On a cross country

June 9, 1945

Dear Folks:                                                9 June 45
            Am on a cross country for the week end. Col. Loesch came over here to see his wife and I came along as co-pilot. I told you Loesch was from my old squadron. Also had two enlisted men along and an Air Corp flight nurse on her way to Florida. We left FAAF at 12 P.M. Fri nite and landed here about 5 A.M. in the morning. I slept until noon and then went shopping for radio parts — which were scarce as usual. We are going back Sunday noon. This was the first ride I’ve had in a B-26 since last Aug.
            I’m going to get checked out in the B-26 and may go to an instrument flying school at Lubbock, Tex. while waiting for orders. I went to a show with Hollis and his wife last week. They don’t have the baby with them.
            Installed my radio in the car and it works pretty good. How is the stiff neck coming? Having me some “southern fried chicken”.
                                                            John

V-E day was pretty quiet here

May 12, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field, Ill.
                                                            12 May 1945
Dear Folks:
            Sat. nite. Was a warm day to-day and I changed to kakis. Had some good luck and some bad last week. Got 15 days delay in route to Frederick and had my billfold stolen — $150 and papers. They caught the guy, however, the next morning and we will get about 75% of our money back in 3 or 4 months. The worst of it was the so and so burned the billfolds. Three of us in this barracks lost our billfolds and he made a haul of about $1000 that nite. He took my billfold from my pants pocket about 3 ft. from my head. Now I have to get those papers renewed.
            I think I have a ride out to either Newton or Topeka. We will probably leave here Sat. afternoon or nite. If I go to Newton, will probably go on to Wichita first. If the fellow I’m riding with decides to stay in Topeka very long, I’ll come home from there.
            V-E day was pretty quiet here. The army saw to that. We all were restricted to the post for 24 hours. Of course had the big parade in the afternoon.
            Strieber and I flew this afternoon. Not a cloud in the sky and quite warm. Quite a few men had their wives out for rides. Had another V mail from Horridge. He was expecting his orders (May 1) for home. He was stationed in Belgium at the time and said it was the nicest place he had seen since being overseas. Hale, the radio man, is in India.
            Got the vitamins. Yes, I got Roscoe’s letter. Sounds like Fred is still kicking around. Do you have your feed in?
                                                            John

2 weeks left

May 6, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field, Ill.
                                                            6 May 45
Dear Folks:
            Nice day to-day. 3 more radios were made in this barracks last week. Strieber started one yesterday. The radio store in Champaign hit the jackpot by being so close to a radio school. Strieber and I flew awhile this morning. I am going to wire Frederick this week for a 10 day delay enroute. I may not get it until reassigned from Frederick which will probably be soon after I get back there. Have 2 weeks left. I bought a wool summer shirt $15 and will get a pair of pants to match $15. One suit of that is enough. Got a letter from Jo. Wrote Aunt Hattie last week.
            Is Aunt Lou still there? Can’t think of anything else.
                                                            John

Suppose you heard the rumor

April 29, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field
                                                            29 April 45
Dear Folks:
            Capt. Strieber and I flew up to Chicago and back this morning. The sky was clear but the air was very smoky. It has been cool all week but warmer to-day. Suppose you heard the rumor and how it got squelched last nite. Strieber and I were over in Champaign about 6:30 looking for a projector to run some home movies he had and we were in the Gazett office when it came over the Teletype. That was like the D-day rumor last May.
            We were studying army telephones and telegraphs last week — 3 weeks to go. I found a suitcase for my radio last week. Could you send me some more vitamins — Squibb’s. Suppose you have your other chick’s. Sounds like Marvel Lee had quite a week end with Shurtz’s. This is pretty short but nothing of consequence has happened lately.
                                                            John

