Hello, –

Well we are going through what is referred to by Texans as God’s country. However, in my opinion it’s nothing like Arizona. It’s too flat.

Love, Tom

Thurs. noon.

Dear Elaine, Stan, Karen and Tom,

I hope you two don’t have a couple sets of twins or it will take up a couple of lines just for the heading. What I could do though is just put DESKT (Dear E, S, K+T), however that sounds too much like LSMFT^[1]LSMFT is the abbreviation for “Lucky Strike means fine tobacco”, and advertising slogan for Lucky Strike cigarettes. and I’m not selling cigarettes.

At the present time everyone is sitting around waiting to leave. So far no one has broken down but they say you can expect it on the train. I think they are kidding but you can’t ever tell. A few of the fellows have had so much liquor in them for the past week that I hardly expect them to make the trip, but this is more the exception as we only have a couple of drunkards in the outfit.

I am sorry I haven’t written sooner but our time has been pretty short and we’ve had a lot to do in it.

Andy, has been running around all morning ring to finish clearing the base. I got mine finished yesterday afternoon when he had to go to the dentist. Clearing a post is really a headache, you have to go around to all the different depts. and get their signature on a paper saying that as far as they are concerned you don’t owe them anything. It usually rains when you are doing this just to make it ,ore interesting. It did yesterday also.

Time is passing so I had better close. Give the kids a kiss for me and hope they are both fine.

With love, Tom

Mon afternoon.

Dear Folks,

I’ve been over here for three days now trying to finish up our night flying so we can get a leave. We had been flying alot till last night and then a front moved in and the weather has been pretty bad. We are expecting to fly tonight but things don’t look too good. All our flying now is low intruder training which is nothing more than flying at 500 feet out over the ocean to some small island. We have made two night trips down to Catalina and the then to an island about 300 miles off the coast from San Francisco. It is all instrument flying because in these dark nights you can’t see the water or anything. The island becomes visible at about 2 miles but you can pick it up with radar a good bit before then. It helps out alot in your navigation. Andy^[1]“Andy” Anderson, Tom’s Radar Operator is getting pretty sharp with it.

Zoe, Andy’s wife (Mary), and Jean are all staying together at the place in Fresno. We will probably go back tomorrow or Wed. I am still hoping to get a leave but it all depends on the weather and if we get in our time pretty soon.

Retreat is just sounding which means that it is 5:00 PM. We are done at the line in 30 min. and I had better get something to eat. Hope you can read this. Tell Dad + Cleda hello, I’ll write them soon. Hope Karen + Tom are OK, I probably won’t even know them the next time I see them.

With love,

Tom

Wed. night

Hello –

I have really had it soft the last few days, however, if I had been feeling better I could have enjoyed it more. Had some ear trouble and a cold and got grounded and then I got the flu and asthma. If I hadn’t had such a good nurse I am afraid I would never have pulled through, it makes it pretty nice having someone around. I am still grounded but should get cleared in a couple of days. The way things look I might be here another month and might even get a leave. The weather has been so bad that no one has been able to get in any time. I didn’t even go out to the field today in fact I still have on my pj’s. We had a fire in the fireplace all day as it has really been cold outside. It really sounds like we are leading a lazy life out here doesn’t it? However, this is usually not the case.

We really had a nice Christmas and I want to thank you for the presents.

I received the Readers’ Digest Sat through the mail and thanks alot for everything.

I imagine you saw in the letter to the folks where we were expecting an addition to the family. This isn’t the best time be raising babies, but we’ve started. At least Karen and Tom will have a 1st cousin now.

The general here on the base has really been tearing his hair over our not getting in our time. We weren’t schedule to fly New Year’s Eve or N.Y Day, but at the last minute he tried to call everyone back to fly both times, however, after calling every bar and every other place of any reason they gave up. The half dozen fellows that they did corner didn’t have to fly because it really socked in with fog. Mort Blaisdell was really sweating it out because Laurale came down for acouple of days.

Tell the folks hello and we’ll write them soon. Hope all of Dad’s patients from the gas blast are OK. Goodnight.

Love, Tom

Wednesday Night

Dear Folks,

Tom and I are sitting here enjoying our fireplace – this is really the life! We had dinner tonight on our coffee table next to the fire and roasted our wieners there. Had soft lights and dinner music, don’t suppose we could ask for any more. Tom hasn’t been feeling so well but I think he is on the road to recovery as he seemed so much better today. He had quite a cold – I tied a cloth around his neck one night plus some Vick’s salve but he fussed so much about it I had to take it off – otherwise he was a pretty good patient, even drank warm milk, which is more than I could do.

