colored people, and was pretty good. They had a ventriloquist, and boy is he the best I ever heard. As good, maybe better, than Edgar Burgen. December 17, 1943 Got my first night flying today. It was as black as hell. I don't mind it so much but it is a little different than flying in the day time. December 25, 1943 Was invited out to Christmas dinner today. It was delicious, the first home cooked meal I've had since I left home. Went to the show in the evening with the girl I took to the Christmas Eve dance. December 31, 1943 Last day of the year. Got in a little time even if the weather was pretty bad. Got 93 on my weather final. Probably November 28, 1943 Sunday 28th Hello All, Sunday morning 9:30. We just got back from the line. Were supposed to fly today, but is to foggy. This makes four days now we haven't flown. Starting tomorrow, we fly in the afternoon. It will be cleared off by then. I got the box of nuts, raisons, and figs the other day. Thanks alot. They are sure good. In fact, I'm eating nuts and raisons right now. Two or three of the persimmons have gotten ripe and we have eaten them. They sure are good. Some are still pretty green but others are turning. I got a pair of socks from Auntie Jesse the other day and a box of cookies and candy from the Mellors. I also got a Thanksgiving box of candy from Aunt Margaret. Everyone sure has been swell to me. We had a pretty nice Thanksgiving dinner. I'll include the menu card. The dinner was good but would have been alot gooder at home. I wrote George the other day, through his mother. She seems to be a nice lady and very much interested in our work. She said the last she heard from George, he had landed in North Africa, well, safe, and dirty. He still hadn't reached his destination though. His brother Bob is at Primary down in Arizona someplace. I heard from Uncle Sam yesterday. He told me how Dad had given him hell for not writing me. He enclosed the letter that had returned to him. So I guess he did write once before. So you've rented Butler's place, Lot? Ataboy kiddo. Let me know what you're doing, how, when, and why. As we were riding out to an auxiliary field the other day to shoot some power landings, we went by some pretty nice ranches. Farmers were driving tractors and mules out in the fields. Damn but I would have liked to got out and cussed at those mules for a while or took one of those tractors and plowed up about 40 acres. After this war, I'm going to buy me a big ranch (out west) and let the rest of the world do as it may. Thanks for the address Lot. I'll write her as soon as I get a little time. I'm sorry I kinds messed things up when I asked for a cake. That won't hurt the taste of it though. About the watch. The picture of the one you sent me is very nice. The one I have, I dropped a couple of times and threw it around a bit, and it's working pretty good now. Tell you what. I bought a pair of sun glasses last night. They cost me $8. If you want to pay for them and forget about the watch, I would appreciate it just as much. About a Christmas present from Aunt Margaret, I just thought of something. I lost my good old pocket knife a while back. I sure miss a pocket knife. (a light one) When we travel from one place to another, we have a couple of barracks bags to stuff our stuff in. They're cotton bags about the size of a large grain sack. Pretty good though. We put our personal belongings in a small hand bag and carry that ourselves. A suitcase would be nice but they are to large to carry and get in the way on the train. And the way they toss our barracks bags around from trucks to baggage cars and dump them on the ground, a nice suitcase wouldn't be nice very long. Tell you what though. A nice little shaving kit would be swell. When I go down to shave, I have both hands full and the towel around my neck, and as sure as the Lord made little green apples, I forget something and have to go back after it. I'm still using Dad's old razor and the shaving brush Mom gave me. They are both good ones. I'd like to hear more about this 4 week program they have at Lemoore. How much Primary and how much advanced to they get. I don't know whether I'm going to be a Fighter or a Bomber pilot yet [omot?] I'm going to sign up for Bombers though. Mom, you say the last game of the season was a draw, a hard game, and all that, but who the heck did they play? Jack Postmarked: September 18, 1944 Hi Ya All, It is a nasty night tonight. Just like a deep winter night back home. It has been raining all day and is raining now. One of those kinds of rains we like to have at home. Light but steady so it all soaks into the ground. We have finished up all our stuff now and are getting ready to ship. I imagine we'll leave here around the last of the week. Go to Mitchell Field New York from here as far as I know. That is the rule anyway. Most everyone goes there from here. We took a little trip down to Cuba the other day. Left Wednesday and got back Thursday night. Didn't have a chance to go to Havana. would have liked to but didn't have time. We got there Wednesday evening and left Thursday noon. The field there is the most beautiful field I was ever on. ("Batista Field") Very large too. They have quite a few thunder showers there and everything is green. Lots of tropical plants and trees, Palm, banana, and what have you. Had a couple of hours in the morning to myself before we left so I went to the barber shop. Got my first shave by a barber. I went into it whole hog and got everything, haircut and the works. It cost me about two and a half but now my curiosity is satisfied. We left a little after dinner Thursday and came home by way of Bahamas getting our 1000 mile over water and country in. Got back here Thursday evening. If we had any leave, we would have to be back by Saturday midnight, so it give me a chance to go anywhere. Getting home was completely out. Thought I might make it up the road to Spartanburg to see a nice little girl I met while down here but I gave that up too. I am sitting on one end of a small table, and the left seat boy is working on the other. He is putting the finishing touches to a P-47 model airplane he has been building. Boy it is a good job too. He just put the wheels on and is now painting them. He has been working on it off and on for a couple of weeks. I couldn't do as good a job if I worked on it for a couple of years. He has been making them all his life. Hey, hey, I'd like to see Lot and a pipe. Boy, that would look good. What kind of tobacco do you use, Lot? I use P. A. mostly. Got a letter from Sis, more or less a surprise! Hostess at the [damus?] now eh? B. T. O's Did you ever find my friend Blue Barron? Guess the grapes are picked by now. How is the weather holding out? We had a picture of the crew made the other day. Am sending it along. Back row: left to right. Blitzey P., Ohio, Radio man Volin G. J., Mass., Assistant Engineer and gunner Nickerson D. E., Mass. Engineer Faught M. L., California, Armor Gunner Ellis J. A., Texas, Tail Gunner Drake L. E., Michigan, Assistant Radio man and Gunner Postmarked: October 18, 1944 Africa Hi Ya All, I'm just finished eating my supper. Had beef stew, rice, soup, and pudding. It tasted pretty good because I was plenty hungry. I'll bet you haven't had dinner yet. I am over at a small officer's club here on the field. Just had a glass of the flattest beer I ever drank. Made it across the Atlantic in a couple of naps. Boy it's sure a pretty large puddle. I've got the same clothes on I had when I left Bangor, Maine. Some clean ones would feel pretty good. Maybe a shave would help a little too. Feel good but don't have any trouble sleeping nights. The country here reminds me of the west side at home. That 24 of ours purrs like a kitten. Hope we can keep it up. Do better next time. Jack October 22, 1944 10-22-44 Hi Ya All, Here I is at our destination, Italy to be exact. That is getting it down pretty fine isn't it. We arrived in Italy a couple of days ago, but didn't get to where we are stationed until last night. While at our last stop, we got into town twice. There was very little in town. In fact, not a damn thing. The streets were all dark. The town was a pretty much Fascist town during the old days. They still don't have much love for us, and as far as it goes, the feeling is mutual with me. Though they say some towns, the people are pretty