German prisoners

April 22, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field, Ill.
                                                            22 April, 1945
Dear Folks:
            Nice day again to-day. It has been cool most of the week. I bought some summer uniforms in Rantoul yesterday — $30 and will have to get some more if they get some wool dress uniforms in. I finished my radio for the second time last week. After the first time I put in another stage or tube and it increased the range considerably. Have picked up stations in Virginia, Texas & Mexico. I have to build a case for it now.
            Art finally made it, I see. What did they name him? Will have to write them. Summer uniforms will be optional here from April 25 until May 15. I flew Friday night. We are supposed to get some German prisoners in soon to help with the work. If they bring any former anti-aircraft gunners in, they better hide them. There are too many returnee air-crew members here.
            Could you ask Jo if any of the tubes are bad in their old set and if so to send me the numbers on the tubes within the next two weeks?
            I hope to get a 10 day delay in route when thru here. Myers finished helicopter school and left for Louisiana last week
                                                            John,

Army has a new boss

April 15, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field, Ill.
Dear Folks:                                         15 April 45
            It is raining some to-day and quite cold. That certainly was a shock about the President dying. I was working on my radio in the lab. when I heard it. I guess there are some 17 year old kids that can’t remember any other President. We didn’t have school yesterday morning but had a big parade as a memorial. The Army now has a new boss. Also had a memorial service in Chapel this morning.
            I ran into Capt. St. Pierre, Slingsby’s nephew in the mess hall this morning. He is taking a 5 week course here and is stationed at Westover Field, Mass. I see Major Cody got back. I don’t think I mentioned that I saw Paul Smith at Frederick, Okla. I see he has been to Denver and now returning to Frederick. Got a letter from Horridge. He won’t get home now until the European war is over and maybe not until the other one is over also. Col. Loesch came back the other day so that leaves Horridge the lone ranger of the original pilots in the 574 Squadron. Dick’s brother, John, the Colonel Dick & I went to see in Manchester, is now reported a prisoner of war. He was missing since Dec. 26. Dick keeps asking me if I’m married yet. I don’t know what I said to give him that idea.
            Yes, put 75 of the next 100 into bonds. I’ve been to Fort Bliss. It is near El Paso. That is one hot place to be in the summer. Last Wednesday afternoon I help Randall clean and Simoniz his car. He keeps his car in a lady’s garage in Rantoul. She saw us working and offered us $10 to Simoniz her Buick. Seems that is what the service stations charge only now they don’t have the help and won’t do it at all. I miscounted somewhere. I still have 5 weeks of school left. Dad, here is $10 for your birthday!
                                                            John

Had an AT-10

April 8, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field, Ill.
Dear Folks:                                                8 April 1945
            Warm again to-day. It got pretty cold the middle of the week, had some frost. Did it frost there? I got some stations on my radio. Am making some improvements on it now. Flew last Thurs. McKelvey & I had an AT-10 (twin engine) and went to Chicago then Indianapolis and back without landing. The Wabash river was considerably out of its banks. Lot of water standing in fields. Had a hard rain here last Wednesday.
            Suppose Ruth is getting married to-morrow. I’ll bet Fred is really operating around there this week! Harold E. will have to slow down. He is setting a hard example for the rest of us G.I.s by having those pictures taken. Seems there was some mix up in your letters when Cora was sick. As a result I got 3 letters about the same date. Harry cut quite a swath. Am anxiously awaiting Henry W. comments!
            Our food has deteriorated in last week. I used to get 6 glasses of milk a day now 2. Had fresh eggs only twice in a week. We are now taking 3 hrs. of P.T. a week since the weather warmed up. It will be a good thing since we have not been getting enough exercise. Wrote 6 letters to-day.
                                                            John

