Stinson Field Christmas Day

Dear Mother,
          Christmas day for 1942 is here
and almost passed. I have been
thinking of you a lot today. We had
a marvelous dinner today. The
tables were set so pretty. We
had 38 tables. All of them had
white table clothes, plates, silver-
ware, cups, glasses and on every
plate was a package of cigarettes
cigar and our menu. Then in
front of every plate was 2 oranges
2 bannanas, 2 apples. Then
They had the salads on the table.
One salad was in a tomato
hollowed out and filled with cold
slaw. This was on a lettuce
leaf in a saucer. Then another
salad of apple nuts and mayonaise.


They really looked nice. The mess
hall was decorated in red, white
and green crepe paper and bells,
on the windows they pasted cotton
to make it look like snow. The
rest of our food was served to
us in big dishes and we took
what we wanted. Then when dinner
was finished nuts and candy was
passed around.
          The day here has been
a lovely day. This morning it
was kinda foggy but it cleared
up. It warmed up to around 75.
We have the windows and all
the doors open. Most of the fellows are
setting around just in there under-
wear that is how warm it is here
today. It didn't really seem like
Christmas at all. I received Luella's
package and a few cards. I received


a letter from Irene last Sunday
and I haven't heard from her since.
I don't know what is wrong. Maybe
the mails are so heavy it is slow
for the letters to come through. Have
you seen her since I was home?
          Kentuck received a telegram
from his folks today. His brother
arrived in Africa safe and sound.
          I hope all the others were able
to be with you this Christmas.
Next Christmas we will all be
there together.
          Well I guess this is about
all for now. Kate Smith is on
now. Everybody is listening to her.
Goodbye and I hope you had
a very Merry Christmas.
                               Love. Ralph.


Background Information (and comments):

• I used to read this letter to my 8th grade students when we did a World War II unit. They had no idea who Kate Smith was.
• This may have been the show they were listening to:      96239. The Kate Smith Hour. December 18, 1942. Program #5. CBS net origination, AFRS rebroadcast. The first tune is, "Everything I've Got Is Yours." Ed Gardner, as "Archie" from "Duffy's Tavern" tries to hire Kate to sing at the tavern. It's a funny routine that falls flat and crashes at the last line. You'll get goose bumps when Kate sings, "Getting Sentimerntal." Guest Leonard Sues trumpets, "Blue Prelude." Kate ends a delightful show with, "God Bless America." Kate Smith, Ted Collins (host), Ed Gardner, Leonard Sues. 29:34. Audio condition: Excellent. Complete.
• The Kate Smith Hour was a leading radio variety show, offering comedy, music and drama with appearances by top personalities of films and theater for eight years (1937–45). The show's resident comics, Abbott and Costello and Henny Youngman, introduced their comedy to a nationwide radio audience aboard her show, while a series of sketches based on the Broadway production of the same name led to The Aldrich Family as separate hit series in its own right in 1940.

The next letter will be posted on December 28th.