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I wrote these letters home from the Pacific during World War II where I served as a bombardier
in the 33rd Bomb Squadron which was part of the 22nd Bomb Group known as
the "Red Raiders".
A few of my actual letters can
be seen here |
|
Avy with Mom |
|
Letters |
Date |
Content |
| Letter # 1 |
Dec 01, 1944 |
I’m now in New Guinea |
| Letter # 2 |
Dec 15, 1944 |
we’re now attending classes |
| Letter # 3 |
Dec 18, 1944 |
we went coconut hunting |
| Letter # 4 |
Dec 21, 1944 |
points needed to go home |
| Letter # 5 |
Dec 24, 1944 |
send peanut butter |
| Letter # 6 |
Dec 26, 1944 |
we gave the Japs a Christmas present |
| Letter # 7 |
Jan 01, 1945 |
drinking and
flying don't mix |
| Letter # 8 |
Jan 04, 1945 |
my first combat mission yesterday |
| Letter # 9 |
Jan 11, 1945 |
3 missions & 34-1/2 hours of combat time |
|
Letter # 10 |
Jan 13, 1945 |
started the invasion of Luzon |
|
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|
Letters |
Date |
Content |
|
Letter # 11 |
Jan 17, 1945 |
nickname of the group is Red Raiders |
|
Letter # 12 |
Jan 19, 1945 |
the muddiest place I've been stationed |
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Letter # 13 |
Jan 25, 1945 |
I now have completed six missions |
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Letter # 14 |
Jan 27, 1945 |
Japanese invasion money as a souvenir |
|
Letter # 15 |
Jan 28, 1945 |
guerilla money that the Filipinos use |
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Letter # 16 |
Jan 30, 1945 |
rain water to wash and shave |
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Letter # 17 |
Jan 31, 1945 |
still loafing around |
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Letter # 18 |
Feb 01, 1945 |
today is my 25th birthday |
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Letter # 19 |
Feb 02, 1945 |
now have seven missions total 61 hours |
|
Letter # 20 |
Feb 05, 1945 |
would really appreciate a little winter |
|
Letter # 21 |
Feb 07, 1945 |
up to eight missions total 63:55 hours |
|
Letter # 22 |
Feb 09, 1945 |
Manila is completely in our hands Berlin
should fall to the Russians shortly |
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Letter # 23 |
Feb 11, 1945 |
purchased a monkey from the natives |
|
Letter # 24 |
Feb 14, 1945 |
won't be long before hitting a lot
nearer Japan |
|
Letter # 25 |
Feb 18, 1945 |
saw anti-aircraft fire for the third time |
| Letter # 26 |
Feb 20, 1945 |
Jewish holidays mean nothing until home |
| Letter # 27 |
Feb 23, 1945 |
Air Medal for every one hundred hours |
| Letter # 28 |
Mar 02, 1945 |
I can't tell where our targets have been |
| Letter # 29 |
Mar 04, 1945 |
my two brothers the poorest letter writers |
| Letter # 30 |
Mar 06, 1945 |
like to watch the fires burn |
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Letter # 31 |
Mar 09, 1945 |
first time I'm actually stumped for words |
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Letter # 32 |
Mar 11, 1945 |
I put all my bombs in the target area |
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Letter # 33 |
Mar 16, 1945 |
natives are building us a mess hall and
officer's club |
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Letter # 34 |
Mar 20, 1945 |
my savings account will increase by $350 |
| Letter # 35 |
Mar 24, 1945 |
dust is starting to get a little annoying |
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Letter # 36 |
Mar 27, 1945 |
Japanese map and coins |
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Letter # 37 |
Mar 28, 1945 |
the "Liberator" and has two tails and four
engines |
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Letter # 38 |
April 02, 1945 |
I use bombs while others use guns |
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Letter # 39 |
April 06, 1945 |
a set of silver bars |
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Letter # 40 |
April 08, 1945 |
CBI shoulder patches |
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Letter # 41 |
April 11, 1945 |
miss sponge cakes and fried matzoh |
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Letter # 42 |
April 14, 1945 |
I can only hope to fly five times a month |
| Letter # 43 |
April 16, 1945 |
we have Filipinos waiting on us |
| Letter # 44 |
April 18, 1945 |
need some Vaseline hair tonic |
| Letter # 45 |
April 23, 1945 |
Red Raider stamp on my stationery |
| Letter # 46 |
April 26, 1945 |
Roosevelt's death was a great shock to me |
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Letter # 47 |
May 01, 1945 |
looking forward to the day when I walk in the
front door |
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Letter # 48 |
May 07, 1945 |
since we bomb China we are authorized to wear
the CBI shoulder patch. |
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Letter # 49 |
May 11, 1945 |
I'm going to be a lead bombardier |
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Letter # 50 |
May 14, 1945 |
all I do is fly and play ball |
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Letter # 51 |
May 16, 1945 |
plenty of air power needed for our coming
offensives |
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Letter # 52 |
May 19, 1945 |
flew a practice bombing mission yesterday |
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Letter # 53 |
May 27, 1945 |
don't believe any Air Corps personnel now
flying in war zones will be permitted to go home until they finish combat |
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Letter # 54 |
May 30, 1945 |
flew mission #29 total hours to 229:25 |
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Letter # 55 |
June 01, 1945 |
big item in the dinner was the STEAK |
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Letter # 56 |
June 05, 1945 |
B-29 bombers are raising hell in Tokyo |
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Letter # 57 |
June 10, 1945 |
my promotion finally came through |
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Letter # 58 |
June 14, 1945 |
I celebrated your birthday last night by
getting drunk |
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Letter # 59 |
June 16, 1945 |
a certain thrill and pleasure when I see the
destruction I cause |
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Letter # 60 |
June 21, 1945 |
a chance that I may stay over for my captaincy |
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Letter # 61 |
July 03, 1945 |
I expect four medals and quite a few battle
stars |
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Letter # 62 |
July 09, 1945 |
have to wait for my replacement to come in
before I can go home |
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Letter # 63 |
July 14, 1945 |
most of that money comes from my winnings at
the dice table |
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Letter # 64 |
July 29, 1945 |
back in the Philippines again and not in
Okinawa |
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Letter # 65 |
Aug 06, 1945 |
missing material fed one rat for a week |
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Letter # 66 |
Aug 11, 1945 |
star shells and flares lit up the sky in a
beautiful fireworks display |
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Letter # 67 |
Aug 17, 1945 |
now that the war is over there are a lot of
rumors floating around |
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Letter # 68 |
Aug 22, 1945 |
bombardiers are virtually useless |
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Letter # 69 |
Aug 26, 1945 |
while flying up to Okinawa |
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Letter # 70 |
Aug 31, 1945 |
pair of pinks (light gray pants) |
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Letter # 71 |
Sept 03, 1945 |
going to move up to Tokyo |
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Letter # 72 |
Sept 08, 1945 |
P.S. Keep those home fires burning. |
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Letter # 73 |
Sept 13, 1945 |
won't go crazy from inactivity. |
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Letter # 74 |
Sept 29, 1045 |
at a replacement depot in Manila awaiting
transportation to the states |
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