Easter

April 3, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field, Ill.
Dear Folks:                                                3 April 45
            Well, back at school again. Had a nice week-end. I got to Milwaukee about 8 P.M. Sat. Dottie was home so I got to meet her. Arlan got there about midnight. Jack & Ruth could not come, of course, because of his work at Springfield. They are going up to Lyter’s to-day, however. Guess Jack was getting a little homesick.
            Four of us went to the Sunrise Service at 6 A.M. It was a pageant and was very good. Dr. Lyter had to hold two services to accomodate the crowd in the church since it is rather small for a 1000 membership. Mr. & Mrs. Glass came to Lyter’s for dinner and we took a short drive along the lake. The weather was perfect. The warmest Easter Lyter’s have seen there in 25 yrs. I left a[t] 6:30 and Arlan was going to leave about 9: PM.
            Sounds like Aunt Jessie is quite a show-goer. It is nice that she goes out some. The gas stations don’t seem to want the license on the coupon here. Let it go, it isn’t important, besides I hope to get some leave the latter part of May and I could use an[y] old dirty coupons lying around. It rained here to-day and is much cooler to-night. Must get to bed.
                                                            John
P.S. Milwaukee was a regular fashion parade Sunday afternoon. Mrs. Lyter was all decked out. and Dottie.

Furnished 12 planes one day and 2 came back

March 25, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field, Ill.
Dear Folks:                                                25 Mar. 45
            Having thundershowers this morning but it was nice all last week. Had the weekly quizz yesterday morning. Worked on my radio in the afternoon. Went to the show on the post last nite with Erickson. He is from the old outfit but I don’t see much of him because he is on the afternoon shift.
            Went to Champaign Fri. afternoon with two other fellows. I bought a few radio parts. Do you have any extra gas coupons? Randall, the fellow I go to Champaign with, has trouble getting gas. It’s not important, could go on the bus.
            Saw Nevins again yesterday. He left last nite for Eglin Field, Fla. He doesn’t know what the deal is but I know the field is an experimental base for the Air Corp. Might be a good job. He said Reta was married recently to a 1st Lt. in the Engineers — I think — who just got back from Guam. Just after I left Nevins I ran into Wayne Weller, who stayed at Lunds with us. He is in the Sanitary Corp but thinks their outfit will be transferred to the Combat Engineers.
            Also ran into Sgt. Kromm from the old outfit. He is going to engine school here. He left the Group Dec 20 so was in France with them. He gave me the low-down on everybody. Most of original pilots that survived were back in the States, including Hollis and Watkinson. Seems the squadron (574) furnished 12 planes one day and 2 came back. Except for Col. Brandon, the Sq C.O., the crews were replacements but the planes were the old ones we flew over. Among the ones that went down were the “Dragon Wagon” No. 1 and “Sky Hag” which had 120 missions on it.
            Didn’t get your letter this week. Imagine between Cora and the chicks your somewhat busy. Why don’t you write one letter to Arlan & have him send it to me? If he can get off next week we’ll go to Milwaukee. News sounds good.
                                                            John

Putting my radio to-gether

March 18, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field, Ill.
Dear Folks:                                                18 March 45
            Just got back from chapel and what a day this is! The weather has been exceptionally nice for a week. Chaplain Bearse was born and raised in Massachusetts. He was in the artillary in the last war.
            The farmers around here are plowing for corn. I see quite a few new tractors. With weather like this I would like to trade a school bench for a tractor seat for a couple of days. Ha! I flew last week but didn’t get 4 hours. Myers went home to Fort Wayne this week end. He has 3 weeks left here. The helicopter course was only 6 weeks long.
            I got started Sat. putting my radio to-gether. It will be a 6 tube set. Like everything else, the parts you want are hard to get so I had to improvise a lot. I may have “improvised” so much the set won’t work. Lt. Randall, in this barracks, is also building a set but of a different design from mine. He has a car so we could drive to Champaign for most of our parts.
            Marvel Lee said the Emerson was fixed. I think I’ll ask Jo if they will keep it for me until I want it. For once, I don’t have time to listen to a radio.
            Sorry to hear about Cora. Maybe you could rent a battery radio in town for her. I’d pay for it. Maybe she wouldn’t care for it — just an idea.
            I got your Mar. 13 letter on 16 and it had “Missent to Independence, Mo.” stamped on it. The address was O.K. Do you have the chicks in the basement? You didn’t say.
                                                            John

