Thursday, November 26, 2015

Stinson Field Nov. 26, 1942

Dear Mother,
          Just finished Thanksgiving
Dinner. I really put in some
work on it. I started last night
at 10 P.M. and it is 1:15 P.M. now.
I am really tired out.
          The reason for my writing
is my furlough starts Dec. 1.
to Dec. 15. the best I could do.
Please send the rest of my
money so I can get home. Telegraph
it through. Please excuse the
poor writing I am dead tired.
Fill in the amount of money
I have left and send it so
I will have it Tuesday or even
Monday. So long for now. Don't tell
Irene I am coming.


                                  Nov. 26, 1942
     Blissfield State Bank.
Pay to Myself. Ralph W. Brown.
__________________________
                               Ralph W. Brown.


Background Information (and comments):


  • Thanks to friends and family who have sent messages to clarify information from Ralph's letters. A cousin recently pulled up the 1940 census and found a John & Jessie Bartholamew. Since I am familiar with this family's name from the area, we both concluded that they were neighbors and it was John's death that Ralph commented about in his last letter.


The next letter will be posted on Dec. 16th.

Monday, November 23, 2015

Stinson Field Nov. 23, 1942

Dear Mother,
          I received your letter this noon.
I was really shocked to hear about
John. One never realizes who will
really be nexted. I suppose it was
a large funeral. I sent a sympathy
card to Jessie today.
          Yesterday I had to new men
in the kitchen with me and on Saturday
our 1st cook was taken to the hospital
with the flu. So it put me in a great
responsible job. Our second cook is
on furlough, so I had to prepare dinner.
I got along swell and receive a lot
of praise for both dinner and supper.
If I stick to cooking I may be a
corporal by the time I come home.
          There are only going to be 30
furloughs issued over Christmas,
but I am hoping I will be one of
the 30 to receive them. They told


me that they thought I would
have a good chance to receive one.
          If I do get home Luella wants to
have a party for me. Lenore said
something about my coming over. I
guess it will be hard getting around
without much gas to run on.
          I am on the day for Thanksgiving.
If our cook isn't back by then
I guess it is up to me to get
the dinner. If I can I ought to
right up in line for some stripes.
We can't hardly get enough meat
and things to use down here. We
are feeding 300 men now and ownly
can get 48 qts of milk a day. Everything
seems to be scarce. I don't know
why. It must be because this is
just a new field.
          The money arrived ok and
I hope you enjoy the pictures very
much. Get Irene's to her as soon
as possible.
          This morning when I woke
up I thought I was in Michigan
again. They had an awlful heavy
frost last night. You could still


see it on some of the roofs at
10 this morning yet. I have today
off so i came into town to get a
card to send to Jessie and I am
visiting one of the U.S.O. here. It
is a grand place.
          Did the snapshots arrive
ok? Luella said I should send her
some pictures, let her see them and
pick out what she wants, then I
will send the negatives home. Christmas
coming and everything my $50 don't
last very long.
          Well I guess this is all for
now. Hope I will be able to
spend this Christmas at home.
Goodbye now and wish me luck.
                                Love
                                     Ralph.


Background Information (and comments):

  • I do not know who John or Jessie were. Luella was his only sister and Lenore was a sister-in-law.
  • After posting the letter of Nov. 21st, a friend who currently lives in Tarpley Texas made the following comment: " Here is update on Stinson Field...we went and looked today! It is city owned and privately run. It is the 2nd oldest general aviation airport in the US still in use.The Army Air Force used it and after turned it over to the city. This was info we got from an old pilot there."
  • Here's information (from the internet) on why Ralph said it would be hard to get around without much gas to run on:
  • gas_ration
    1942: Nearly a year after the Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor that brought the United States fully into World War II, the Americans get around to imposing nationwide gasoline rationing.
    A fuel shortage was not the problem. America had plenty of that. What it lacked was rubber. Both the Army and Navy were in desperate need of rubber for the war effort.
    Imports had fallen off to a trickle, because many of the traditional sources were now in Japanese hands. The construction of synthetic-rubber factories was just beginning.
    Mandatory gasoline rationing had been in effect in the eastern United States since May 1942, but a voluntary program in other parts of the country had proven unsuccessful.
    The Baruch Rubber Report, presented to President Franklin Roosevelt on Sept. 1, 1942, concluded that the United States was “a have-not nation” when it came to rubber. Meeting the military’s enormous needs would be nearly impossible if the civilians at home didn’t cut out nonessential driving to conserve on tire wear.
  • Rubber became the first commodity rationed as the Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies cut off our supply. Gasoline rationing reduced the number of miles the average citizen drove and thus conserved rubber. Voluntary gas rationing proved ineffective and by the Spring of 1942, seventeen Eastern states had instituted some form of mandatory gas rationing. By December mandatory controls extended across the entire country. On average, motorists who used their cars for "nonessential" purposes were restricted to 3 gallons of gas a week.
The next letter will be posted on November 26th.

