November 19 and 25, 1943. Two V-Mails to Dad from his brother Stanley who is stationed “Somewhere in England”, actually at RAF Deenethorpe with the 401st Bomb Group (H). Stanley’s letters to Dad alternate between longer handwritten letters and shorter V-Mails. On the 19th Stanley is CQ and is passing the time “typing all night trying to catch up on my correspondence” while the letter of the 25th is being written on Thanksgiving Day.
While pulling CQ duty, Stanley writes that “there is really not much in doing. My work is sort of caught up if you can call it that way. …Month after month the same procedure. …I have a fellow helping me and …we seem to get to work out pretty fast and then have some time to ourselves.”
Despite having some time to themselves, the work at Deenethorpe still keeps everyone busy and occupied. “The time in the army sure goes by fast. I guess it is because we work so hard that we don’t even get a chance to think what time of day it is.”
Stanley also mentions that he received two V-Mails from home. Both were dated November 9. So for the record, it looks like it’s taking V-Mails 10 days to get from Albany to England. As for the note from home, Stanley comments “Was sure glad to hear from them again. It looks like Terry is getting everything and every comfort you can think of. We never had its so good like she has now.”
While Stanley is writing the V-Mail on Thanksgiving Day the radio is on and is playing Irving Berlin’s “This is the Army”. Of course, no Thanksgiving Day letter would be complete without any mention of the holiday festivities on base. “Well today is Thanksgiving Day. We had our turkey at dinner with all the trimmings. I can still remember Thanksgiving of last year when I was in the states. I was really sad then. I guess with being occupied with work here I passed the day without being sad at all.”