Behind on studying again

March 12, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field
Dear Folks:                                                12 Mar. 45
            Nice day today. I went to Chicago over the week end to get some radio parts so am behind on studying again. I went and came back with a lieut. here in the barracks who had a car. Named Chalwick and I stayed at his folks house Sat. Nite.
            Some of boys are hustling around with their income tax forms. I saw Nevins Johnson & talked with him awhile. He works on the line as a service man for transient aircraft that come thru here. Must make this short, no news “no how”. Suppose you have your chicks. Nevins would weight more than his dad, sure is a hunk of man.
                                                            John

Telephone call from Hale

March 4, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field, Ill.
Dear Folks:                                                4 March 45
            Sun is shining and really a nice day here. Had a large rain last Friday afternoon. Myers & I went to Champaign yesterday afternoon to do some shopping. I bought a few parts for a filter that will stop the noise my lamp makes in the radios — I hope. I checked up on some parts for the radio I’m going to make. Went to a show after supper.
            School is about the same. I finished one receiver kit last week and will do another this week. Got a telephone call from Hale, our radioman. He was in Chicago on a 10 day delay-in-route to Nashville, Tenn. That is a staging area and he is headed out to Burma or India he thinks. Pay day was last week.
            Sounds like your snow storm was the usual thing for last of Feb. I haven’t checked the train schedules yet but should be able to make it to St. Louis some week end. Did you get my letter and income tax money? I have been going to look Ervin [Erwin?] up also so we should get to-gether some day. Yes eats are still good. The mess bill this month will be $1.20 a day instead of $1.35. No, I haven’t got my flying in for March yet.
            Had communion in chapel to-day. Cpl. Ellis, the soloist has a good baritone voice.
                                                            John

Climbed around over a B-29

February 25, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field
                                                            25 Feb. 45
Dear Folks:
Sat. Really a nice day to-day, no wind. Lt. Myers, from Frederick, arrived here yesterday. I think I mentioned him in a letter or two, as I met him in Miami and roomed with him at Frederick. He volunteered to fly helicopters so is up here. A lot of the instructors have left Frederick. The class I was instructing just graduated and they kept some of them there for instructors.
            We went to the line this afternoon and looked over the helicopters and then climbed around over a B-29. That is a mammoth thing. Went to a show Sat. nite.
            I bought a small florescent desk lamp but it causes static in our radio. Another man moved in last week with a radio so now have 2 in the barracks. Had another test Sat. which I passed. Also passed 12 words-a-minute code last week. That is the minimum to pass the course. Built another transmitter last week. Will build a reciever this week. Got the gremlin charm, also a letter from Aunt Hattie. She wrote you at the same time I guess.
            Radio says carrier planes are pounding Tokio again. Arlan sent the pictures taken at Chris’.
            When I referred to Yale I meant the army used to have this radio school there and recently moved out of Yale to this place.
            I forgot to tell you my name was drawn out of a hat at the choir party Sat. nite at Milwaukee and I got a silk necktie. Will send it to you, dad. I am having Marvel Lee put my money in a joint account with hers. Did I tell you I had a V-mail from Horridge. He has a staff job in 9th division hdqtrs. He is still trying to get a 30 day leave in the States.
                                                            John

Built a transmitter

February 19, 1945

                                                            19 Feb. 45
Dear Folks:
            Went to Milwaukee and back. Met all the Lyters except Dottie. What a family! Dr. razzes Arlan about a supposed cut of $10 a month which he thinks he deserves for his share in getting Arlan’s and four other guys commissions. He says he would forget Arlan’s $10 a month if he would only get the other four to chip in! Dr. is somewhat of an accomplished politician. Dottie had to stay at school for some reason. Jack and Ruth were up there. When we got there about 10:30 P.M. Sat. the choir was having a party in the basement of the church. Everyone was dressed just as they were when Mrs. Lyter called them up Sat.
            Must catch up on school work. Built a transmitter last week and working on another this week. Arlan didn’t know where he would go yet.
                                                            John
P.S. Took some pictures in Milwaukee and will send the roll to Marvel Lee.

