England. Feb. 27, 1944.

Dear Mother,
         Sunday night so I must
write you my weekly letter again.
Nothing new over this way. We
are busy everyday.
     Haven't received very many
letters this week. Received one
from Donna Pogue. I was rather
surprised to hear from her. My
biggest shock was to receive
a letter from a 2nd Lieut. Nurse,
Pearl Meyers, niece. I guess Mrs.
Meyers had sent her my address.
She said she knew where I
was located, but it is to far from
her to meet on a 24 hour leave.

     She said she knew by my
APO number but she used my
old number so I still think she
doesn't really know where I
am. I hope to meet her some
where over here though.
     I don't think I have received
one of your Feb. letters yet. A few
of Irene's letters have been comeing
through and that is about all
the mail I have been receiving.
Sometimes it is awlful hard for
me to write during the week. There
is no news to write about.
There isn't much we are allowed
to write about. I guess we will
have to talk about the rest
when I get home after this is

all over with. On my day off
I go into a small town and stay
at the Red Cross. There is always
a bunch of new magizines to
read there, and we get one nights
sleep between sheets and use
regular size pillows again. Hot
showers and you can get up
when you feel like it. It really
is grand. We don't even have
to make up the beds. That is
a good thing to get away from for
at least a day.
     We have had some real nice
spring weather this past we. It
really makes a fellow feel good.
Heard from Ferne this last
week. She is at Napoleon

staying with her grandmother
for awhile. I guess her baby
will be grown up before I get
to see him.
     I guess this is about all for
today. I was at Sunday services
today. We had a grand service.
I will send you the bulletin.
Write soon. Love to all.
                             Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on March 2nd.

Background Information (and comments):

• There was no church bulletin in the envelope.

• I played detective using Ralph's APO address and found the following information and photos posted by John P. McBride. I have to believe he may have known my father and this information about their location seems accurate for what I know (and will be sharing in future letters that I have). My father does not appear, however, in these photos.

The individuals with me standing along side "I'll Be Seeing You" are -- Left to Right: Keys; Ed Conners; Orvis Addleman; Simon Civitello and myself, John P. McBride. None of us were aviators and/or flight crew members. Our unit, the 30th Depot Repair Squadron, 30th Air Depot Group repaired damaged B-26's at the depot site.  In England we were stationed at Stansted, Essex. The photo submitted was taken on Christmas Day 1944 at Beauvais-Tille, France. The four standing beside me were ground crew mechanics. I was a clerk-typist.

I noted the information that "I'll Be Seeing You" was a 322nd BG ship and was in the depot twice, first in July 1944 and then again March 1945. My unit, the 30th Depot Repair Squadron, 30th Air Depot Group was stationed at Stansted, Essex from Aug. 1943 until Oct. 1944. We could have been instrumental in the work done on "I'll Be Seeing You" during the July 1944 depot visit. However, March 1945 time frame is somewhat puzzling because in Oct. 1944 the 30th ADG arrived at Beauvais-Tille in France. We set up the depot functions there. The photo of "I'll Be Seeing You" submitted was taken at Beauvais on Christmas Day 1944. Beginning March 1945 until the middle of April, the 30th moved in sections to a base near Tirlemont, Belgium.  Beauvais-Tille was also the home base of the 322nd Bomb Group. It is possible that "I'll Be Seeing You" was over at the Depot on Christmas Day because of some other emergency, such as damaged runways (which threatened to cancel missions until flight crews and administrative personnel became construction workers and repaired the runway). That may be the reason why we were able to photograph "I'll Be Seeing You" on Christmas Day 1944 at the Depot. It is all just conjecture on my part because I never made any high ranking decisions, being a corporal. I am standing on the far right hand side of  snapshot as you look at it.

Sincerely, thanks for your interest,
John P. McBride, 30th Repair Squadron, 30th ADG.

