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Snowed in with Letters

Posted by on January 6, 2017

March 21 and 15, 1945. Dad writes two letters home from McCook, Nebraska where he has recently been attached to the 331st Bomb Group. It seems that since word has gotten out about his new assignment and the prospect that he will soon be sent overseas he “has been snowed in with letters.”

When he is not busy working, he is taking his time enjoying some of what McCook Army Air Field has to offer, from the natural to the man made. “A day ago I admired one of the unusual beautiful Western sunsets. You can stand there and watch for hours, if a sunset lasted that long. The various shades of purple red of the clouds with the yellow orange fringe was beautiful.”

He also attended a lecture on base and then went to catch the second half of a double feature at the base theater. The movie that was playing was Cisco Kid. Dad and a friend of his went to see it after stopping by the PX for some beer and hot dogs.

Dad writes that he is “Sorry to hear of Anne Andrew’s brother getting killed…” He continues, “Death seems to be having quite a harvest and with the war on it appears to be working overtime.”

Before wrapping up his letter on the 21st he comments, “I may write you one or two more letters from here yet but don’t start worrying, Let me do some of it.”

The 25th see another relatively short handwritten letter. Dad admits, “I haven’t much to write about… I pulled Room Orderly this morning. There wasn’t much to it other than pouring water over the dirt in the sinks and sweeping and mopping the floor. You work in pairs so you get it all finished in about an hour and a half.” Also of note is that, “There’s a lot of liquor flowing around here as the fellows try to satisfy their alcoholic desires while they still can get liquor.”  

It is Palm Sunday, as Dad notes, “a week from which would be Easter. We were given palms today at mass. Our chaplain is a young fellow, a Dominican priest, and he is the most religious minded Chaplain I’ve ever come across. I believe he is going to be with us… The Chaplain has reminded us to fast on Holy Friday and till noon on Saturday.”

Since Easter is on its way Dad uses the opportunity of his Palm Sunday letter “for sending…Easter wishes. I wish mama, daddy and you Ann, Eddie and the last but not least, Theresa-Marie the best of Easter Wishes and God’s blessings. I hope it won’t be long now that we will soon be able to get together one of these days the way the war in Europe is going.”

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