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Stinson Field Texas Nov. 21, 1942

Dear Mother,
           Here it is Saturday morning. I have
some pictures ready to send to you. They are
the ones I told you about. I have written
on the backs of each one telling you what
each one was.
          You asked me once what the Alamo
is. It is an old mission in San Antonio.
During the Mexican war David Crockett and
36 men used this for a fort. It was held
11 days by these 36 men against thousands of
SantaAnn soldiers. On the 12 day was the
mass assalt. The Mexicans rushed the mission
and every American soldier was killed. Later
the bodies were burned in a huge bondfire.
It is now preserved at a historic marker
for the peace and independence of Texas.
You have heard the song - Remember Pearl
Harbor. It is mention in that.
          I was in the Alamo the other day. It
is just like a church inside of the main building.
They have the baptism rooms, monks burial
rooms, altars and different rooms for the old
missions. Everything in it is made of stone.
The original wall is still around the
courtyard. In the courtyard is an old well.


This well is about 35 feet deep and is all
lined up with stones. It has the old
windlass and bucket that was used during
the siege of the Alamo.
          The San Antonio river is just a
narrow stream running thru San Antonio. It
has control dams built to keep the water
at one level all the time. There are flowers
all along it. They call it the little Venice
of San Antonio. At night it is always lighted
by large flood lights.
         In San Antonio there are a lot of Parks. Some
Sunday we are going out to there and take some
more pictures. It seems funny to have the
trees all leaved out and then sweat all the
time. Sometimes when I start a letter I almost
write July instead of November.
          Mother I wanted to surprise you, but
I think it is best to tell you. If you send
presents for Christmas don't send any. If my
plans work out, and they told me they
would. I have applied for a furlough.
I will leave here according to plans and they
are good ones. I leave Dec. 19 and will arrive
in Toledo Sunday at 8 P.M. Dec. 20. My
furlough will start Dec. 21 until Janurary
4th or 5th. I hope these plans won't be


changed in anyway. I was told by one of
the fellows in the office that my application
went through for a furlough. So I hope to be
home for Christmas. I will want you to send
me the remainder of my money in the bank.
I will even be home in time to do my
Christmas shopping in Toledo and I do hope
it will really be true. I haven't told anyone
yet but you. I would like to surprise Irene
but I am afraid she will mail my present
before I can get home. So I guess I will have
to tell her.
          I suppose you will be busy next
week for Thanksgiving dinner, or aren't you
haveing much? I am on for that day. We are
going to have turkey.
          Harold Belding has returned back to camp
and all the punishment he gets in to loose 1/3 of
2 months pay, and he will never receive any
stripes.
          Well I guess this is about enough for
one letter. I am ok and feeling fine. Getting
a little tan on. I hope to have a good
tan by Christmas and I am sure this is
really going to be a very merry Christmas
I know it will be if I can come home.
Tell everybody I said hello and if any


of them wants some of the pictures I have
all of the negatives. So long for now.
                                      Love Ralph.


 
Background Information (and comments):

  • Here is one of the photos he sent with the letter. On the back he wrote:
    • In the park near the Alamo. Hotel Crockett in the background.

  • In 1965, Ralph returned to San Antonio on a family vacation. We visited Stinson Field, the Alamo, and walked along the San Antonio River. Here are a few of those photos.

The next letter will be posted on Nov. 23rd.
  • Here are the lyrics to the song "Remember Pearl Harbor. It was sung by Sammy Kaye.

History in ev'ry century records an act that lives forevermore.
We'll recall, as into line we fall, the thing that happened on Hawaii's
Shore.

Let's REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR
As we go to meet the foe.
Let's REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR
As we did the Alamo.
We will always remember how they died for Liberty.
Let's REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR
And go on to victory."

