43-45 Frat Boys

I am going to type parts of the letters and not take any photos.  So many of them contain news of who is serving where.  Instead I will write what is extremely interesting to me.  The vast majority of letters were surprised to hear from Jack.  A number of them were mostly can't wait to go drinking with you again letter while listing who they knew from the frat house who were still "in service".  V-mails were letters between servicemen.  They are on special paper.  Quite short.  

This is a letter from "Limey" with  paper heading United States Army Air Forces dated Sept 10, 1943.

"There's one course we have to take that's no breeze-this airplane identification--they flash an airplane on the screen and you're expected to say what it is-and when I say 'flash"--that's just what I mean.  Hell, they don't give you a minute to look at it-- hell-1/25 of a second-really doesn't give you much of a chance--today we were working on those gawd damn British planes.  He'd flash one on the screen and ask some of our boys who can't add -2 and +3 --what it was--and, as easy as nothing they'll say--"A Vockers-Armstorng Wellington- or some such crap--right on the button--and me--a "brain" I can add -2 and +3 --and get it right the two times it was my turn--my two "classic" answers were "I didn't see a fucking thing!" and "Shit, the gawddamn things look all alike"--and to me they do!  Lord, I have my "final" exam in it tomorrow''Thank god I can get my American planes right."

This is a letter from Tom Magill.  He had a serious heart attack in training.  

Dear Gunderman:   May 24, 1944.

I don't know if V-Mail is delivered at sea, in fact I don't know if you are at sea, but here is my letter. Its my 6th week in bed here.  I go for a checkup next week to determine what I will or will not do.  Its all a matter of my heart and the condition its in.

This morning I got a letter off to Cpl. D.S. Boston telling him all I knew and here are a few facts for your consumption.  Les Stine, who is at Yale learning how to take airplane motors apart and how to hold more beer, writes these few facts about some of the guys.... Bob Norton is in a hospital in Missouri with Scarlet Fever, Geo. P Ric is at Cornell teaching Lit; Hug Ridall is in Italy and is bitching about the women.  Satch Kell is in the South Pacific as a Lieut.  The other day I got in touch with Miss Mobis and she gave me Jane Minnich and Meg Galt's addresses and I will attempt to trace some of the guys this way.  What ever I find out, you'll hear.  Oh yes, the air corps, or something, is vacating our house and all the rest this summer sometime.  I want to see Ed. Kitchen and find out what is happening about it, etc.  Penn State is rapidly becoming de-populated.

Dear Jack    27 Jan '45 (V-letter)

Today I finally heard from you sure was glad to hear as I had just about given you up for lost.  Your letter followed me all over the country. Finally caught up with me.  I have been in England and now in Belgium. Had my thumb in the pie (unreadable) Jerry from Belgium and also (unreadable) out that they play for keeps.  I had the misfortune of tripping a booby-trap but nothing serious.  Just resulted in a few weeks rest which I fully appreciated believe me.  If I can hang on to your address for a few days I will try and get off a letter to you---Looking forward to our planned beer party. Mike

Hi Jack                    March 31, 45

I've been thinking about going back to school Jack.  It would be the best thing I guess.  The trouble is, Hassey promises she'll go to the state and Snake up for all the good times we've missed and me wanting to study hard and one of these years intending to marry I think I'll write to me anything.

Dear Jack,       May 16, 1945

As for myself, I've been in the army 32 months & overseas 25.  I left from San Francisco & went to Egypt, Libya, Tunis, and Italy.  That took up my first year overseas & then I came to India & I've been in Assam ever since.  I don't know how much longer I'm going to have to stay over here--for a while I thought I might get home this summer, but since V-E day my hopes have reached a new low.  Unless they suddenly change their policy, I will be here for the duration & it's certainly not a pleasant prospect.  Be sure & write soon it was really swell to hear from you.  Fraternally, Don.

Dear Ritzie----                            Iwo Jima August 10

I've been kinda slow answering this time, Ritzie,--but business has been picking up---missions are coming faster--right now I've got thirty one or two of them.---12 hairy old "ass-busters"--long hauls up over the Jap mainland---seven and eight hour jobs---I'm a regular "Dead Head Kid".  So far I'm kinda snakebit up over the mainland all I have to my credit so far is one probable and two maybes--slim pickings for twelve trips-, dame them anyhow--only two times so far have I tangled assholes with the Pips in the air.  One trip some gawddamn gook ack ack boy tagged me with a 25 mm shell-put a six inch hole clean thru my fuselage--really fucked the old airplane up something fierce--but it got me home over 700 miles of water---bless its heart---But it no sooner than got here--it gave up the ghost--that was its last long haul--it's gone to P-51 heaven now.  Last trip up there had a big hairy old time--ny flight blew up two locomotives--blew them sky high--burned a whole piss pot full of freight cars---knocked down two barrage (unreadable)--clobbered a couple of airfields had a big old time.  Well gotta go now  Love and kisses Mac.