Letter Home 08-19-1944

Saturday
08-19-1944

Hello Darling:

It is early in the morning for me to be writing, but I missed last night. We had a double feature at the show, and it took till 11:15 to finish. By the time I got back to the house the lights were out. I have to fly this morning, but one of the boys in the flight is just going over to eat breakfast, so I think I have time. It is 8 o’clock now. Ten o’clock last night to you. You are probably thinking of going to bed about now. Wish I were with you.

I hope you aren’t too surprised when you get the money I sent home to you yesterday. I haven’t heard what you may have had to say about the $450 I sent before, but you seemed to think the $270 I sent from Frisco was quite a bit, so no doubt the other was a bigger surprise. Well yesterday I topped it all with $1000.00. I don’t ever expect to be able to do that again, in fact I am still not quite used to it myself.

I have to fly – See you later. I love you darling – lots and lots!

Well here I am again an hour and a half later. Things were slightly SNAFU (Situation Normal All Fouled Up) and we did not fly. There were 3 flights there, and we had a time even getting enough planes for one. A lot of them were out for inspections and plug changes. Lots of fun, but no flying.

To get back to this conversation about money – filthy subject isn’t it. I don’t mean to dwell on it so, but I though you might expect a bit of explaining. Anyway I won most of that $1000 playing poker. And I’ve also got 3 money orders for #100.00 each that I think I will have Hayes endorse to you and just send them in this envelope. They can only be transferred once, so I won’t even bother having them endorsed to me. I will also have to mention this in another letter in case this one gets lost. I will keep the stubs so I can send you the serial #’s on them if such a thing does happen. You can perhaps mention receiving both of these amounts in a couple of you letters too, so I will know you got them.

Now I suppose I better say something about my winning such a number of pickets for the fence around the hut? That was very unusual for me (or anyone) to win that much. I was just extra lucky. Usually no one wins more then 3 or 400 bucks. And every one of them is still ahead of the game. For instance Hayes (who lost the 300) has sent home over $2000 since he has been here, and Ford has won quite a bit, and so on. And I do not intend to be losing a lot of money myself, because I won’t have it to lose. I keep just a little to play with each month. If I win – fine! – I send it home. If I lose I won’t lose much, and then I can wait till the next month to try my little bit again. For instance right now I have $50 in case I play again. If I lose I quit, and I will still be way ahead.

This is not changing me in any way as far as my getting gambler’s fever or anything either. All of us over here kind of lose our sense of value of money, because we can’t spend any, and it is also in this Dutch money. It is almost like play money. For $50 I get about 100 of these cigar coupons. If we had American dollars we probably would never have very big games. Also, it doesn’t matter to me if I play for small amounts or large. I just like to play cards. Nearly any kind for that matter. Also I never expect to play very much poker of any kind when I get home. Then I will realize what money means and I will have you, xo I won’t have to look anywhere else for entertainment. Naturally I like to win like this to give us something to start on when I get home. Especially since I have no idea what I will do for a job. In case you have to support me I may at least hold up my end for a short time at any rate. (Just kidding darling.)

I am not out for blood in these games either. I hope I win, but it doesn’t matter. If I don’t have any money at all when I get home I will have you (and that is worth more than any amount of dough), and we will get by somehow. Just being with you will make me happy, and I intend to do everything in my power to make you happy too.

This had been quite a long discourse on gambling and money. I hope I haven’t left you with the impression that I’ve become so mercenary that I can think of nothing else. Rather I hope I’ve made you understand how I feel about the whole thing. How about it? What did you make of it?

By the way if you or the folks, or the folks in Detroit need any money of have use for it, don’t hesitate to use it. Nothing would please me more than to see you get some enjoyment out of it. It doesn’t mean anything to me as far as using it goes. You don’t have to use it on necessities either if you don’t want to. Spend it foolishly or anyway – like buy yourself some shoes for instance. This is probably the only time I will ever feel that I have enough to even think of satisfying my darling’s fondness for shoes. Again, I am kidding, or did you know that already.

I guess I won’t have to mention this subject again. I’ve covered it exhaustively I think. A much better subject for conversation is my love for you. That is reall great! It doesn’t seem right to crowd such a lot of love into such a small space, but I am out of paper again. I love you!

Love George

Formal Photograph

George M. Barnes

George M. Barnes and the "Little Edie"

Here is a great picture of my grandfather and his plane, the "Little Edie" which was named in honor of my grandmother Edith.

Letter Home 06-30-1944

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 a 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

Letter Home 06-27-1944

Thursday 1900
06-27-1944

Hello Darling:

It seems like everyone was pretty busy while Dottie was home. I bet everyone had a good time though. Too bad she could not stay longer.