nice. Anyway, we more by accident than anything else, got into a pretty nice place. It was a private home, and the girl there could speak English well enough to get along. We got some wine called Vermouth, not for nothing though. We have to pay for anything and everything. Since the Germans left, the prices have gone up 3 or 400 percent. we finally talked the old lady into making us a spaghetti supper. Afterwards, I kinda wished I hadn't because they have to do much as it is. We paid enough for it, so I guess it was O.K. Didn't especially like it though it was pretty good, and different. Never was to crazy about spaghetti anyway. Can't beat a rare steak about an inch thick, and as big as the top off as 50 gallon gasoline drum, and cooked just enough to keep it from walking off your plate. While we were there, we met three or four New Zealand boys that have been in the Mediterranean area for three years. All over Africa and up through Italy. Good boys, and I enjoyed talking with them very much. Got here last night and are more or less settled down now. We live in tents and the conveniences aren't quite like home. Some boys got eager and had houses made, which you can have the natives make for about $150. Our room [afares?] but pretty nice. We are going to fix the tent up and it will be O. K. It isn't so bad right now but alot can be done to it anyway. Put a good floor in it. The one we have is boards off the sides of shipping crates, and a few bricks. We can get some stones and build sides around it, fix our stove up or make another one. It is a wood stove about 10 inches in diameter and 18 inches high. Boy you need a good stove here. Pretty cold nights and damp. When It starts raining a lot, I'll probably have to send home for a pair of hip boots. I'll let you know how many leaks we have in our tent after the first heavy rain. Material is hard to get. We have to bum, beg, or steal to make anything with. (There is very little lumber in the country. Most everything is made of stone.) Make stoves from gasoline drums, smoke stacks from tin cans. In other words, improvise as much as you can and make yourself comfortable. Some of the boys have made themselves very nice places to live in. The chow is pretty good. regular G. I., and they have a place called an Officer's Club. They have some beer there which may be rationed. I don't know as I haven't visited the "Panther's Lair" as it is called yet. And I hear a crap table which is generally always busy. We ate in the dark in the mess hall tonight. The putt putt must have given out that supplies the electricity. We have lights in our tent, but they don't work another putt putt out I guess. We do have a couple of lamps which I am using right now, and a board off an ammo box to write on. I don't know how rough I made this all sound but it isn't to bad, though a little crude. On the way, we stopped at the place Old Man Cardoza is from, hit French Morocco, Tunisia, and here. We had a good trip and not a bit of trouble. Would like to have spent a little more time in Africa. There would have been some interesting things to see. From what I did see, people sure do live different in different parts of the world. In Africa as here, maybe more so, everything is made of stone and plaster. Guess the main reason being "no wood" or lumber. What got me was I didn't get to see a camel in Africa. I'm going back especially one of these days and look one up. Oh yes, a Moroccan toilet would make you laugh. Explain it some other time. Here's something that will make you laugh. I have a red blotch above my upper lip called a mustache. It was more or less an accident how it got there. I had to shave in the dark without a mirror and cold water the other night so I left it, figuring on getting it the next day. The boys said it looked pretty good. So it is still there. Maybe they said that so they could have a good laugh when I wasn't around. Anyway the whole crew is trying their best to make a showing under their nose. A couple of the boys are going to have to wait a year or so I'm afraid. Am looking forward to getting some mail one of these days. Haven't had any since we left New York. Especially from home and a little someone down South Carolina way. What's doing at home and everything? Jack October 29, 1944 Letter#2 Oct. 29, 1944 Hi Ya All, I am sitting on my sack and the radio is playing some pretty good music. We borrowed it from the enlisted men of the crew as they haven't got electricity in their tent yet. We get some pretty good programs. B. B. R. generally has some pretty good ones. You would be surprised at the good music from German stations. Generally have a little propaganda stuck at the end though. They put on a little news report a little while ago and did they put it on thick. According to them, you would think the U. S. lost their whole fleet in the sea battle that took place a few days ago over in the Pacific. We can pick up the rebroadcast of radio programs over in the states. Makes it pretty nice, especially during the evening when we haven't much to do. I got some mail the other day from "you all", dated Oct. 2 to Oct. 6. One from Mom, two from Dad, and one from Lot and Alice. It was really good to get them as it was the first mail I have had since I left N. Y. Have been looking for some more but haven't had any luck. I think maybe the mail situation is a little bungled up right now. I was official mail censor today, and most all the boys in their letters were complaining about their mail not coming regular. It doesn't seem to matter how rough the day, a letter from home puts a smile on every guys face. May I suggest that you number your letters that you send me so I will know if I'm getting them in order or not. This is the second I have written, the first I did not number. Say Mom, we have been getting some of those dried apricots and peaches over here in the mess hall that you are working on. Taste pretty good too. I ate quite a large batch at dinner yesterday, and felt the effects a few hours later. "If you know what I mean!" Got a kick out of Lot's deer hunting trip. Only wish I could have been along. What the heck's the use of shooting a deer all up when one shot in the right place will do the trick! So Joe got married. Give him my congratulations. I didn't think he had it in him. But I guess the best of us bachelors get hooked sooner or later! By the way, is there any single girls left around your way?! Not that I'm interested, but, hum, I met a guy someday that is. Boy oh boy, you all must be as busy as heck by what dad had to say in his letters. That was about three weeks ago. Hope you are well over the hump by now. Most of all, I hope the prices were good this year. How did you make out with Siwash [squash?] and persimmons? Did you get your 200 sacks of nuts? Did you get all the raisons boxed before any rain? How much corn is Lot going to have? How are the pigs doing? Are the old sows raising all their pigs? Would liked to have been there to help, but have a bit of a job here that must be attended to right away. And god damn it Pa, take it easy. What do you want me to do, pull my rank on you?! While I think of it, there are a few things you might be able to get for us. I don't know whether I told you or not, but we have started to build ourselves a hut. It will be nicer than our tent. Especially during the winter. Well, we would like a couple of 50 watt bulbs and some light fixtures. say a couple of light sockets with the chain on it to turn the lights on. If you can't get that kind, any kind will be O. K. And cigarettes are as good as gold over here. They are as good as six bucks if you want to buy anything from these Italians. Prefer Camels as that is the kind I drag on. If you can't get them, try the order of Chesterfields, Lucky Strikes, Old Gold, Philip Morris. Don't go to to much trouble because these Guineas don't care what the brand is. I was just thinking of myself when I mentioned the order. We are rationed all lucinaries over here. It is enough to get by on but doesn't leave much to trade with. Some English walnuts not cracked would be hitting the nail right on the head. "After you get all that, a few two by fours, say sixteen feet long for rafters for our hut would come in handy!!" I can't think of anything else at this point. We'll send you a picture of our hut when we get it finished. The weather has been a little