Thursday
Dear Mom:
Haven’t heard from you in quite awhile. Guess you have been busy or something lately. I have been in the same old grind since last I wrote to you. Am doing OK in the B-17, don’t think I will have any trouble, it is just so much to watch that makes it hard. I guess I can make the grade all right though. I will get my instrument check on Saturday and it will be a relief to get it out of the way as that is what we have been working on so long.
Friday
Received your very fine letter today and enjoyed it no end. I was beginning to wonder if you had forgotten your wandering boy. It seemed so long since I had heard from you. When you can’t get away from the past, you come to depend on mail so much more.
Tell the girls, if they are still there when this arrives that I too would like to get home soon, but you can’t count on anything in this man’s army, so all I can do is wait and see what happens.
I wrote to Bob the other day but there hasn’t been time for an answer to come back as yet. He’s been over a long time to have only 17 missions in. at that rate, he will be over there another year. Hope his luck holds!
I went to the show tonight here on the post and saw a fine show, entitled “A Song to Remember”. There was some beautiful music in it and the theme was good top. Was a tradgic story, but very good. I don’t know what I would do if they didn’t have movies, I get so restless and melancholy sometimes. Guess I am a little homesick-
Mom I am so glad you have Herb and Francie with you. If Pop likes them, then they must be really OK. Wish I could have stayed home in a way, that is to say, I wish I could have been home after I started getting a little sense, but guess there are lots more wishing the same tonight. I have been lucky in that I have had it pretty easy in the army, but all good things must end and then to your conscience bothers you when you are living easy and someone else is bearing the load.
No matter how this war turns out, whether I get out safe or not, I don’t want you to ever feel that I went with any regrets. I only hope that the ones that fall, go not in vain. I know the American people will have no gratitude, they proved that last time when the poor guys came home and they treated them like dirt. One good thing, there will be more veterans this time and their voice will be louder and their wishes will have more might to back them up too. Maybe this one will have a happy ending. I’ll have no feeling of remorse, I have learned more in the past two years than I would have learned in 10 at the rate I was going and met some swell guys.
Got to be in school tomorrow at 6:45 AM and will fly from noon until 6:45 PM, so I have a full day ahead of me.
Lovingly,