Scheduled to fly

February 11, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field
                                                            11 Feb. 45

Dear Folks:
            I see according to the weather map last week Kansas had some good weather and some not so good. Friday and Sat. were very mild here. I was scheduled to fly Sat. afternoon so couldn’t go to Chicago. A lot of men wait until the last of the month to get their flying n. With the small number of planes, that crowds things so they started scheduling flying like another class. We are scheduled 4 hours at a time and 2 men to an AT-10 and 1 man to a BT-13.
            Capt. Miller & I had an AT-10. To pass the 4 hours we went on a round-robbin cross country to practice navigation and radio. Couldn’t land anywhere according to a regulation put out by this field. We went to Peoria and St. Louis and back. Weather was perfect and visibility about 20 miles. Some snow on the ground around here but it fades away about ¹/₂ way to St. Louis.
            Had another exam Sat. It was a lab. exam on vacuum tubes. Start on radio receivers Monday. I see a B-29 sitting on the field. Got a letter from Basco and a picture of his wife and baby. He is an instructor in an engineers school in Mississippi.
            I get a kick out of those “Listening Along Mainstreet” articles in the Dispatch. Valentine writes that, doesn’t he? Always refers to himself as “we”. Pres. Eisenhower is really putting some new ideas in at K.S.C. I’ll probably go to Chicago next week.
                                                            John

Taking code again

February 3, 1945

                                                            3 Feb. 1945
Dear Folks:
            I finally got a table to write on. The quartermaster brought some more of them to the barracks. Now have a table for every 2 beds and a chair a piece. The barracks is just one big room but beds are single-deck. Started taking code again this week. Will have 1 hour a day for 6 weeks. I sent Marvel Lee $135 to put with my $400. She has it on a checking account I think so I can get it. The $15 is for the church. I brought the records back that Arlan & I bought and I mailed them this week to Marvel Lee.
            Did Mrs. Dodson break away this week and leave? I walk about ¹/₂ mile to school. Is Hays making the manure fork for Wright’s cat.? Yes I got the cake and brush O.K. Sorry to hear about Aunt Hattie. Chicago is about 120 mi. Am listening to the Hit Parade. I got your letter from Arlan. I told Marvel Lee to send the little radio up here if it can’t be fixed.
            Sunday. Had communion in chapel this morning. Freezing rain is falling to-day.
                                                            John

Soon be working on radios

January 28, 1945

                                                            28 Jan. 1945
Dear Folks:
            Well, I’m up in Chicago again. It is colder to-day than last Sunday but it was clear again. I got on the 1:15 train Saturday aft. and got here about 4:45. We bought Marvel Lee some records and went to a show.
            If you haven’t sent that little radio to Wichita you might send it to me. I’ll soon be working on radios. I can’t get any parts for it but will have the fun of testing it. While I think of it, I subscribed to the “Air Force” magazine for you. Don’t send them to me or save them since I get it free. I took a final exam Sat. over 4 weeks work. It wasn’t so bad.
                                                            John

Supper and a show

January 21, 1945

21 Jan. 1945
Dear Folks:
We are listening to Charlie McCarthy. I got up here about 5 PM yesterday. I caught a ride with some other men that had a car. They let me out about a mile west of here and I caught a street car over here. We caught an interurban up town for supper and a show. The temperature is above freezing, which is unusual for this time of year. The sun was trying to shine but didn’t quite make it through the smoke. The lake is pretty well iced over. This town is pretty full on week ends. People are better dressed than in 1941 when I was here before. Service men can ride the buses & street cars free on Sunday and certain times during the week days which is pretty nice I think. I’m taking the 9:45 train back to Rantoul to-nite. I got your box just before I left Chanute Field but didn’t open it. Thanks.