nasty here, and the mud sticks like Tulare Lake mud. Things could be a lot worse though. With some effort, you can make yourself pretty comfortable. Did I tell you about the heater I made for our tent, a regular oil job and it makes it really comfortable in here. It had a few bugs in it at first but I solved them and it's working fine right now. "Knock on wood" In fact, it got so hot the other night, the smoke stack started to melt away. I was glad Dave was out to visit you. Yep, he's the guy that used to have all the pills. He wrote and told me about it and he really appreciated the hospitality. He went for that fried chicken of yours Mom. Jack November 9, 1944 #3 Nov.9 Hi Ya All, Don't have much to say. I have answered all the letters from you, and am rather out on a limb with nothing to talk about. Mail has been very slow and the only ones I've received from you are the ones soon after I got here dated during the first week in October. Our hut is coming along pretty well. The walls are up and are just about ready to put the roof on. With my insistence, we are going to have a fireplace. It's going to be real nice when it is finished. I have been all over the field scavenging for material to build a good heater. (Not relying on the fireplace am I!) The heater we have in our tent now isn't much account. I'm going to take a 50 gallon oil drum, cut it in half, fire a little opening in the bottom, attach a chimney to it, and make an oil burner out of it. We make smoke stacks by getting tin cans from the mess hall, cut the ends out of them, then force them together. Makes a good chimney but I wouldn't advise leaning against it! One of the boys next door lent us a light bulb last night. Boy you can actually see in here now. We had a parade yesterday afternoon. There was some general here to reward our group (the 460th) the presidential citation for the accurate bombing record it has achieved. By the way, I have the whole sum of three missions to my credit. Only forty-seven more to go. And I'm not flak-happy yet, did I say yet, or was it yet. This combat has done wonders. I used to be nervous and jerky. Now I'm just jerky! Haven't met any fighters yet! But they're damn generous with their flak. I don't know what they put in those guns, but I thought I saw the leg off a kitchen stove come up past us over Vienna the other day! Well, the presidential campaign came out the way I hoped it would. Like a damn fool, I didn't vote. There was a little sign in the mess hall after the results came in. It read "Roosevelt Dood it Again". Then just below that in parenthesis, it said "Thank God". The rains have started the grass to grow and the country side is turning a green color. The Italians are planting grain, and some of it is beginning to come up. Their methods of farming are way behind ours. I don't care how large a field, you never see anything larger than a team hooked to an implement. I don't believe they have enough sense to hook four horses or more together and get something done. I shouldn't say that exactly because I guess they eventually do get it done and get a crop too. Something else about these buggers, they're anybody's friend they can stick. The only reason they like us better than the Germans is because we are bigger suckers and will pay for it if we want something. Maybe I'm a little radical in my opinion by judging so much by what little I have seen. Probably letting a little personal feelings fall in with it too. What the heck brought on this subject anyway? It was green fields a minute ago. I have noticed a few small flocks of sheep around. They are lambing now. About lambing time at home now too isn't it? Going to get any this year Mom? Remember the job we did on that eucalyptus stump Lot? What's doing on the ranch? Don't tell me you are still working at the packing house Mom. There is a rather potent wind blowing tonight and the door on our tent keeps flapping open. We have solved the problem by tying it shut with a piece of rope. Joe has a helmet sitting on top of our stove with some water in it. I guess he is figuring on shaving a little later on. I hear there is an exceptionally large amount of mail today. In fact it is a couple of hours past mail call and it still isn't all sorted. Here's hoping. Jack [On November 16, 1944, my grandfather's plane was shot down over Yugoslavia. He was the last one to jump out of the plane and the first to hit the ground. Everyone survived. They landed in friendly territory controlled by the Bosnian Serbs, who helped them get back.] December 8, 1944 12-8-44 Hi Ya All, Ten o'clock in the morning and nothing to do. I should take that back. This hut of ours needs a cleaning job deluxe. Since I wrote you, we have been away on a little trip. Went up to France for a few days on an errand. (That's really definite isn't it?) Just got back late yesterday afternoon. It was something different and I enjoyed it. Spent one night in Marseilles and had a pretty good time. My French is about as good as my Chinese. So you can see that isn't much to brag about. Did meet a little number that could speak English half way. So between my sign language and her English, we didn't do so bad. France is a much cleaner place than Italy and as a whole, I like it better. Oh yes, we got there with a pocket full of Italian money, and no one would accept it. It was a little late when we arrived and the finance office was closed. We finally did get it changed. Met a captain that was a pretty good boy and helped us out. The people of Marseilles don't think very well of bomber crew members! So for that particular day, I belonged to the Transport Command. When we got back, I had some mail waiting for me, a beautiful Happy Birthday card from Lot and Alice, and a letter from Mom (marked number ten). The previous one marked number seven. They canned our mail clerk the other day. Someone said they found mail laying around that was ten days old and hadn't been sent out. Mail has been very bad lately though. Christmas rush being the cause of most of it I imagine. I know some boys that haven't had any mail for a month now and it isn't because no one is writing them. The fireplace works fine when we have something to burn in it. Use wood, there isn't any coal close around. Our little oil heater does pretty good. Have a fifty gallon drum hooked up to it from outside. the only trouble being about every two days the smoke stack chokes up with soot. Then we have to take it off and clean it out. Have been looking around for a larger one, but no luck yet. Did borrow the stove out of the tent we slept in night before last. I believe it will be better than the one we have, and it just fit perfectly into a A-3 bag. There are only three of us living in our hut now. I told you about Joe Viens (bombardier) being transferred to another group didn't I? He left us before we went up to France. I sure hated to see him go. My best friend over here. I guess we'll get someone else to move in though. Some boys have asked us already. I don't know what we'll use for a bombardier now. They'll probably just assign us one whenever we have a mission. All I hope is Joe is getting a better deal out of it. Yep, I've still got that fuzz on my upper lip. What do you mean fuzz?! It's the best mustache in the crew. Lew is on his third attempt now. One thing about him is he never gives up. Popeck has tried a couple of times, then he shaves it. Of the enlisted men, Blitzen is the only one that has one. What's the idea of throwing all that good milk away? I haven't had a good glass of milk since I left George Field, and haven't had any for three months. I think I'd better go eat. Believe we can get a ship this afternoon and go down and see Joe. Jack December 10, 1944 12-10-44 Hi Ya All, Sunday afternoon and not much doing. It has been pretty nasty yesterday and today. One of those steady light rains and it hasn't stopped yet. I have a pair of overshoes that come in pretty handy and I wouldn't be without them. Bought a raincoat the other day, also a good investment. I went to chow this noon wearing a German helmet and did the Guineas working in the mess hall stare. Our heater has been acting up a bit. When we lit it this morning, it tried to smoke us out. So I took the smoke stack off and cleaned it out and she is doing O. K. now. This damn oil we burn makes more soot than anything you ever saw. The enlisted men down at their tent have a rabbit. It just moved in with them and is real tame. It's about the size of a cottontail but is a domesticated rabbit. It will eat bread out of your hand. One of the boys got some oatmeal from the mess hall so I believe he has found a new home. Got Mom's letter of the 29th. Boy it made good time. Ten days. According to what you say, I have two coming from dad, but they haven't got here yet. Maybe tonight I hope. Up to the first, you hadn't finished the persimmons. How many boxes are you going to have this year? Probably should say...