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Stinson Field Texas Nov. 19, 1942

Dear Mother,
          I received your letter yesterday and was
glad to hear from you. I didn't receive any from
Irene, but I can't complain I have received
one or two from her everyday since she
received my address.
          Yesterday it was a terrible hot
day. All the fellows working outside got
sunburnt. It seems funny to just get thru
a summer and then start in again so
soon. Today it is really a grand day out not
to hot or to cool. It is rather cloudy. They
say it rained here the 4th of July and then
again on Labor Day. That is all the rain they
have had. I guess when it does rain it
really floods everything.
          I am off duty for today. When you
are cooking you are on for one day and then
you are off for one day. It gives you plenty of
time to sleep and catch up on your letter
writing. I know I haven't written much. There
isn't much to write about. I have some
snapshots taken here in Texas. They turned
out real good. I will send them as soon
as I get some extra prints made. I sent
Irene the first prints and will send you


the others as soon I get them, Did you know
that Vic Martin is at home now? Irene said
he had a thirty day furlough. He flew in
from Trinidad. I put my application in this
morning for one. I didn't state any special
time I want my furlough to begin so I don't know
when it will come through. It will cost me
around $35 for a round trip ticket to come home
and it will be around 36 hours. Gosh it seems
a long ways when you stop to think about it.
I am going down to the depot someday and find
out about it sometime.
          Well I guess this is about all for today.
I can't think of much more to say. I hope you
enjoy my photo very much. I guess we sign
the payroll today or tomorrow. Harold Palding
went A.W.O.L at Patterson Field before we left
to come down here. He owes me a little money
but I guess he has really gotten himself in
a jam by being A.W.O.L. when we moved. He
will get about six months in the guard house
for it, and two thirds of his pay taken away. It
isn't worth the time you are gone A.W.O.L to pay
for it like that. Well so long for now. Tell
Ruth I might get ambition enough to write to
her. Tell here to write anyway. So long for now.
                                          Love Ralph.



Background Information (and comments): 


  • Here is a link to a website about punishment for A.W.O.L. (deserters) during WWII:

http://www.worldwar2history.info/Army/deserters.html


The next letter will be posted on Nov. 21st.


Monday, November 2, 2015

Stinson Field San Antonio Nov. 15, 1942

Dear Mother,

          I received your letter today and was
really glad to receive it. I imagine it does
seem cold in Michigan. It really seems
funny to think this is November and it
being so warm. I am acting as a cook
now. I don't know how long I will be on
it, I like it ok but I don't think I would
want it steady. There seems to be to much
work and long hours connected with it.
     Well I guess the picture of the war
has changed considerable in the last
week. I hope they really do get them on
the run and keep them running.
     The proofs you mailed back to the
photographer I haven't finished paying for
them. I will make out a slip so you
can draw the money out of the bank for me.
Draw out $15 and send me $10 of it, and
have the pictures sent C.O.D. or send them
$5.18 for them. I don't know why it is but
I seem to be running low on money
down here. I guess moveing to a new
camp there is things you want to see

and it costs money to see them down
here. It costs 20 cents for bus fare into
town and 20 cents out again. I have been
to the show a few times and I sent
Irene a gift from Patterson Field before
I left. Then two or three telephone
calls so I guess the money is accounted
for. I sent Irene a musical powder
box. She says she likes it real
well. Have you seen her lately?
When you do see her give her one
of the group pictures and also one of
my big colored pictures. How were
they? Were they very good proofs?
     Have you found out what happened
at the sugar factory yet. Well I must
get back to my cooking. Will write more
after supper. We are haveing vegetable
soup, asparagus and lettuce salad, apple
pie and milk for supper.
     Well here it is Sunday morning. After
we had supper I didn't feel like writing.
Coming down with a cold I guess. I just
layed around and listened to the radio and
went to bed at 9:00 o'clock. I am going into
San Antonio this afternoon for a while. There
seems to be all Catholic churches around
here. I haven't seen any other church. Maybe
someday a couple of us will try and locate one.

     It is really a nice day here in Texas
today. Getting warm fast out. By noon it
will be around 75 or 80. It is a post
ruling when we go to town we have to
wear our blouses and we really smoth
smother in them. By the time sun goes down
we need them. I guess that is why most
of us have colds.
     Yesterday we had a garrison inspection.
All of our clothes had to be laid out just so
on our beds and two captains a lieutant, and
a visiting colonel made the inspection. I
was on duty in the kitchen but had to lay
my clothes out. The captain said it was
the best outfit on the field and our mess
hall was the cleanest. Well I guess this
is about all for now. I will write more
during the week.
                         So long for now.
                                      Love Ralph.





Background Information:


  • Here is a timeline of events in November 1942 to illustrate why Ralph felt that "the picture of the war has changed considerable in the last week".
    • November 8, 1942

      The Allies invade North Africa, beginning Operation Torch. U.S. forces landed in Algeria, Oran, and Casablanca.

      November 10, 1942

      Vichy French forces stop fighting the Allies. Allied forces begin move into Tunisia.

      November 13, 1942

      British troops recapture Tobruk, Libya.

The next letter will be posted on Nov. 21st.