We really enjoyed your letter telling us about Karen – I can imagine how much she enjoyed Christmas – wish we could have been there to see you.

We had a very nice Christmas – your presents were really lovely. Thank you so much. The table cloth came in so handy – we used it on the table at our Xmas dinner. Our dining room chairs are upholstered in red leather so everything matched beautifully.

Love,

Zoe

Thurs. evening.

12-14-44

Dear Folks,

I just finished washing Zoe’s hair, she also washed mine but you know how women are when it comes to drying hair. Elaine I think you taught me pretty well how to wash women’s hair because I think I did a pretty good job.

Today was the day: I soloed out in the P61 and it is really just about everything I had hoped it would be. After only 30 min. flying Bob Clyde and I were up having a rat race doing all kinds of acrobatics that we hadn’t done since we left Luke Field.

No kidding for a plane that is as big and weighs as much as a B25^[1]B-25 twin engined medium bomber it certainly is remarkable. It handles awfully easy, however, it does have a few things that could be improved upon and from all reports the ones coming out now have everything under control. We have to get in 10 hrs. before we can take up our RO’s^[2]Radio Operator. Andy will really have it nice because he really has an office all his own in the back. The gunners position is right behind the pilot in the same enclosure but there isn’t any way for the RO to get up in front.^[3]The P-61 was designed for a 3-man crew: Pilot in the front, gunner right behind him, and Radar Operator in a separate compartment in the back. In practice,  the P-61 flew with just a pilot and RO. … Continue reading

It isn’t a very easy plane to bail out of, especially for the pilot but I haven’t seen one that was what you would call easy as yet.

Zoe, Jean (Bob’s wife), and Mary (Andy’s wife), are going out to the base tomorrow. We will be through about the middle of the afternoon so we’ll have dinner out there and go to the base movie.

We sent all the Christmas to Dad in two boxes by XX express. Hope you receive them in time and that everything is satisfactory. I really think we owe Stan an apology on his package, you will understand what I mean when you open it Stan. We’ll explain the why’s and wherefores after Xmas. Also, did you receive a box of raisins? We sent out several boxes through a store out here and wanted to know if we should start checking up on them. Let us know. In case you are wondering why I haven’t written sooner it is because we just got our packages off today and every evening for the last week we have really been busy.

Tell the folks hello and we’ll write again soon. Wish we were there for Xmas, it would seem alot more like Xmas with the kids.

Zoe wants to add a note.

With love, Tom

Hello –

I’ve been trying to do about ten things at once tonight – as a result nothing much has been accomplished. I’ve part of my hair done up and papers all over the floor trying to finish up our Xmas wrapping. It’s really a job when you have to mail most everything.

Wish you could see the family of cats we’ve taken over – they really belong to the neighbors but Jean + I have fed them so much that they spend most of their time here. They are black and white with large fuzzy tails. Karen would certainly have fun with them – the mother cat even wears a bell around her neck. We’re going to take some pictures – cats included -will send you some if they’re good.

Love, Zoe

Sun afternoon

Dear Folks,

Just because we haven’t written for ages doesn’t mean that we’ve been shipped out. We had some trouble in getting a place to stay but now everything is straightened out. Bob Clyde and his wife are staying with us, we have two rooms in a house now but will be moving to a new place in about a week. The new place is really nice it is all being re-done. It is a regular apt. and we were plenty lucky in getting it. It rents for $80.00 but that split between two of us isn’t so bad. It is all furnished except the bedding.

We have really been a rough schedule, in fact it compares alot with cadets. Flying mostly at night either from 6:00 till 9:30 or 9:30 till 1:00 AM. also have ground school and P.T.^[1]Physical Training, or exercise we haven’t anything else to do. I am really well satisfied with my R.O. ^[2]Radio Operator, who operates the Radar in the plane he seems to know his stuff pretty well and what he doesn’t know he’s going to learn. We don’t know yet where we are going to be sent, but wherever it is I don’t think we will be there long. In the last bunch 7 went to Europe and the rest to C.B.I^[3]China, Burma, India Andy (my R.O.) is from Portland, Oregon, he lives just about a block from us here in town. He’s 24 and has been married about 3 mos.

We are going out to the base in alittle while so Zoe will add to this letter out there. We fly till 10:00 tonight so she’s going out and wait for me. They have a nice club and a good mess hall. I see that she’s ready to go so will close. Tell Dad that I got a knife out here at the P.X. and if he wants to get me something for Xmas, have U. Les ^[4]Tom’s Uncle Leslie DeMoulin fix me up a pair of O.D. pants and O.D. shirt. Goodbye –

With love, Tom

Dear Elaine, Stanley and Family –

Tom just left me to go to the flight line so thought I would add a note to his letter. I just finished calling my Dad – his birthday today – told me it was snowing there. The rainy season hasn’t started here as yet but it is cold enough for my fur coat – and I brought my bathing suit along!

