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Correspondence, 1945 Sept 8-13

 File — Box: 8, Folder: 1

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The collection is comprised primarily of letters and greetings cards sent and received by Ken Paul, his girlfriend Marian Hentscher, his mother Edna Paul, his brother Bill Paul, and various friends and family members while the Paul brothers served in the Army during World War II. The letters are arranged chronologically and date from 1942 to 1946. The only item dated after 1946 is Ken Paul’s nametag for a reunion of the 302nd Fighter Command Squadron in October 2000.

In addition to the correspondence, there are a few greeting cards dated 1946, stories written by Ken Paul that were inspired by his military experiences dated 1943 to 1945, and three undated radio scripts for stations “PFUI” and “KUKU.” There are also two newsletters from St. Luke’s Evangelical Church (St. Louis) dated December 26, 1944, and July 25, 1945. The newsletters provide updates on members in the military. Pastor Clarence Peters announced engagement of Bill Paul to Ruth Tiemann in the July issue and also mentioned other friends of the Paul family. Finally, there is Ken’s radio training notebook, ca. 1943-1944, filled with notes and diagrams. It also lists the places at which he was stationed and bears a self-portrait sketch on the front fly-leaf.

The letters begin in 1942 with two that Ken Paul wrote before he entered the Army. Most of the letters in the collection are written by Ken to Marian, particularly after he was stationed on Iwo Jima. There are a smaller number of letters written by Ken and Bill to their mother, Edna Paul. Bill Paul also wrote to Marian in effort to get to know her better. From 1943 to March 1944, the letters provide a complete story of what was happening to the Pauls and to their family and friends at home.

The letters follow the two young men from induction in the Army through the end of War World II. Ken and Bill Paul explore their willingness for adventure, their hopes and dreams, and their evolving world view as they wrote to their loved ones and friends about their military experiences. Ken and Bill also wrote to each another, although few of Ken’s letters to Bill are in the collection. However, once they were stationed overseas, it is evident that they shared much more with each other than what they shared with their mother, both men trying to alleviate her worries. In his October 14, 1944, letter, Bill told Ken about duty as a forward observer, as close to enemy lines as possible (B5/f.11).

The 1943 letters are not only from Ken and Bill as they traveled from camps and bases in the U.S. to overseas posts, but also some letters written to them by their mother, by Marian, and by a few relatives and friends. Once Ken was ordered to clean out the hundreds of letters in his locker at Bradley Field (March 22, 1944, B4/f.1) and, once he discarded all non-essential items before shipping out in June 1944, very few of the letters that he received through the end of the war survived. However, Ken shared letters that he received with either his mother or Marian, often enclosing letters from Bill. Bill also had to discard all non-essential possessions, including all but a few letters from home, before the D-Day invasion (June 2, 1944, B4/f.11).

Censorship played a part in the Pauls’ letters home. Each letter was subject to the censors’ redactions once they were stationed outside the continental U.S. in 1944. However, their few letters to each another seem quite frank, leaving the question of whether military to military letters were censored as heavily as letters bound for home. Servicemen were made aware of what they could and could not disclose in letters. As soon as restrictions were lifted, such as a military operation being completed and reported upon in the newspapers, the men could tell their families about their experiences. For example, Bill told his mother about his training and where he was stationed in England after he landed in France and enclosed a leaflet that was handed to the men prior to D-Day (June 14 and 18, 1944, B4/f.12-13). After the Japanese surrender, censorship was officially lifted and Ken told Marian on September 5, 1945, where he was and enclosed a map of Iwo Jima showing its radio installations at which he worked (B7/f.16). He continued to share details of his experiences on Iwo Jima after the war’s end.

By 1944, when Ken and Bill were subject to censorship, the practice was widely known. Ken humorously observed in his June 13, 1944, letter to Marian that he “shall have to get used to this third party business.” In his November 22, 1943, Ken told Marian that he had developed a code to bypass the censors. However, Dan Hentscher already used a code that allowed him to tell his family that he was stationed in New Guinea in late 1943 (January 8, 1944, B3/f.7). Marian apparently shared the code with Ken as she decoded a few of his 1944 letters [see June 14, 1944; September 17, 1944; January 18, 1945; January 27, 1945; February 3, 1945; and March 16, 1945].

Aspects of World War II home front life are revealed in the letters. Edna Paul and Hulda Hentscher both wrote about Victory gardens, rationing, and saving coupons for meat and sugar in order to have large family dinners as their families became better acquainted during Ken’s service. Ken and Bill both discussed paperwork for allotments with their mother; they had a portion of their pay sent to her. They also used part of their pay to buy war bonds. Edna began working a second job as a waitress at the Famous Barr tea room in January 1943. She mentioned going downtown for Navy Day, seeing ships and jeeps that rode into the water (October 27, 1943, B2/f.11).

