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:
• 
  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.