Friday 1900
06-30-1944
Hello Darling:
Still doing business here at the same old stand, although (can’t spell tonight) we haven’t been flying since they told us we were being assigned to the 348th. We certainly are ready to go join them whenever they give the word.
I had hopes that I might get a letter or two from you before we left. However for the past few days no one has received any mail. I know that once we leave here our mail will very likely be balled up for almost a month.
There seems to be an extraordinary number of bugs buzzing around here tonight. The worst of are the little flying ants. We always have a lot of little brown ants here, but tonight they have wings, and they keep bothering the dickens out of us.
I went over to get a hair cut today. My hair was getting about an inch long. First thing I knew it would be getting in my eyes. Mostly what bothered me really was the way it was starting to curl over my ears. Now that is remedied now.
Junior is cussing New Guinea tonight, the bugs, woods and everything. He is very disgusted, and wishes he was back in England. He is a really good kid, and will be ok, all of the boys are telling him he is crazy. Everyone else is glad they are here. His real name is Wurtz, and he comes from Dearborn. He is the youngest one here, and that won him the moniker of Junior. Usually he is one of the best natured boys I know of, but he is disgusted with this place tonight. In much different words of course. I couldn’t write the actual language being tossed around here at the moment.
However he feels about it doesn’t change our opinion. This is where we want to be, other than to be at home. Since we have to go somewhere to fight this is the best in most of the boy’s opinion. Don’t get me wrong Darling. I am not praising the jungle life. If we were over in England we would find plenty to be griped about too I think. This to my mind is the lesser of the two evils.
These ants are getting in my hair too much darling, and I don’t have too much news tonight, so I think I will sign off for now.
I love you – always and all ways. No matter how far apart we are you are always here with me in my heart. Take good care of you for me won’t you? I love you.
Love George
Showing posts with label 348th. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 348th. Show all posts
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Letter Home 06-29-1944
Wednesday 1700
6-29-44
Hello Darling:
This is Thursday I found out after putting Wed at the top there. That is how things go here. We can’t keep track of the days. I just took someone else’s word that it was Wed, and that started a slight dispute, so I looked it up on your little calendar.
We had a long meeting last night, so I did not get around to writing to you. It was on a new jungle kit, and they went through it completely. By the time they were through it was sack time. I hope you don’t mind too much darling.
I also had something of importance to tell you too. The night before last they had the bar open again. I don’t know where they got it, but they had ice for the drinks. What a difference that makes! They were about 500% better. I only had about 5 drinks.
I don’t think we are going to get paid on time this month. We are not assigned to this outfit, so we can’t get it with them. In fact, they are wondering how and where the money will come from to pay them. It is a good thing we don’t need much money around here. I am broke as far as actual cash goes. I’ve still got the travelers checks I brought with me from the States though. Why they told us to bring them I don’t know. We get paid in the money they use here, so why use checks?
I just got interrupted to go eat. We had bully beef, so I only ate soup. They do have very good soup here. It was onion soup, and we all ate 2 or 3 bowls at least. We had some fresh eggs this morning for breakfast. That is what we enjoy most I guess.
The most important news I have is something that I like very much. Some of us have been assigned to the 348th Group, and I am one of them. That is just what I have been hoping for. Now when we get to the Group I hope I am not disappointed. I don’t think I will be though.
I know when I am leaving here of course, but I can’t tell you. You will know when I can do so though. I also will get a new APO# and then I can ask you to send me some things, now that I am permanently assigned to the 348th.
I sure will be glad to get up there with the boys, and start doing something. We had enough of aerial gunnery and training ect back in the States. If we aren’t ready by now we may as well give up and I don’t think we need to do that. I believe all these boys are good pilots.
I guess I will have to loose your letters now that we will have to be moving one of these days. I don’t have room to carry them. I think I will read them over before I do though. Best I do that now eh? I love you very much darling. Take care of you for me won’t you?
Love George.
6-29-44
Hello Darling:
This is Thursday I found out after putting Wed at the top there. That is how things go here. We can’t keep track of the days. I just took someone else’s word that it was Wed, and that started a slight dispute, so I looked it up on your little calendar.
We had a long meeting last night, so I did not get around to writing to you. It was on a new jungle kit, and they went through it completely. By the time they were through it was sack time. I hope you don’t mind too much darling.
I also had something of importance to tell you too. The night before last they had the bar open again. I don’t know where they got it, but they had ice for the drinks. What a difference that makes! They were about 500% better. I only had about 5 drinks.
I don’t think we are going to get paid on time this month. We are not assigned to this outfit, so we can’t get it with them. In fact, they are wondering how and where the money will come from to pay them. It is a good thing we don’t need much money around here. I am broke as far as actual cash goes. I’ve still got the travelers checks I brought with me from the States though. Why they told us to bring them I don’t know. We get paid in the money they use here, so why use checks?
I just got interrupted to go eat. We had bully beef, so I only ate soup. They do have very good soup here. It was onion soup, and we all ate 2 or 3 bowls at least. We had some fresh eggs this morning for breakfast. That is what we enjoy most I guess.
The most important news I have is something that I like very much. Some of us have been assigned to the 348th Group, and I am one of them. That is just what I have been hoping for. Now when we get to the Group I hope I am not disappointed. I don’t think I will be though.
I know when I am leaving here of course, but I can’t tell you. You will know when I can do so though. I also will get a new APO# and then I can ask you to send me some things, now that I am permanently assigned to the 348th.