Stinson Field Texas Nov. 10, 1942

Dear Mother,

          Well here it is Nov. 10, a day
before Armistice day. I don't think it
has much meaning this year. I don't
suppose I will do much this year. I
have a new job in the army since
moveing to Texas. I am a cook now.
Can you imagine it? I suppose it
is a surprise to you, it is to me.
They asked me to help out. I guess they
heard some of the fellows razzing me about
my me that I should be a cook. I
told the captain about my propeller
course I took so he said to take this
until something in the line turns up.
He said when it did I could get here
and go on repair work. He said this
would beat drilling. It isn't hard here
at all. We only feed 175 men to a
meal. It is 3 oclock now and we have
supper done already to serve.
     It is a lot cool here today. There
is a strong wind blowing from the north
so I guess that is what makes it a bit
cooler. Sunday I was in San Antonio.

most of the day. I was at the Alamo
and a few other historic places. I took
a few snapshots but I don't know
when I will get the rest of the roll finished.
     When my proofs for my picture
comes, pick out the one you want. Mail
it back there and send $5.18 then I
will pay you the money. I am going to
ask for a furlough in about 2 or 3 weeks.
I hope I do get one. If I don't I will send
you the money then or ask to get some
out of the bank. So pay for it and I will
see that you get yours.
     Well I guess this is about all for
now. I received a letter from Cliff's Sunday.
It had been transferred from Patterson Field.
I hope I start getting some letters soon.
It is lonesome without hearing
from home. So long for now.
                                      Love Ralph.


Kentuck, myself, Berry standing in front of the Alamo.
This is the original wall.


The next letter will be posted on November 15th.


Stinson Field Nov. 7, 1942

Dear Mother,
          Well here I am in Texas. This is
Saturday morning and we don't start any
army routine until Monday. Then we will
be organized and rested up from our
58 hour train ride.
          I enjoyed the trip very much. There
was 525 of us including officers that
made the trip. We left Patterson Field
at 4:45 P.M. Tuesday. We lined up with
field packs on. Our O.D. uniform was
worn. Leggings and we wore no neckties
and had on our field jackets and over
seas caps. It was a grand sight to
see everyone dressed alike. We marched
from the field to the Osborn railroad
depot. I guess the whole town was there
to give us a send off. The major was
the only officer of our outfit that didn't
come with us. He gave us a little
speech at the railroad depot and he told
us he hated to see us leave. He said
we were the best outfit at Patterson Field
and he wished he was going with us.

     When we started to board the train
he gave each one of us a personal
handshake and wished us all good luck.
He really felt bad to see of us shove
off.
     We went through East St. Louis Ill. and
then down through Dupo Ill. We picked
up dining cars there and at breakfast ^& dinner between
there and Popular Bluff Missouri. We rode
along the Mississippi for quite a few
miles and crossed the river almost
in the southern tip of Ill. After crossing
over into Missouri and into Popular Bluff
we felt unloaded and did a few exercises
to limber up a little from riding so long.
They put on another dining car here and it
made three diners then. Meals didn't take
so long then. We were given $6 ration
money to use on the train. Our meals were
$1 a meal and they weren't worth a quarter
but we had to eat.
     Going through Missouri there was acre after
acre of just waste ground. It towns were
old and looked as if a good rain and wind
storm would wash and blow it off the map.

     There was a lot of cotton fields and they
were picking cotton in most of them. There
was a lot of cotton sawmills all through
Mo. We arrived in Texarkana Mo Ark.
about 5:00 o'clock the next morning. Here
were crossed over into Texas. Ark. was
just about the same as Mo. It was night
so we didn't get to see much of Ark.
     We arrived in Long View Texas about
8:00 o'clock and got off the train and walked
or marched up to town to the Hilton hotel.
They had telegraphed ahead and they had
breakfast already for us. We ate breakfast
and then we lined up on the street and
talked with the folks in town. We wrote
cards and bought four gas stations out
of pop and candy bars. There was a newspaper
office close by and they gave each of us a
paper to read. We left here about 11:00
o'clock and arrived in Dallas Texas about
3:00 o'clock. This really is a pretty town.
Everything is so clean and the streets are
plenty wide. A lot of space to build in.
We left here about 4:00 o'clock and
head south for San Antonio.