[page missing] wrong A. P. O. number. 16648 was the right number. Some of the other boys had the same thing happen to them. What does that new dog look like? Does it get along with Little Joe? I got a kick out of the actions of the new kitty you have acquired. Looks like you're spoiling Little Joe, Mom. If I'm not to far off, you should be finished with the persimmons by now, right? Those prices you sent me seem pretty good, but the way things are now, is it? Damn but you all sure must have been busy. How many tons of raisons did you have and how is the price on them? What's the price on walnuts this year, estimated for the association? Seems like you had pretty good crops this year. Hope so. How are the hogs doing? Lew just came in with our beer ration for the week. (Two bottles each) American beer, and it tastes pretty good. Also a couple of cans of peanuts to go with it. About writing, use air mail. About 15 days from Hanford. I do not like V mail letters. That time may vary a little more or less. Depends on a lot of things, I guess. Who's that guy you go down to L. A. to see, Sis? Don't give me any line now. Boy, see he really has you trained. By the way, how much do you weigh now? Within 30 or 40 pounds will be close enough. Hey Lot, what kind of a duck hunter are you? I could almost do that good. Think I had better hit the sack. Have been pretty much on the go the last few days. If they have a drive for the partisans of Yugoslavia, dig deep in my funds for me. Can't think of anything, I need at the present, except a new issue of flying equipment! Will let you know if I need anything. Of, a few "Hershey Bars" with nut would go pretty nice on second thought. Jack December 24 and 25, 1944 Christmas Eve Hi Ya All, Have had a quite evening. Been listening to some Christmas programs on the radio. Also heard the President's Christmas message to everyone. There is going to be Christmas Eve services over in the club at 11:30 tonight. I am going over. My going to church isn't very regular. I feel this would be an appropriate time. They have a Christmas tree over there and a few decorations. Gives that Christmas feeling to the place. The tree has colored lights on it and they look very pretty. Got Mom's letter of the 11th and Sis' Christmas card. In your letter Mom, you said the first letter you got from me after we got back was dated the 25th Nov. I wrote as soon as we got back on the 23rd. Believe I mentioned our Thanksgiving dinner. Did you receive that one? Got your letter yesterday, Mom's dated the 5th, Dad's the 6th, and a V-mail from Dad dated the 9th. What goes on there? Buying me a $500 bond for my birthday? I don't know what to say. Words can not express my feelings. But, for gosh sakes, I would rather you would take it and buy something you need. I know there are many things you all have needed for years, and then you go and do something like that. Christmas Day Merry Christmas Went to the services last night and there was a large turnout. It was good alright, but it doesn't quite make sense to me. Church services Christmas Eve that fire you with the spirit of good will toward man. Then a mission scheduled for the next morning. Something wrong somewhere. Haven't done much today. Got up late. (Our crew wasn't scheduled.) Had a light dinner. We're expecting turkey for supper and I imagine it will be very good. The K. P.'s do their darnest for a special occasion. The boys are playing cards. The putt putt won't come on for about an hour yet, so we can't listen to the radio until it is started. Say that was some persimmon crop. I can easily see you must have had a time. Glad it was a good crop. It wouldn't be a bad idea to put what I have in my checking account into bonds, or at least part of it. Let me know how much I have in my checking account, and I will send you a check to buy bonds with. It has been a little chilly today, but not a bad day. There have been quite a few clouds around, but it hasn't been foggy as it is sometimes. Oh, Oh, the putt putt just came on. Now we have lights and a radio. I haven't received any of my packages yet. Am expecting them any day. That mix up in my mailing address messed things up didn't it? This way I have something to look forward to, otherwise they would have something of the past. I believe I did put adhesive tape on that letter, Mom. If I remember correctly, I opened it after I sealed it. Got a laugh out of the way the telegram was received by you. I don't...[remainder missing] January 8, 1945 1-8-45 Hi Ya All, Here we are, back in the field. Just got back from Capri last night. Due to conditions beyond man's control, they couldn't send a plane after us, so it was another truck ride. I don't why they put springs on ten wheel army trucks. They sure as heck don't do any good. One thing, if the driver drives real fast, it will hit a bump and hop a bump, therefore making it only half as rough! Didn't do much over at the island. Took it easy. Saw some shows and hiked around the island a bit. The weather wasn't to nice. Rained a bit and blew some. Took a boat ride with some of the fellows of our crew. Went to the Blue Grato. It is a cave that has a small entrance to the ocean and only a small boat can enter. When inside, it is very large. The guide rows around and shows you the place. At first you can't see much but as your eyes become accustomed to the dark, things begin to show up. The most beautiful part is the color of the water. The light from outside reflects in the water on the inside. Really is beautiful. The ceiling of the cave gathers different colors from the reflections in the water. Something I'm glad I saw while I was there. Took a hike up to an old ruined castle built way back some time ago. Wasn't to much left. Can't see where there was any comfort in living in one of those old things. The water around the island was the clearest ocean water I ever saw. Be rowing along in a boat and see the bottom as easily as a mountain stream. The people on the island are as a whole, live better than the people on the mainland. There is more money floating around there being the main reason I imagine. Fellows don't care how much they spend while they're there and the Itits aren't bashful about taking it. I went over with a comfortable amount. After a few days, I took my bill fold out to see how much I had left. There was some things I wanted to get. Well boy it was almost gone and where, I don't know. A buck is about the smallest change those buggers deal with over there. We all know it's high but what the heck. Met a little nurse there one evening. She was from San Francisco so we had something in common. She had a day off from a hospital ship that had just come into Naples. We had to lay over in Naples a day before coming back to the field. Saw a couple of shows. Incidentally, they were the first pictures I have seen over here that I hadn't seen in the states before. One was "The Conflict" and I forgot the name of the other. Both were good anyway. I wanted to go to Pompeii but the weather was nasty "rain" and it wouldn't have been worth the effort. Then again, we didn't exactly know when we would have to leave anyway. There was a pianist at the Red Cross one evening that was very good. She played classical music which I'm not exactly crazy about. Nevertheless, she was really good. There was also an opera in town, but if you know me, you know how interested I am in opera. There was snow on the ground most all the way back to the field. Made it rather cold in the back of the truck. But we rolled up in G. I. blankets and fared pretty well. Thanks to one of our enlisted men that had good foresight and "sticky fingers". (He picked up a whole barracks bag of them up somewhere.) It felt pretty good to be back. This oil drum heater of ours can't be beat. Also that nice bunch