Some fool set up a quota

January 13, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field
                                                            13 Jan. 1945
Dear Folks:
            It has warmed up some here in last 2 days. Snow is melting and streets are slushy. Had a quizz today over the first 2 weeks work. And it was stiff. I got 4 hours flying for this month so probably won’t fly again until Feb. 4 hours is the minimum for flight pay and thats about all we can get apiece because of the small number of airplanes here.
            My trunk arrived and will be delivered Monday. Got a letter from Josephine. Sounds like she will have a busy week as a result of the wedding. Got a letter from Aunt Jessie. Most letters from Clay take 2 days. Also got a letter from Arlan. I may go to Chicago next week to see him.
            You should take some of these vitamins I’m taking. They don’t keep you from having colds but the colds are very light and only last about 3 days. Vergades is wrong about “select” coming here. Originally, this course was for men with minimum of 2 years college engineering but some fool set up a quota and some more fools started filling it. So now, if your father owned a 5-tube radio and you could tune it without pushing it off the table, you’re qualified. This course is condensed so some college is desirable. As a result some men without college credits are here and didn’t want to come in the first place.
            This school has been moving up here gradually from Yale University since last Aug and hasn’t quite reached the peak of enrollment yet. Because of the recent build-up, conditions are very crowded, especially for men bringing their families.
            Aunt Jessie said Rev. Hansen was going to preach this Sunday. No, I didn’t have to stand on the way up here. I see Ed Bauer finally made the grade. Merrill has the equivalent grade of Arlan’s. T/5.
                                                            John

The deal here

January 7, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field
Dear Folks:                                                7 Jan. 1945
            Got started in school last week. Found out some more about the deal here. It seems the army is going to train flying personnel for some ground jobs that have been handled by ground officers up till now. That was the way the air corp was in peace time. The pilots had double duties. This communications course covers all radio and telephone equipment used by the air corp. There is another course here I’d rather take, maintenance engineering, which is more in line with mechanical engineering.
            We fly just enough to get the 4 hrs. minimum a month for flying pay. The planes are small training planes. The weather has been mostly cloudy so far. My trunk hasn’t come yet. I caught a ride to Champaign yesterday afternoon and bought me a better light bulb to read by. Came back on the bus. Illinois University is in Urbana which is right beside Champaign. Rantoul only has a population of 3000. With this permanent base beside it they could make a good town out of it if they would.
            See Perrin is a family man now. Had lost track of him. Glad Floyd likes his new location. No, Dick must not be home yet but I wonder if he isn’t on the road. Yes I wear by battle jacket up here. A large percent of men going to school here are returnees. I got the vitamins.
            Imagine Arlan feels quite a change. As an e[n]listed man you are told what to do. As an officer no one tells you anything, not even what you want to know.
                                                John
P.S. Quite a bit of studying to do, just like college.

Jack Talton

December 29, 1944

                                                            Chanute Field Ill.
                                                            29 Dec.
Dear Folks:
            Got here about 2 A.M. this morning. There is about 6 inches of snow here. This field is an old permanent field and quite large. Have several different schools here. My course doesn’t start until Jan 2 so don’t know about it except it is about “communications.” There are about 1000 officers here and things are rather nonchalant which is O.K. with me. The chow is O.K., served cafeteria style, but not prepared as well as at FAAF. Can get all the milk we want. The way the set up is now, I go to class at 6 A.M. (ouch!) and take P.T. and fly in afternoons. This weather doesn’t look like much flying.
            I “expressed” one bag and my trunk up here but they haven’t had time to get here. Thanks for the Christmas presents. I told you I got the kit before I left FAAF. Met an old 391st man here. Was in a different squadron but I remembered seeing him in the group. He came back after I did and told me of some later happenings. Jack Talton in our hut, was killed in a crash on take off in France. Notice my simple address.
                                                            John