     We arrived in San Antonio about 3:00
o'clock in the morning. We came about two
miles outside of San Antonio and a convoy
of trucks met us and brought us into here.
Stinson Field is about 7 miles south of
San Antonio. It is a new field and we
are in new barracks. It sure is a swell
field. It isn't as big and we have quite
a few priveleges. We can go into town after
5:00 oclock without a pass, but there is
a curfew law here in Texas we have to
be off of the streets at 11:30 A.M. (PM?)
     Last night we went into San Antonio
last night. I was over to the Alamo. It is
in the heart of San Antonio. San Antonio is
a really pretty town. It is just about run
over by soldiers. There is about 5 fields
with 7 miles of it. I guess the M.P.'s really
have the ruling of the town. There is a lot
of Theatre here. I am going into town Sunday
and take my camera with me. There is a
a stream going through town and it is
all fixed up just like a park. Canoeing
and there is a lot of palm trees all
around. It is a grand sight. I will

send you some pictures of it here.
     Right back of our camp here is a cemetery
It is really thick with palm trees. Flowers
in bloom and the trees are all green with
leaves.
     Well I guess I will close for now. We
slept most of the time yesterday. They didn't
even get us up. The officers thall that met
us at the train told our captain that we
were the best bunch of soldiers he has
ever met at a train. He said we got off just
as if it were all rehearsed. I guess it makes
our officers proud of us.
     I must close for now. It really is hot
here. The temperature is around 85. Write
early so I can get an answer next week.
Send it by airmail. It only costs 3 cents
more. Goodbye for now.
                                    Love Ralph.


Background Information:


  • The following is some information about Patterson Field, Fairborn Ohio, and Osborn.  
    • Following WWI, Dayton’s leading businessmen continued to advocate for the city’s connection to military aviation research.  McCook Field, with its “this field is small‐use it all” motto, was quickly outgrown, especially as the size of airplanes continued to increase.  John Patterson, of NCR, and later his son, Frederick, raised $425,673 to keep the undersized McCook Field in 33 Dayton.    The money was used to purchase 4,520 acres near Huffman Prairie and relocate McCook Field.  Once relocated in 1927, McCook Field joined the older facilities at Wilbur Wright Field.  The flying school was discontinued after WWI, and its facilities merged with the Fairfield Air Depot.    The name of the entire facility was changed to Wright Field, recognizing both brothers. The facility continued to grow in size and prominence.  The new engineering facilities were the Army Air Corps’ headquarters for the development of advanced aircraft and equipment.    In 1931, the field was split in two, the engineering section retaining the name Wright Field.  The other section, east of Huffman Dam, became known as Patterson Field, in recognition of the Patterson family’s relationship with the site.  This section contained the Fairfield Air Depot.
    • Fairborn The city of Fairborn, in Greene County, was formed by two separate 19th‐century villages.   Fairfield, which was a pike town along the Old Cumberland Trail and the center of Bath Township, bustled with hotels, taverns, and a variety of other commercial enterprises during the mid 1800s.    Today, this pike between Dayton and Springfield is State Route 444/Broad Street.  Osborn was platted in 1850, just to the northwest of Fairfield, along the newly arrived Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad.   Osborn thrived in the latter part of the century, quickly outgrowing Fairfield.
    • From 1942‐45, the Army Air Force (USAAF) occupied the Dayton Municipal Airport and constructed several large hangars for airplane repair and new runways for training.  Designated as the Dayton Army Air Field, the airport served as a satellite to Wright and Patterson fields.   42 The airport returned to civilian use in 1947, although an Ohio Air National Guard unit remained at the facility.  Dayton regained the deed for the property the following year.    In addition to Wright and Patterson fields, a smaller Army Air Force installation was located in Van Buren Township.    Beginning in the 1920s as another Johnson Flying Field, the facility eventually became an Army Air Force Depot.    During WWII, Italian prisoners of war were housed at the installation.  It was renamed Gentile Air Force Station (AFS) after the war.   The station was essentially an Air Force office park, housing several different organizations, but the largest was the supply center.   The 55‐acre Gentile AFS eventually contained several dozen buildings, but the four massive supply buildings dominated the facility.


The next letter will be posted on November 10th.

Postcard Nov. 6, 1942 San Antonio, Texas

Pvt. Ralph W. Brown
30th Air Depot Group
Repair Squadron
Stinson Field
San Antonio Texas

Dear Mother,
   Arrived here 4 oclock
Friday morning. 58
hours riding on the
train. It is really
hot here. I really am
sweating again. I suppose
you are froze up in Mich.
Well I wish I could send
you some heat. We rode
through 30 miles of these
oil fields. Sure is a
wonderful sight. Will
write more Sun. Love.

The next letter will be on Nov. 7th.



Postcard Nov. 5, 1942 Longview Texas

Dear Mother,
     Arrived here
at 8:00 A.M.
Ate breakfast
at a hotel.
About 400 mile
yet to go. 38 hrs.
on train so
far. Write more
in San Antonio
           Love Bill

The next posting will be on Nov. 6th.