I got three letters from you today. The mail situation is a lot better here. I also got the Vmail you sent by the way.

What is this you tell me about these 4F wolves keeping an eye on you in some bar? I can understand it though in a way, because you are a very lovely gal. So any man might be intrigued! However don’t pay any attention to them will you?

I can imagine Betty getting a big kick out of it. I’ll bet she teased you unmercifully. She is a pretty good sport I think.

I just got Dottie’s address, so now perhaps I can write her a little note some evening. In fact tonight is as good as any I guess.

You asked me to elaborate on going to town business I spoke of back where we were. Well there used to be people live in these towns in New Guinea. From what a few Aussies have said it was pretty much a summer vacation spot. They had a few hotels and a few houses there. There aren’t any civilians around now though. It is all Army, Navy and Aussies now. The only thing of any interest there was the Allied Officer’s Club. They did not have anything much to sell. In fact nothing in the line of drinking material. All they had was some cold drinks. Not much taste to them. Just circus water. During the day we could get tea and cakes. I think I told you about doing that one time. They also served dinners there, but I don’t know how they were. I was never in for one.

There aren’t really any towns as you know them at home. Every place is simply an Army or Navy base, or an air strip. There probably wont be any civilians around till long after the war is over. Any time the boys get leave here they fly down to Austrailia in transport planes. On the Army naturally.

Most of the boys are a bit disgusted about the leave situation. Usually, the leaves are given to the boys every three or four months. On a rotation system, so there is always someone on leave.

However in our case we have not been assigned to any outfit yet, and all this time we spend does not count on any leaves. That doesn’t bother me so much. I’d just as soon keep right on the job here till it was over. What I hope is that this time does count on how soon we get home.

One of the boys in the tent is from Detroit, and he just got a copy of the Detroit News today. It is the April 29th issue. We found a poem in it and a cartoon we got a kick out of. He kept the poem, but I copied it for you.

Only a Woman

If you might rest a moment in my arms
Only a moment fee from fact and fear
All of my soul would crumble at your wish
All of my heart open, to find you near.

If you could pause, even a second’s breath,
Forgetting time and reason and our duty
What might we learn of wonder and of depth
What cadence full of vast, eternal beauty.

But we must stand, separate and long apart,
Hallowed for things larger than self and time
Only a woman turns her eyes away,
And longs to set a holocaust to rhyme.

The poem I am serious about sweetheart, but I am only kidding about the cartoon. You will look good to me no matter what.

I will be running out of things to say soon, and won’t be able to write much to Dottie. Maybe I better sign off for now.

I love you darling very much. Every day is possible I love you more. I love you

Love,

George

Pictures Taken by Sgt. Albert Arnold

Some time ago I was contacted through the excellent forums over at World War Two Forums, if you have any interest in WWII history you should really check them out, and was offered some great information and pictures by someone who's father was an Air operations Specialist while the 341st was on New Guinea from 23 June 1943 until he was wounded and sent home on 3 February 1945.

This gentleman's name was Sgt. Albert V. Arnold, and he took some excellent photos of his time overseas. His daughter was kind enough to send me some copies to me, and I am proud to share them with you.

The first is Sgt. Arnold himself. His daughter said that he is posing with some model airplanes that he crafted out of spent shell casings. She also let me know that her family still has these (very cool)

This photo is from the inside of the operations building. Sgt. Arnold is third from the left.

Here are two excellent examples of the pin-up art work on the noses of the fighters.

Here is a group shot of several men outside the 341st Operations / Intelligence building.

A wide shot of the camp.

What appears, to my eyes at least, to be a damaged American plane.

A gentleman, unidentified, in a foxhole or trench under what seems to be barracks.

A downed Japanese Zero

This one came to me labelled, "Al's Buddy"

Finally, we have a shot of pilot Lt. J.M. Nixon

I would like to thank Sgt. Arnold's daughter, Katherine, greatly for her generosity in providing me these pictures. I would also like to offer a sheepish apology for taking so long to put them up. Two small kids keep me away from the computer more often than not.

Thank you, also, to everyone over at World War Two Forums for the great information.

Long Time, No Post

I am rethinking my approach to this project. What I am trying to do now is to go through all of my grandfather's letters and get then in chronological order. Then I will start to post them, so that some sense may be made of his experience. Snapshots of life during the war are fine, but I believe that doing it in order will provide a much better view of his experiences.

Thanks for visiting.

It hopefully won't take me too long to get back to regular posts.