B26. In front of a B-26, after getting her fit for duty again. Front row - - John Lamb, Ralph Walker, Rocco Rusconi, Harold Kessman, Mariana Pastrana, Maurice Van Lantschoot. Rear row - - Sidney Mollengarden (shop clerk), Joe McLaughlin, Emeril Hoyt, Charley Krause, Wilbur Wichman, Carl Seeman, Charley Cocherl, Armene Ginn.   30th DEP REP SQ. 30TH ADG, ETO

England. Feb. 20, 1944.

Dear Mother,
        Received two letters from
you today. They were dated the
17 & 24 of January.So now I guess
I have received all of your Jan.
letters. They really are welcome
letters to me. I know I kick
if I don't receive any. I guess
I just get over anxious for them.
     Marie and Luella has told
about canning meat. I hear
from them quite often. It really
is grand to think everyone at home
writes to me.
     Today for dinner we had
chicken. It really is like the

chicken dinner I have had
at home or like the one I am
looking for when I get back there
again. Irene's folks have promised
me a big one and I know I
will get one at home. For supper
we had roast beef. It was
really good. So you can see just
about the way we eat. It is about
like this everyday.
     Did Caps (Charles M) know I
was in the army? Seem so he
should after being gone almost
two years. I can imagine Gerald
being married though. I guess I
will be an old bachelor by the
time I get home. Twenty five my
next birthday. I have been thinking
about getting married for a long

time and never thought I would
be over twenty five before I would
be married.
     In my mail today, I received
two letters from you, one from
Marie and Luella, two from Irene
and also a Valentine. So I guess
I was remembered very well. They
are dated from Jan. 17 to 24. They
were long in comeing over though.
     I have received the letter all
of you wrote Christmas Day. I am
glad to receive letters like that. The
letters the church have been sending
I have only received two. One from
Mrs. Warner and Orren. I guess
the rest are falling down on there
promises. If they could be in
my place for awhile they

would be glad to write letters.
I know just what the people in
London went through during the
Blitz.
     Gail might have quite a few
yarns to tell about army life in
the states, but he really doesn't
know anything about the war
or how an army really works.
I suppose everyone will want
to know all about my overseas
experiences when I get home. I just
want to forget all about it and
start my civilian life over again.
     Irene said today in one of
her letters that Glenn and
Audrey would probably beat us
married. It seems to me as
if everybody at home is doing
just that very same thing.

     Well I guess this is about
all I have for tonight. Please
write soon. I will try to write
when I have time. I have run
out of a little work now. But
it soon will be piled up again.
Had a ride today. It was the
first good day for a long time.
So long for now.
                          Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on February 27th.

Background Information (and comments):

• Glenn was one of Ralph's older brothers, born Dec. 19, 1916. Ralph was born May 30, 1919.
• No comment, yet, about Irene's prediction that Glenn & Audrey will marry before he and Irene will.
• To better understand The Blitz and what life in England was like during the war, here what I googled (bombings around london in 1944) and found this "not secure" website and an excerpt from it:

Night after night during 1940-1945, civil defence members and city inhabitants in London and elsewhere were confronted by shocking sights and sounds. The spine-tingling, stomach-churning wail of air raid sirens. The distinctive, sinister hum of enemy aircraft engines. The whistle of falling high explosive bombs and their ear-splitting detonation. The metallic tinkling sound of incendiaries dropping onto rooftops before igniting in a white-green flash. The dazzling finger beams of searchlights and pounding anti-aircraft guns. The deafening roar of collapsing buildings. Choking smoke and dust. Blasted streets strewn with heavy debris, masonry rubble, shattered glass and shrapnel. The urgent bells of passing emergency vehicles. The menace of unexploded ordnance. Ripped-open utility capillaries: burst coal gas and water mains, ruptured sewers, severed telephone lines, sparking mains electricity and broken overhead tram wires. The searing heat of major fires out of control. Flood damage from fire service water hoses. Corpses and body parts found entombed under smashed brick, metal and wood in destroyed houses and shelters. Dazed and injured civilians requiring first aid and the furtive activities of looters.