of letters and packages that were waiting for me. I got the handkerchiefs and socks, nuts, raisons, and candy, and the light fixtures and cigarettes, and toilet articles. Thank you all to much. I don't know how to say it, but that is putting it mildly. Got Mom's letter with the nice Christmas card. Also, Dad's letter and one from Sis. Don't recall listening to the Hit Parade. But that song "Always" is right up top with me. Haven't heard "Don't Fence Me In", but it'll be around. Give it a little time. You bet I remember the little Santa Claus. Thanks alot Mom for doing my Christmas shopping. The gifts you got for "Fella" and "Oneida" will be swell I am sure. What did you get for the rest of the folks? It will be as much of a surprise to me as it will to them. And Uncle Sam was up for a while. What is his racket now? That dinner he took you and Dad to sounded darn good. Say Dad, did you collect that bet from him? I believe it was about the election. Things are a bit slack around here just now, Mother Nature being the cause of most of it. While we were at rest camp, there was quite a snow here, about three inches I think someone said. Anyway, it has all melted now and it is really slushy. There is frost in the mornings and ice stays on the mud puddles until afternoon in the shady places. I imagine it will be rather slow this month and next. Though today turned out really nice. I notice they have a schedule up for us to go to lecture. (Something to keep us from getting mischief) They include emergency procedures, navigational aids, radio, news, and whatnot. Incidentally, the Krouts seem to be doing pretty good for themselves. It isn't to noisy here unless there is an argument started up, and the walls bulge out and in. And a good sized argument can be on anything fun, what happens to your lap when you stand up, to post war planning. Some of a world wide nature, but little of the domestic variety. There is a fellow that lives next to us who used to be an instructor out at Lemoore. Anyway, he came out to the ranch and bought persimmons a couple of times. His name is Ray Meadows, and lived down at the corner by the service station. I didn't know any people personally he knew, but he did know Jim Grizwald very well. Never can tell who you will meet! That stuff you got, Dad, for our windows. If you have sent it O. K. we will be able to use it for something. If we can't, lots of fellows can. We found something better than the film we had. It is a screen with some sort of dope on. We can't see out but the light can come in. It works very well, except we can't see out. And we did a good job of putting it in. (Permanent like) So if you have sent it, it will be put to good use. If not, don't bother. Thanks alot anyway. What do you think of those Ford tractors, Pa? Got the old fordson beat, eh? And my mustache! I still have it. Helps filter the air when I go into one of these Guinea towns. That idea of oil and sand for the fireplace sounds damn good. I am going to try it. Let you know how it works. As for the size of our house, it is about 16 by 18 or 20 feet. One room of air but good. (I thought I had told you all about it) Anyway, it is made of tufa block, has a tile roof, and a fireplace. Also, our air heater is in the center of the room. Have a few shelves around. Our four sacks in the corners, and a clothes rack along the back wall next to the fireplace. The radio on a shelf hung on one wall. Two bottles with candles in them on the mantle (a very small mantle), also some tin cans. Plenty mud on the floor, also a map on the wall above the navigator's sack. Two small mirrors hanging on a wire from a rafter, a small table, bench, and a small rack to hang our towels on to dry by the heater. Tile floor also. That about does it except for the door and fine windows. I just took some pictures today. Two of the outside and two of the inside. Getting them developed is a job. Bari is about the only place I can get them developed and I don't go there very often. Will send them to you. I don't know how the ones of the inside will turn out but the ones I took outside should be O.K. Maybe I can describe the roof. It is something out of the ordinary. On top of the rafters is a layer of ordinary bamboo layered side by side making a solid foundation for the tile. On top of that was put a layer of plaster and the tile set in the soft plaster. Then it was plastered on the inside and is really cozy in here. Doesn't leak either. I have a Stars and Stripes I am going to send you. There is an article in it about "Bomber City" which happens to be our field. It can tell you more about it than I can describe. The stove in the picture is identical to ours. And the bottom picture that I checked is a picture of the camp area of the field. I will make a mark about where our house is. I don't imagine you will get the paper the same time you read this letter. I don't know what would be fair amount for the Yugoslavs. Say 75 or a 100 dollars. I am grateful to them as the rest of our crew is, and many other crews before. They cared for us and got us out. After seeing what they are doing with what they have, I have great admiration for them. We didn't have a name for the plane. We don't fly any particular plane. Whatever they assign to you. When one is gone, they just ship in another one. There is a replacement pool somewhere for that purpose. If every time they lost a ship, we would have to go back to the states and get another, I am afraid an unusual amount of ships would turn up missing. Our engineer get the Distinguished Flying Cross for some of the things he has done while flying with us. Once he hung in the open bomb bays at 23,000 feet and kicked the bombs out one at a time because they wouldn't release electrically. Other factors came into that too. At 23, 000, it is mighty damn cold and frost bite is so wicked if you get it. (He didn't) Also, oxygen and I don't know whether he was using any or not at the time. Most people will pass out at 18, 000 without oxygen. We wear our masks from 10,000 up. Another time, when we had our controls shot out, he went back in the waist and pulled the cables by hand, when we would call him over the interphone and tell him which one we wanted pulled. Between that and a few other things, we got away from the Krouts, and he is getting a well deserved D. F. C. He's a good man. So you got the mortgage paid off on the ranch Dad. Good enough. Jack January 23, 1945 January Twenty-three Hi Ya All, Just got Dad's letter of Dec. 29. It is the one Uncle Sam wrote on also. You can see mail is very slow. Haven't been doing much. Had a heavy snow storm day before yesterday, and it has been very cold since. Have been attending lectures every day on most everything in general. No rest for the wicked. Everyone is very much interested in the new Russian offensive, which reminds me of a little joke. "Hey Joe, I heard you got shot down the other day." "Yeah, about five hundred miles behind the lines." "How long did it take you to get back?" "Oh, just three days. Made about two hundred miles a day." "Say, you sound like the Russians." "I was rushin' " I got a letter from Kenneth the other day, also one from his Dad. After I answer them, I'll send them to you. You'll probably have to wait quite a while. My letter writing is getting worse all the time. After I write someone once, the next time, it's just the same damn thing over again. We have a new fellow in our house. He will be with us for only a couple of days. He just got in yesterday and there was no place for them to stay. So we took one in until they get permanent quarters fixed up. He was at Lemoore for quite a while and spent quite a bit of his off time in Hanford. Still have John Pembutan working for you? Tell him hello for me. A fine bunch of duck hunters you guys turned out to be. That goes mostly for Lot Bairstow Jr. Maybe you should try a salt shaker. All we did in France was pick up a ship. Did you figure out anything about my masterpieces of art? I mean the one of our house and the other one. [referring to drawings he made of their hut] We don't get a ship anytime we want one. If we're not doing anything (which isn't very probable), and we want to go somewhere, and a ship happens to need a test hop. Chances are you can fly there. Doesn't make any difference to operations, all they're interested in is see that the plane checks