The Pauls regularly received packages from home, including food and woolen socks sent to Bill during the winter of 1944. Once Bill and Ken left the U.S., they had to request items in their letters. The Postmaster General declared in January 1943 (Order No. 19687) that no parcels could be sent to A.P.O.s unless expressly requested by the recipient. When sending a package, the sender had to present the letter in which the serviceman requested a package and have it stamped with a parcel post mark, preventing the same letter from being used more than once. The first of several letters in the collection bearing a parcel post stamp is dated ca. June 14, 1944 (B4/f.12).

Ken regularly discussed his close friends from home in his letters to Marian, including: Roy C. Paul (2nd Lt.), Eddie Boeckelmann (married Elsie ca. 1943), Ralph “Poochie” J. Huther (Marine), Oliver Grosse (civilian, musician), and Lee (Pvt. Leland K. Eckhart). They also discussed Dan and Bob Hentscher, Marian’s brothers. The letters often mentioned updates and news on these friends and relatives and about many more friends and acquaintances from St. Louis as the war continued.

Many relatives and friends wrote to Ken. He told Marian several times during training school that he had many letters from home to answer. As mentioned above, Ken had to discard his letters as non-essential. However, he saved a few letters written in 1943 by his Aunt Gert and even a letter from Gert’s husband, Uncle Bill. In late August 1943, Edna and Gert visited Ken in Wisconsin while was in training school. Possibly, Ken brought letters home with him on furlough in November 1943.

Ken’s and Marian’s romance unfolds in the letters. In his September 14, 1943 letter, Ken declared his love and proposed to Marian. Several times in their three-year separation, Ken explained his anti-war marriage views, believing quick marriages to absentee husbands unfair to the brides. They penned nicknames for one another. Ken addressed letters to Marian as “Kelly” and “Pug” and signed his letters “Skeezix” and “Slug.”

Ken’s letters included lots of information and often humorous observations about his routine, where he was, fellow students/soldiers, and officers. He did not write details about school or classes, except when he enclosed a sketch of a radio classroom in his October 5, 1943, letter (B2/f.7). Ken was a fan of movies and music, particularly jazz and Duke Ellington, and also a lover of good books. Marian sent him books and magazines; he obtained others from libraries when he was stationed stateside, and he had magazine subscriptions that were delivered to his various destinations. His letters were full of movie and book reviews, his insights on his friends and comrades, and his views on American culture.

His own experiences and those of his brother and friends buoyed Ken’s interest in writing a book. Before the war, Ken wrote poetry and sketched. He enclosed some sketches and poetry in his letters to Marian and to Bill, who along with other friends, encouraged him to write professionally. Between the war’s end in August 1945 and his discharge, Ken sent outlines and plans for the book to Marian, Bill, and his mother.

The last letter from Bill Paul in a combat zone is dated January 3, 1945. There is no correspondence until he telegrammed his mother that he was in the U.S. (July 9, 1945, B7/f.9). Ken mentioned receiving letters from Bill when he wrote to Marian in the spring and summer of 1945, but those letters are not in the collection. When Bill was home on furlough, Ken discussed the adjustments soldiers endured in being home with Marian. He particularly mentioned that moodiness was normal after combat and that maybe when this happened Bill was remembering the concentration camps (August 4, 1945, B7/f.12).

In August, Ken wrote Marian with his reactions after the atomic bomb fell on Hiroshima. After the war was over, Ken wrote his feelings on his chances of getting home for Christmas. The U.S. Army used a point system based on service and number of dependents. Since Bill served in a combat zone longer than Ken, he was discharged first. From the letters, Ken expected to leave Iwo Jima on December 3, 1945, but it is unclear exactly when he was discharged and returned to St. Louis permanently.

Letterheads and Postcards (partial list; military, illustrated, and/or humorous)