We had a small dinner party last night – celebrating our anniversary. Jean and Bob, Johnnie, and Tom’s R.O. and his wife. We don’t have a stove or anything to cook on at the place we are living now so we had it at this little Basque restaurant – they serve delicious food – family style and all you can eat. – which suits the fellows fine. It always amazes me how they can eat so much and still not accumulate spreading hips, etc.

Elaine, I wore the black “nightie” – in fact Tom is quite fond of it. He talks about it so much. Bob decided to get his wife one like it.

I suppose Tom has told me we have some wedding pictures – will send you some as soon as I can find something to mail them in.

Love, Zoe

Mon. night.

Dear Folks, (This includes everyone in Chicago)

Dad, send us your street address or else you will do without your birthday present.

Well here goes, I try to tell you what’s been going on. We were married Sat. evening in the Chapel as you know. Suppose to have had a rehearsal Fri. evening but Zoe didn’t get in till late that night. Anyway the Chaplain briefed us all before hand so it really went off OI. The Chaplain’s name is Capt. Charles Close, he knew Rev. Lohr real well as he was a Presbyterian minister before getting in the army.

Laurale Martin, Mort’s girl came down from Berkeley and was maid of honor. Mort was the best man, Lt. + Mrs. Clyde were the attendants and Lt. John Erickson gave the bride away. John came in and had dinner with us this evening. We had some pictures taken so we’ll send you some as soon as they are ready. As far as I can remember this is about all maybe Zoe can elaborate alittle more. I was suppose to fly Sun. + Mon. but the Capt in charge said he didn’t want to see me till Tues. morning. We’ll be leaving here around the 10th and certainly hope we are as lucky there at finding a place to stay. Say Dad when we get there how about sending out my radio if you aren’t using it. You can have it back in 2 mos.

I’ll let Zoe add a note. Wish you could have been here.

With Love,

Tom

P.S. Elaine, you and Cleda, get up a list of announcements of the relatives and send them + the addresses to Mrs. Foran^[1]Zoe’s mother. Count these in the number that she wanted ordered. I am not having her send any to the relation except you folks. Includes all the aunts, uncles, etc. and by the way send me Auntie’s address. Do you understand all this stuff? If not have Cleda call Mrs. Foran. Include one to Carl Abt, because I don’t have his address.

Hello,

Seems like Tom has left quite a bit out as far as the wedding goes. It was really very nice. The chapel was all decorated with flowers, and we had soft organ music through out the ceremony. One of the fellows from the base sang a couple of songs “Because” and “Oh. Promise Me.” We had a double-ring ceremony – I have a copy of it to keep. I wore an orchid and both the other girls had Gardenia corsages. We were even showered with rice as we came out of the church so everything was quite complete.

Love, Zoe

Thurs. night

19 Oct. 44

Dear Stan, Elaine, Karen and Tom, –

You get many more in your family and I’ll have to use two lines for the beginning.

I received your letter today and I must say that it was really swell to get it. I am really relieved about the whole thing, especially to know that you both approve, and I am certain that Zoe feels better about the whole thing now that things are settled. I don’t know yet for certain when Zoe will be out here but if things work out as expected we’ll be married here in the Chapel. I’ll let you know the details as soon as I know them, so far this is almost like getting married by proxy.

It really sounded as if you had a swell time even after you got back to Chicago. I wish I could have been there with you, especially on your trip to the zoo with Karen and Tom. Dad told me about Tom’s little spell and I am certainly glad that everything is OK and that it wasn’t serious.

Congratulations on the new raise. As for myself I’ll be getting a little more after we get married, but Stan don’t you imagine my living expenses will be alittle more? I thought so.

Thanks alot for the pictures, aside from one person they are OK. Mort and I both got a kick out of the clipping.

Stan, I think you covered just about everything that I have been thinking over for the last several weeks. As for my plans after the war; if the opportunity arose to stay in the army with your present rating I would consider it very strongly, especially for a couple of years till things settle down. If this doesn’t work, I’d like to go into commercial aviation, but to do that the first thing would be to finish school. I don’t know if I like the army well enough to stay in it after the war or not, but it really isn’t a bad life in peace time.