O. K. or not. I imagine Bari would be O. K. in the summer time as far as climatic conditions go. Can't say most of Italy wouldn't be in that respect during the summer. Only trouble is heat would probably increase the smell and Lord knows you can smell these towns far enough away now. You don't realize what a wonderful country you live in. After a few trips to town, you are content to stay out at the field and plop around in the mud. I have learned to appreciate alot of things I just used to take for granted. Of course, conditions are not normal like they would be at peace time. About the cigarettes, If it isn't to much trouble getting them, send them along. I bought four chairs and a table the other day. Not so fancy but practical. They cost me $35 or six cartons of cigarettes. I put a down payment on them Have one carton I received in one package you sent me and am waiting for the others. Say Pap, I could use some cigars. They cut our ration down to one a week. Everyone has hit the sack and imagine they want this light turned out. Jack January, 28 1945 January 28 Hi Ya All, The mail clerk has been good to me the past two days. Three from "you all" yesterday and two today. The dates range from Dec. 25 to Jan. 12. (That is the postmarks) I keep a roster on the numbers of the letters. The last was number twenty-seven. According to my record, I am short number twenty-three and twenty-five. I also got the package with the cigarettes and candy. Thanks lots. That See's candy really hit the spot. If I can get off tomorrow, I'll go to town and trade the cigarettes for the table and chairs. If it isn't to much trouble getting cigarettes, send some along. Don't put yourself out because what we have now and the table and chairs will make it pretty comfortable with us. What I get from now on will more or less be a luxury. A good sized mirror will be handy and a chest to put some of my stuff in. You asked me about formation and link, Mom. Just because we're out here doesn't mean we're all done training. It's the old army game. Never satisfied. If you could drop a bomb into a milk bottle from ten miles high, they would give you hell because you didn't hit it exactly in the center. I guess it has it's good points though. No matter how good you are, you can always do better. That's why the formation flying and link training when we're not doing anything. Bombardiers get bomb training, gunners get gun turret training, and navigators, G box and other radar equipment. They have some wonderful synthetic trainers which almost represent the actual conditions. No rest for the wicked. Seems you don't get my explanation between sorties and missions straight. Well, boy, I'm going to explain it if it takes twenty pages. One sortie is simple. It's one plane over the target once. In other words, if the 15th Air Force sent ten planes up to bomb Germany, that would be ten sorties. We have to have 35 such trips before we can go home. One trip, one sortie. I have four, so you see I have a few to go yet. 31 to be exact. Now "mission", which isn't used now, is a little different. I guess you have been under the impression that 50 missions meant 50 times over the target. In other words, 50 times you went out to bomb the Krouts. It doesn't. Supposing you went out on a trip to bomb the Krouts and it was as rough as hell, and everyone got their pants shot off, and only half the ships came back. In a case like that, they would probably get credit for "two" missions. Now the next day they had to go out and bomb the Krouts again. This time, it was easy. They didn't see a burst of flak, didn't lose a ship, and nobody got a scratch. They would undoubtedly get credited as "one" mission. So you can see a guy can have 50 missions and not gone 50 times over the target. I think that's why they changed it to sorties. Some guys were getting home with less than 35 trips to their credit. Yet their missions added up to fifty. Now with the sorties, you make 35 trips, easy or rough, it makes no difference. Have you got that straight? One trip = one sortie. I have heard from both Onieda and Fella, Mom, and I see you have too. Seems they were very pleased with their gifts. Thank you very much for doing that for me. I heard that song "Don't Fence Me In". Only heard it once and liked it very much. How's that butch haircut, Lot? And how are you making out with those cigars? Mom says you need some practice. Can you swallow the juice? Have only been to Bari once and that was because we had to go. Didn't do much. There isn't any places over here that interest me very much. Popeck and I must have been tough or something. We didn't have any ill effects when Rudy and Lew got sick. We must have east iron stomachs! There isn't much to do in the evenings here. A nice stack of mail always makes the evening pleasant. Mail first, eating second. There is a club where you can buy drinks and play craps, also is a theatre and that is about all. We stay home most of the time. Generally a bunch of fellows come over and we listen to the radio, play cards, write letters, argue about the Civil War. Quite a poker game has been going on this evening. Did they catch the escaped Germans that got away from the camp down by Corcoran? How is Lot making out with the draft board? Don't know of any way of evading the buggers, but if you could convince them that you couldn't possibly get by without him, might do some good. If Dad could get a doctor's word, it would be detrimental to his health (Dad's health) to do such hard work, it might help. I hate to see Lot get drafted. He can sure do a heck of a lot more good where he is. There are plenty of guys to draft. A few of the professional athletes could stand army life, I am sure. What did I do in Marseilles? Well, I didn't do very much. Was actually in town only one day. We met a couple of pretty nice numbers and took in a show. Oh, I learned how to say "good day" and "good night" in French. The rest of the time we were in France was spent out in the field and the main thing to do was to be careful where you went. When the Krouts left, they planted booby traps all over the place. We have a new fellow in our house now. Just got assigned to our group the other day. There was no place for him to stay and we had a little room. His name is Henry Villa from Texas. Was out at Lemoore during August and September, and knows Hanford very well. That makes five of us in here now. I hear from Joe once in a while. Have only seen him once since he left. We have been flying without a bombardier since he left. We just fly close to the lead ship and when he drops his bombs, we pull the switch and ours go to. Yep, I saw the picture "Going My Way". Saw it in the states someplace and I agree with you. Fitzgerald was tops in the picture. If I get to England, I will look up your friend Mom. Chances of going there look very slim, but you never can tell. I was surprised to know I had 757 bucks in my checking account. I have decided to leave it in my checking account. You are pretty close on figuring out where I am Mom. Move your position south of the town you said I was north of about seventy miles and you will have it. If you take those two sketches I sent home and work the right combination, you might make something out of it. It is turning out to be a wicked night tonight. Starting to snow and blowing to beat heck. Our new stove (The one you can see in the pictures I sent you) doesn't give any trouble at all. "Maybe I had better knock on wood!" Chimney doesn't choke up and it puts out the heat. Uses about eight gallons of oil a day. I haven't tried that oil and sand deal in our fireplace yet. When conditions aren't just right, it smokes a puff now and then on the inside and if it would do that with oil smoke, it would be a mess in here. So Faith has joined the Navy? See she is going to Hunter College in New York for Boot Camp. I was out at the College to visit Oneida once when I was in N. Y. There were thousands of waves there. "Wouldn't be a bed place to get lost in!" How's the battery on the car Sis? Pretty good idea, pretty good. Did you ever try a lasso rope?! Jack February 18, 1945 February Eighteen Hi Ya All, We are using a lamp tonight. Isn't as good as the lights but is better than nothing. Last night, the dispensary burned up, putt putt and all. I don't know what poor old Doc is going to do if someone breaks a leg. All