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