We have been flying pretty steady since I have been back. The weather has been pretty nasty. The other day I had to come in under an 800′ overcast. It wasn’t bad because I was able to sneak in under it down the valley and fly up to Salinas. Something like that is pretty bad when you have to come down through it.

This covers about everything. I am certainly glad that Dad feels different than he did. Tell him I didn’t write him the other night that I called him but am sending him a letter tomorrow night to Greenville.

Give the kids a kiss for me.

With Love, Tom

Sun. night

15 Oct. 44

Dear Folks

I really don’t know what to write, I have an awful lot on my mind but no way to express it. Did Zoe call you? What’s wrong with Dad? He won’t answer my letters. Just what is it, after doing a man’s job for 2 yrs, I am still not capable of making a decision. What I’d like to know is do you think Dad would give his consent to Zoe and I getting married? I don’t want to do anything to hurt Dad but he can make things so difficult. He has alot of things against Zoe, I wish he could see how some of the other girls of the day behave. There isn’t any need to go into that. If you can help me out on afew of these questions I’d really appreciate it.

I started flying again Wed. and got to complete 4 camera missions this week. That consists of dog fighting with another plane and then checking your film to see if you would have shot him down. It is the kind of flying that is hard on fighter pilots as they are usually rocking the plane around agood bit and blacking out every once in awhile. An hour of this flying is enough in one day. My cold is slowly getting better but can’t seem to get rid of the cough.

One of my buddies that I graduated with and was with me till we hit Lemoore had a pretty rough time yesterday. He came here from Lemoore about 3 wks. ago. ^[1]Kenneth D. McConnell, flying P-70A-2 No. 42-54105. Aircraft crashed and was written off October 15, 1944 at Salinas AAF, Salinas, California.

Yesterday he was flying a P70 when both engines quit. He bailed out at about 1500′ and no sooner did his chute open than he hit the ground, needless to say pretty hard. He is expected to pull through but is in pretty bad shape. They don’t know what happened unless he got a vapor lock in his fuel line when he switched tanks. He had only had about 2 hrs. in the plane which made it alittle rough.

Say Stan, I saw a good football game in Salinas Fri. night. Salinas Junior College and Hollister J.C. Talk about trick plays those boys really had them. There is another one this coming weekend that we want to see. How did N.U. ^[2]Northwestern University, Tom’s alma mater and Ill^[3]University of Illinois, Stan’s alma mater do this weekend? I wasn’t able to find it in the paper out here.

How is Karen and Tom? I would probably be able to tell a big change in Tom even after just a couple of weeks. Can you tell yet about his eyes, brown or blue? Give them both a kiss for me.

Enough for now – Goodnight

Love, Tom

Tues. night

Hello Folks,

Received your letter this morning and didn’t see any reason for not answering it tonight. It sounded as if your vacation after we left was just about as full as the first part. From what Dad said Karen and Tom were none the worse for the whole trip. However, I imagine it was sort of a relief for you folks to get back. You still had about a week of vacation after you did get back didn’t you? I made things just right, got here with just 3 hr. to spare which was pretty good timing for coming 2/3 of the way across the country. I did have a swell time. I wish you could have helped me pick out Zoe’s ring but there really wasn’t much to it. I have even forgotten what it looks like myself now. It was white and had a rock in the center I know. Before I forget, Zoe’s number it Fairfax 0970 . address: 7343 S. Ridgeland, Chicago 49, Apt. #3.

I guess you have heard from Dad that we are thinking about getting married. I don’t know if Dad thought I got engaged for just a big joke or not but in his first letter he starts talking about engagements that have been broken for the good of all concerned, and all the things that are wrong with Zoe.

I know Zoe isn’t perfect but I do know that I would rather be with her than anyone I know, and you can’t say I haven’t looked around. Maybe getting married now isn’t the wisest thing in the world to do, but bigger mistakes have been made. Let me know what you actually think about it. Straight from the shoulder, maybe I won’t agree with everything but lets have it anyway.

I think you know that I will be here another month. More gunnery. At the present I am grounded because of a cold, hope to get cleared by Thurs.

We have been playing alittle bridge but my game can still do with some improvement. It took us abut an hour and ahalf to get one game finished so you can tell what kind of hands we were getting. They really have some sharpies around here – however, they have been here since 1942 + will be here for the duration, playing the game. I still claim there are more 4F’s^[2]4F = medically not qualified to serve in the armed forces in the army than in civilian life. however, most of these fellows are just plain old goldbrickers. To them the war stopped when they got in uniform. Enough on this subject, one of them is sitting right beside me and the more I think about it the madder I get. Give K.+ T. a kiss for Uncle Tom. Goodnight. –

With love,

Tom

Hope you can read this.