I sure will be glad to get up there with the boys, and start doing something. We had enough of aerial gunnery and training ect back in the States. If we aren’t ready by now we may as well give up and I don’t think we need to do that. I believe all these boys are good pilots.
I guess I will have to loose your letters now that we will have to be moving one of these days. I don’t have room to carry them. I think I will read them over before I do though. Best I do that now eh? I love you very much darling. Take care of you for me won’t you?
Love George.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Letter Home 06-19-1944
Monday 1600
06-19-1944
Hello Darling:
There seems to be a difference of opinion as to the date, and I do not have the calendar you sent me handy, so I will try the 19th. I am fairly sure it is Mon.
Yesterday I did not write, because we moved. They got us up at 4 o’clock in the morning. The plane we took left at 5:30. Then we had to wait around when we got here to get transportation. We finally arrived in the camp area around 10 o’clock or so.
After seeing about signing in ect. we had lunch. Then we spent the afternoon fixing up our new happy home. We had to go out in the jungle a bit to cut some logs for the tent poles ect. It took all afternoon to get it fixed up.
After we got it ready we had to go get our cots and mosquito nets and all. That took more time to get all that set up, and by that time it was just about shower time.
They have a well here, and a pump. They pump the water up into a big tank, and when it is full it is shower time. It is opened up and runs to three showers till the tank is empty. So you have to be there for a shower when it is running.
They have a schedule for officers and enlisted men. Each of them are allotted about two hours a day. It is some sight when 15 to 25 men out here in the open jungle are trying to hurry up and take a shower, especially when there are only 3 showers.
After supper I was ready for bed. I am not sure whether I would have written last night if we had lights or not. I know I was plenty tired. That was about the first real work I had done in a long time. Besides getting up at 4 in the morning. It was too dark to do anything but go to bed, and that suited me.
Oh I almost forgot that we also had a meeting shortly after supper. We met out Squadron C.O. and the operations Officer. They told us a little about their policies, and what we will be doing here. All we are here for is some more aerial gunnery. We are not permanently part of this Group. After we finish here we will be assigned to the outfits we will stay with. Some of us will stay with this Group, but most of us will go to other ones. I am still hoping to get in the 348th.
I was interrupted here to go eat. Speaking of eating, the food here is swell. It is pretty much the same food we got before, but they certainly can fix it better. It isn’t deluxe or anything like that, but we enjoy it.
I was about to say that I would have to quit writing, because it was getting dark. We did rig up a line for some lights today, but they were not working. Then all of a sudden just now they came on. They have a generator that is not very big, and it does not go on till dark.
All we get per tent is one 25 watt bulb, because of the small generator, but it helps a lot. If we had a radio we could not play it unless it worked on batteries. The guy that was in our hut back there that had the radio did not come with us. Probably when he comes he will live in a different tent, and we still won’t have any radio.
It is time for a movie we are having tonight darling. Do you mind if I wait till tomorrow to finish this story? I love you very much – always –
Love George
06-19-1944
Hello Darling:
There seems to be a difference of opinion as to the date, and I do not have the calendar you sent me handy, so I will try the 19th. I am fairly sure it is Mon.
Yesterday I did not write, because we moved. They got us up at 4 o’clock in the morning. The plane we took left at 5:30. Then we had to wait around when we got here to get transportation. We finally arrived in the camp area around 10 o’clock or so.
After seeing about signing in ect. we had lunch. Then we spent the afternoon fixing up our new happy home. We had to go out in the jungle a bit to cut some logs for the tent poles ect. It took all afternoon to get it fixed up.
After we got it ready we had to go get our cots and mosquito nets and all. That took more time to get all that set up, and by that time it was just about shower time.
They have a well here, and a pump. They pump the water up into a big tank, and when it is full it is shower time. It is opened up and runs to three showers till the tank is empty. So you have to be there for a shower when it is running.
They have a schedule for officers and enlisted men. Each of them are allotted about two hours a day. It is some sight when 15 to 25 men out here in the open jungle are trying to hurry up and take a shower, especially when there are only 3 showers.
After supper I was ready for bed. I am not sure whether I would have written last night if we had lights or not. I know I was plenty tired. That was about the first real work I had done in a long time. Besides getting up at 4 in the morning. It was too dark to do anything but go to bed, and that suited me.
Oh I almost forgot that we also had a meeting shortly after supper. We met out Squadron C.O. and the operations Officer. They told us a little about their policies, and what we will be doing here. All we are here for is some more aerial gunnery. We are not permanently part of this Group. After we finish here we will be assigned to the outfits we will stay with. Some of us will stay with this Group, but most of us will go to other ones. I am still hoping to get in the 348th.
I was interrupted here to go eat. Speaking of eating, the food here is swell. It is pretty much the same food we got before, but they certainly can fix it better. It isn’t deluxe or anything like that, but we enjoy it.
I was about to say that I would have to quit writing, because it was getting dark. We did rig up a line for some lights today, but they were not working. Then all of a sudden just now they came on. They have a generator that is not very big, and it does not go on till dark.
All we get per tent is one 25 watt bulb, because of the small generator, but it helps a lot. If we had a radio we could not play it unless it worked on batteries. The guy that was in our hut back there that had the radio did not come with us. Probably when he comes he will live in a different tent, and we still won’t have any radio.
It is time for a movie we are having tonight darling. Do you mind if I wait till tomorrow to finish this story? I love you very much – always –
Love George
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