his pills went up in smoke too. Pills for everything. So far I've been lucky enough to not have to take to many of them. Did you ever take a sulfuh tablet? Something like trying to swallow a bale of hay. I ran a screwdriver near all the way through my hand some time ago. I think I took twice as much sulfuh in the stomach as I did on the wound. It's great stuff though. It healed up perfectly in a very short time. The water heater over at the mess hall exploded the other evening. Boy, what a noise it made. No damage done. It is always catching fire which doesn't amount to much but never has gone off with such a bang before. I gave the window glass to a neighbor of ours for some windows he put in his house. It did the trick perfect and he was thankful to get it. Received a letter form Mom, number thirty-five. Makes me short the three proceeding it. Am looking for them everyday. It has turned rather nasty again but no rain. Seems like "you all" have been having plenty of moisture. Is the old lake going to give trouble gain this year, Pap? Glad Dick is getting a furlough. I think it was time Johnny and Claude were getting one too. As for sorties, I have six. Big numbers, isn't it? It's getting late and everyone is in the sack. Good place for me too. Jack [The following letter is on stationary with a letterhead that reads "Junk from Jack".] February 21, 1945 2/21/45 Hi Ya All, Ever see any of this junk before? Was looking through some of my junk and found this junk. Good thing though. I was out of writing paper altogether. The P. X. on the field never has any and the one in town won't sell us any. It has turned winter again just as I thought spring was here or at least on the way. I'm not going to make any more predictions! A wind blew up a couple of days ago and hasn't stopped yet. A cold son-of-a-gun it is. It snowed a little and has been freezing. Yesterday, as I ran out of the mess hall for briefing after an early breakfast, I grabbed a couple of oranges to eat on the way back from the mission. (sortie) We call them missions but they're actually sorties. Anyway, we were on the way back and had dropped down 10,000 feet. So I took my oxygen mask off, reached into my hand bag, that I always carry along, for the oranges. They were frozen like a couple of orange rocks. I chipped the peel off and ate it somewhat like an apple. So cold, it almost froze my teeth. What the heck did I eat it for then? I was hungry and it tasted good. Our foot lockers got here the other day. We have been waiting for them since we arrived here. I didn't have anything in mine but it is a good place to store the clothing I wasn't using. I had had it in a box and it was at the point of getting moldy. I had it hanging around the stove drying out, piled on chairs, boxes, and what have you. But I got them dried nevertheless and stored in my foot locker. Just received Dad's letter of Jan 31, numbered thirty-five. Mom's last was numbered thirty-five also. According to my chart, I am still short 25-29-32-33-34. Of course one of those 35's could be 34 or 36, and 29 I believe is one that wasn't numbered. Has it stopped raining yet?! I bet the valley is beginning to look pretty now. Is it? About those packages being unclaimed. You can bet your bottom red cent they never got close enough for me to claim them. Say Mom, you quit correcting Dad's letters. I like them just the way they are. Did you get the trees wired, Pap? I received a nice letter from Mrs. Perry the other day. She had heard from George recently. Oh Mom, could use one of those delicious fruit cakes you make. Jack March 3, 1945 March Three Hi Ya All, Haven't done much today. It has been a nasty day. A real old March wind and trying to rain a little along with it. It has been very though, the past few days. The country around here needs a little rain right now. Imagine me saying that after what I have said about the mud! Not that we relish the mud or like the rain, but the grain crop the Guineas have planted is about ready to start growing again after staying mostly dormant all winter and a little drink wouldn't hurt it any. It isn't suffering as yet though. That is about all they grow around here. Have seen a couple of small olive orchards on the way to town, but it was mostly grain. (It has just begun to snow) One thing I have to give these Guineas credit for (only one), their animals, both horses and mules. They're not very large as a rule but mostly damn fine looking animals. Much better than the population themselves. Their sheep are mostly of the long wool variety and their cows look like crossbreeds between something and bramer bulls. Guess they use them as much for beef as milk production. We took some boys to Naples the other day. Just over and back. Anyway, we flew directly over Mt. Vesuvius so I reached her up so we could take a good look down inside. Wasn't very much to it. Just a hole in the top of a mountain with some smoke coming out in two or three spots in the bottom of it. More or less interesting though. The mountain itself sticks up like a sore thumb alongside Naples. A good landmark indeed. Sometimes it has snow around the peak which makes it more picturesque. Bought a couple of new pipes the other day. One is a long stumbed job with a rather small bowl. Not bad looking and a pretty good smoke. In fact, I'm smoking it right now. It looks as if it could easily be broken which happens to most all my pipes. The other is a little small job. Really not good for anything except to have. Received three letters from "you all" recently. Two from Mom and one from Dad. Numbered 29, 39-40. Makes me about three short. Seems I'm short many packages. Gosh but they take a long time. Say Pap, that was some fast talking to take that guy out of a box of cigars at the drug store. Was glad to hear Mike had graduated. By now I guess he has been home and probably left, eh? Say Mom, don't tell me you're spoiling my dog. Getting so soft you have to keep her in the house and make a vest for her! Did you get to see Dick? Jack March 26, 1945 March Twenty-six Hi Ya All, Received the pecans and tobacco the other day. Thank you very much. The pecans hit the spot and the tobacco is very fine. Enough to last me till heck freezes over. All your packages that I have received have arrived in good shape. The packing job has been very good. Some have been handled a bit rough but it didn't hurt them any. Rudy and I had a pass so we went to Bari. That is we took a pass. It was different than the usual routine so we enjoyed it. Isn't much there. We just more or less killed some time. It has clouded up today and it looks like it might rain. Have been having some very nice days. The trucks have been kicking up dust along the roads instead of mud. The snow line is moving father north. As the days and weeks pass, I notice it on the way up. Almond trees are still in bloom around here. There are quite a few around Bari, also olives. The olive trees look like they are hundreds of years old. Also a few vineyards. I guess most of the vineyards are in another part of the country. The vineyards though are planted about three feet by three feet, very close together. And when they cultivate them, they do it with a hoe. Beats me why they can't get a horse in among those things. Was happy to hear Lot got his deferment. If anyone deserved one, he surely did. So you got a laugh out of the guys sweating out their code? To tell you the truth, I haven't practiced mine in so long, I have almost forgotten it. Yes, I got a letter from Teddy and one from Kenneth. Incidentally, I haven't answered them yet! They invited me to visit them and I would like to very much. But chances look very slim. If I have a chance, I will though. Kenneth said he wanted to come to California sometime. I bet if he once got there, he wouldn't go back! Think so? Got a laugh out of Uncle Sam kicking through with ten bucks. Keep up the good work Pap. See you still like your "stinking" cheese Pop. On second thought, I believe I could do with some right now with say some crackers and a bottle of beer. Say, what's happening to that dog of mine? Living in the house and won't eat this and won't eat that. I can remember when she would eat, uh, well forget it! How did the dove eggs turn out, you took down to Mrs. Princer, Pop? Our missions average between eight and nine hours. They got the putt putt working again. Lights and