Letters to Dad

                                         June 24 Dear Jack:-     Well-we asked for summer & here it is--91 today--although poor Don says it is 120 over there.     It seems my heart is in my mouth all the time over you kids---I hope your ship steers clear of those suicide planes.     Don said he had an infected ear-but it is better.  This the second time he has had trouble with his ear since the auto accident and I wonder if there is any connection.     Brad Law & his girl were up today.  He is to be in Maryland until Aug. and then if he gets a furlough he is going to get married.  Nuts!  I'd say.  I hear Jimmie is going with Betty McCafferty.  Chick was talking to Kennie Roberts -- the one who was a prisoner for so long.  He said the Germans sure treated them rough.  Don found out t...

                                              June 12 Dear Jack.-     There doesn't seem to be much news but - I'll write this so you'll know we haven't forgotten you.     Dave O'Hara married Dottie Adamson from Cheswick last night.  I think she was in Don's year at school.  I guess you & Don will be bachelors-eh?  At any rate the important thing will be to finish your education-if this damn war ever ends!  The papers aren't bellering a near peace now--some estimates are 2 yrs!  I can't see why we have to fight for England's, France, & Hollands land.  Let them fight for their own rich land.     Jimmie Haslinger is home & windy as every--He has 2 or 3 stars on his ribbon & what everyone wants to know is do Naval flyers get stars?  Do you know?  He was patrolling out...

June 9-45 Dear Jack:     I am sending you a card to sign from the bank.  I put the money in in both names so I could send you a check if you happen to need me but hope you can leave it in so when you come home you will have a little money you sign where I have a mark sign Jack Reitz as that is what is on the book be sure and send the card back.  I had a letter from alice they are going to send 5% of his office to Chicago and he can go to Calif. Germany or a couple of places in the south.  But they want to come to Pittsburgh and stay here until they can get a place. The Oterbeck's offered $8500 for my place but I told the agent I would not take less then $10000.  I don't know what I would do if I'd sell but it certainly is getting to be to much work for me.  Well dearie I guess there is nothing new so will close and look for an ans soon.                              Lov...

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...