Feb. 19, 1944

Dear Mother,
     Just a short letter to you tonight. The last
letter I have had from you was dated Jan. 31.
How is everything at home now? I hear from
Irene occasionally. All the mail seems to be slow
in comeing through. I wrote to Luella last night
and also Irene. I most usually write every night
to Irene if I have time. They are keeping us busy
as usual.
     I haven't been to London for some time now.
I don't know if I will go much more or not. It
is about the same thing everytime. Once you have
seen the places it is just like knowing your
home town. I can get around in London about like
I know Toledo now. If the fires in Toledo don't
stop it will look about as bad as London.
     I must try to find time to write to Pearl Myers
again. It seems as if we are up most of the time
over here. It will be nice to sleep without being
disturbed. Goodnight and please write often.
                                                         Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on Feb. 20th.

Background Information (and comments):

• The letter was short as it was a v-mail.
• Here is what I found for sites with information about fires in Toledo in 1944.

http://www.ohiomemory.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16007coll33/id/222

http://www.toledohistorybox.com/2011/05/18/colony-shopping-center/

England Feb. 16, 1944

Dear Mother,
          I am a little late in writing
to you this week, but I really
haven't had the time, and when
I had the time on Sunday night,
well that is a story which will
be told when I am home. So
please excuse me.
     I haven't heard from you for
almost four weeks now. I know
your letters have been lost, because
some of the fellows received V
letters in white envelopes and
when they get them they are
reprints.
     I received four from Irene
today and a V letter from Cliff.
I have a little time now so

most of my time will be
spent in writing tonight. I really
don't know what to write about
though. It seems as if I don't
have any news.
     Received a V letter from Pearl
Myers. I must answer it soon.
It seems as if everyone is
writing to me and I hardly
ever know what to write back
to them. Received a letter from
Lenore and Luella telling about
Medusa Cement plant. They are
lucky only one person was
killed. Maybe there will be
enough jobs close to home for
me after all. I suppose it
looks like a lot of the buildings
I have seen in London.
     Kate Smith's program is on

the radio now. It is a
reproduced program. But it is
a good program. I enjoy the radio
very much.
     Well mother I hope your
letters do arrive soon. Try to
write me all the news. I will
try to write as often as possible
and every week. Goodnight for
now.
                           Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on Feb.19th.

Background Information (and comments):

• I'm guessing this is the story Ralph cannot tell:

The Action of 14 February 1944 refers to the sinking of a German U-boat off the Strait of Malacca during World War II by a British submarine.Wikipedia

• Date: February 14, 1944
  Result: British victory

• I cannot find any information about the incident at the Medusa Cement plant. I'm guessing there was an explosion that damaged/destroyed a building (and a person was killed). If anyone else wants to research this and pass it on, I will gladly share it on a future post.

• 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.
• Here's a YouTube link to one of her radio performances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv70sUYMILk&list=PL5sIk60uHMMmp_NDjVVKHlh_z_Ud9PjGY&index=2

Feb. 7, 1944

Dear Mother,
          Not much to write about for now. I haven't
received any mail to speak of for almost two weeks
now. I guess last week I received about three letters.
I am busy now and we are putting in a lot of hours.
I suppose you have been wondering what we all
are doing, just routine work.
      I am so sleepy tonight I can hardly write tonight.
Tell the rest of the folks I will write when I have
time to write.
      Mother, can you send me a cheap watch? Any kind
will do. Either pocket watch or wristwatch. I need one
but can't get any over here. Just a cheap one will
do. I am lost without a watch.
      How is everything back in the states? How is
the oil well comeing now?
      Well I must get in the sack for the night.
I am ready for bed tonight. Hope I get a full
night sleep for a change. Goodnight and keep
writing the mail will come sometime.
                                                     Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on February 16th.

Background Information (and comments):

• Here are photos of a test oil well on Taylor's farm, near Ralph's parents' farm. Thanks to Elaine Brown Filipek (Ralph's niece) for finding the photos.