the radio full good for a change. Popeck is in the sack. He sticks his hand out every once in a while to tune the radio. I believe he could take it apart and put it back together with his eyes shut. "Of course I'm not saying it would work after he put it together!" Rudy is knocking himself out, as I am, trying to write a letter. Lew was going to bed but I think he has changed his mind and is going to write a letter. Picked up a news broadcast from Berlin in English a short while ago. They admitted we were gaining in some places. Of course they were kicking the ____ out of us. [deletion his] Had a slight touch of athletes foot the other day. So I got some G. I. foot powder from the dispensary and It has all gone way. Say Mom, did you catch Sis in her bathing suit yet while you had the camera?! Jack April 10, 1945 1945 April Tenth Hi Ya All, Finished chow about an hour ago and then I took shower. It is now seven fifteen and still very light out. The reason for that is we moved our clocks up an hour the other day. Seems awkward for the first couple of days but it doesn't seem any different now. Makes the days feel longer. also makes getting up feel earlier too. Haven't been doing much the past couple of days. Lew hasn't been feeling so good so they grounded him . That puts me on the ground too unless they scheduled me with another crew which they haven't done yet. They do do it quite often. Like if a copilot was grounded on another crew for some reason or another, I would be a likely subject to take his place. Popeck has been pinch hitting for other navigators quite a bit and therefore got quite a bit ahead of the rest of us in his sorties. They have been keeping me somewhat busy with details. Was Group Duty Officer the other day. It wound up to be about a thirty hour stretch without any sleep. They change every day and I had the next day off so I got plenty of sleep. Spent a couple of hours on the skeet range the other afternoon. Got twenty birds out of twenty-five shots. That ain't a hot score but I beat the gunners that were out there at the time. It's quite a battle between the gunners and the officers, especially the pilots because we never did have any gunnery during our training and when we beat them, it has it's effects. when our crew shoots together, we generally bet a beer. Right now, the Bob Hope program is on. It's probably a rebroadcast but it's new to us. He's in Memphis. Rudy and I had the day off so we went to town and ran into a little unexpected excitement. I had just got into a barbershop and ready to sit down when the place gave a shutter, the plate glass window fell in. everything fell on the floor, a couple of panels fell down on us. About the same time it came, a terrific roar. I was a bit bewildered for a moment, didn't know what the hell was coming off. There was a big G. I. truck parked right in front of the shop. If there was one, I expected another, and right under that G. I. truck I was going, the strongest part of it, but it didn't come. People were becoming panicky and going wild. They calmed down after a short while. Many people were cut by flying glass. One kid that was in the barber shop got a dirty cut on the head. There was a first aid kit nearby so we wrapped him up. Most every window in town was broken and the streets were covered with glass. Doors and window shutters were broken or I should say caved in. I didn't get a scratch or Rudy either. He didn't happen to be with me at the time. The way I get it, an ammo ship blew up. Don't be alarmed because that is very much out of the ordinary. Can't remember something like it happening before. We just changed stations on the radio and picked Bob Hope up again. This time, he's in Quonset Point, Rhode Island. He gets around in quite a hurry doesn't he? I bet your car does look good since you got it fixed up and painted. How does it run since you got the engine worked over? So you still getting paid for 42 grapes? That cooperative winery turned out to be a good thing, didn't it? By the way, how does the government pay on your raisons and how much? I got the other box of cigars the other day and the carton of cigarettes with the pecans among them. Thanks a lot. I haven't opened the cigars. Will wait until I finish the others. See you all are having a time playing solitaire our way. Can't say I have won a game all through that way either. Received your letter with violets in, Mom, but no smell. Got a laugh out of Joe and the rooster. My letter dated four days before spring must have been the seventeenth. Sounds reasonable, don't you think? You ask me how candy is after it gets here. Darned good is about all I can say. Jack May 24, 1945 May 24 1945 Hi Ya All, I had to throw some water on some of those statements I made in my last letter. According to what we were told, they weren't for off. But according to what is actually happening, they are way off. We haven't moved an inch since I last wrote. Being the Army, I should have known better than relying on it. Better expect me when you see, then I can't be wrong. For the past few days, I have been getting plenty of nothing to do. Have been going down to the beach pretty frequently, today being about the only day I missed. It isn't much of a beach, but the water is wet, and it's a good place to cool off. Have picked up a little tan too. Generally take in a movie in the evening. Saw a stage show night before last. It was a British show, something like our U. S. O. shows. Wasn't so bad but I couldn't make much of some of their jokes. Got some forms today in connection with sending my footlocker home. Boy you talk about red tape. Eight sheets of the stuff, just to send a box home. They about want everything from what's in it, to your Grandmother's middle name. Well, there isn't much to do so there isn't much to say. we don't receive any mail here, so no letters to answer. If I built up your hopes last time, don't feel bad because mine were higher. Jack What follows is a satire of "Twas the Night before Christmas" and two of the songs that were collected by my grandfather The Night Before Christmas Twas the night before Christmas and all through the group The big wheels and wigs were grinding out "poop" The bombers were parked on their hardstands with care. Waiting for armament soon to be there. The flyers were nestled all snug in their beds While visions of milk runs danced in their heads. When out of the darkness, there came quite a knock We cursed the O. D. and looked at the clock. Briefing will be in two hours, he said. Time marches on and the minutes fly by. So it's out of the sack and make with the flying. We rushed to the mess hall quick as a flash. We ate cold powdered eggs with hideous hash. Then a long bumpy ride to the group's briefing room. Where the big wigs preside and dish out our doom. The target is told and the first sir grows faint. Far lo and behold "Vienna" it ain't. The brain has slipped up on my poor aching back. We're bombing a place that throws up no flak. So it's back to the truck and off to the line. The road is now smooth and the weather is fine. The crew is at station, the check list is run. The engines run smoothly as we give in the gun. Then suddenly the pilot wails in despair "Look at the tower, they've just shot a flare." We dash to the window with a heart full of dread. The pilot was right, the damn thing is RED So it's back to the sack and we sweat out our fate. For there's practice formation at a quarter past eight. A. T. C. Oh, He's never seen a foxhole Or mud up to his knees So, take down your service flag Mother Your Son's in the A. T. C. He's never seen a Zero Or a Folke Wolf 190 So, take down your service flag Mother Your son's in the A. T. C. He wears the wings of a pilot and he's flown o'er the sea So, take down your service flag Mother Your son's in the A. T. C. Last week he was only a shavetail Now he's won his Captaincy So, take down your service flag Mother Your son's in the A. T. C. One day his A-5 malfunctioned And he got the D. F. C. So, take down your service flag Mother Your Son's in the A. T. C. It Happened to Me Be afraid of flak. Duck when the sky turns black. It could happen to you. Tuck it in as you may tumble. Someone lags behind and down he stumbles. Keep your flag suit tight Till the spur's in sight. It could happen to you. All I did was remove my helmet so I could see And it happened to me.