1943 May 16: Postcards with soldier on the front with verses such as “A short break – reading your latest letter for the umpteenth time – send more!” 1943 May 26: Letterhead. Soldier with pack “got everything but you;” enclosed a poem “Farewell and Good Morning.” 1943 June 4: “Needed you for Sunday maneuvers.” 1943 June 6: “The good looking one’s me.” 1943 June 8: “I’m on defense, too.” 1943 June 9: “I’m see’n the country – but that’s nothing to seeing you.” 1943 June 11: “Hope you miss me, too.” 1943 June 13: “Better a Miss than a hit.” 1943 June 18: “Caught in the draft twice.” 1943 June 22-26: American Art Service stationery (illustrated envelopes and paper). 1943 June 27-30: Humorous stationery from Truax Field. ca. 1943 July 30: A Talkie movie card. “Do I think about you often?” (Army symbol of front of card). ca. 1943 Aug 4: Thinking of you card with Hitler, Mussolini, and Hirohito caricatures on front. 1943 Aug 21: U.S. Army Air Corp stationery. 1943 Sept 10: Postcard, “Busy Soldier’s Correspondence Card.” 1943 Sept 18: Greeting card. “Uncle Sammy surely needed me.” 1943 Sept 20: Greeting card. “This is a mighty special detail.” 1943 Sept 27: Miss you greeting card. “Lonely Without You.” 1943 Sept 30: Miss you greeting card. “Umm Is you Missed?” with tar baby illustration. ca. 1944 July 8: Miss you card from Hawaii. “’Sarong way to look at it!” ca. 1944 Nov 30: Christmas card Bill, Germany, to Marian. “This is GI issue”, front illustration shows a soldier sitting with two young children on his lap with a small town in the background. ca. 1944 Dec 10: Christmas V-mail Ken to Marian. Illustration of soldier on a beach under palm trees. c.25 Jan 1945 “A Valentine from Camp.” Brown paper bag illustrated with verse. ca. 1945 Dec: Christmas card from Ralph [Huther]. Illustration of three soldiers singing, printed by Mapping and Reproduction Headquarters Battalion, First Marine Division, Guadalcanal.

From the Collection:

Selected Letter Inventory (partial inventory of the letters)

ca. 1942 Sept: Letter signed Ken to Ralph [Huther]. Roy is engaged; not sure if he’s infatuated with Marian but she is “one slick chick;” “It is a wonderful thing to be living now.” ca. 1942 Dec 30: Typed letter signed Ken to Eddie. “Hallelujah, I’m in! ...with glasses and all. Now I feel better: I’m one of the gang.” 1943 Jan 21: Letter signed Edna to Ken. Starts second job as waitress at Famous Barr Finnel-way tea room, also working at Miller’s shoes (sewing). 1943 Mar 29: Letter signed Edna to Ken. Got a letter from Bill who is now in basic training. 1943 Mar 31: Letter signed Billie [Mrs. Hentscher] to Ken. Dan may ship out soon. Mentions planting a victory garden. 1943 Apr 11: Letter signed Edna to Ken. Her landlord is planting a victory garden. 1943 Apr 22: Letter signed Bill to Marian. First letter from Camp Roberts. 1943 May 17: Letter signed Bill to Marian. Enclosed a snapshot of himself. 1943 May 29: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Enclosed three snapshots of himself and his friends. 1943 June 1: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Serious letter about how all lives are disrupted by the war. 1943 June 29: Letter signed Ken, Truax Field, to Marian. Enclosed sketch of a former teacher. 1943 July 19: Letter signed Billie [Hulda] Hentscher to Ken. Quotes a letter from her son, Dan. 1943 Aug 1: Letter signed Edna to Ken. News from church members and friends. 1943 Aug 3: Letter signed Edna to Ken. Mentions glider accident at Lambert that killed the mayor of St. Louis and nine others. 1943 Aug 3: Letter signed Ken to Marian Hentscher. Discusses his plans for their future vaguely. 1943 Aug 7: Letter signed Edna to Ken. Mentions going to a Cardinals game with friend Indian Joe. 1943 Aug 25-26: Postcard from Edna (visiting Ken) to Marian. 1943 Sept 13: Letter signed Bill to Marian. Enclosed poems. 1943 Sept 19: Letter signed Ken to Marian. About Bill and the changes for the boys home on furlough; his explanation to wait until the war is over and in the meantime “take it for granted.” 1943 Sept 27: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Describes duty exercises at school; enclosed a self-portrait pencil drawing. 1943 Oct 5: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Encloses a sketch of the radio school classroom. 1943 Oct 6: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Asks her to please uncover his poetry and sketches to show to Marian. 1943 Oct 6: Letter signed Bill to Mom. Only man in the whole battery who knows radio code and can operate a key radio, so will go to radio school in the mornings to learn more. ca. 1943 Oct 7: Letter signed Ken to Mom Plans to buy an expensive bracelet for Marian for Christmas, no ring until after the war. 1943 Oct 11: Letter signed Bill to Mom. Tells of attending the Oklahoma State Fair in Muskeegee. Tests start this week to determine the men’s positions, he is the forward radio operator. 1943 Oct 11-12: Assorted letters from Bill and Edna to Ken. Mention the Cardinals World Series loss. ca. 1943 Oct 20: Letter signed Bill to Mom. Orders have been given not to write to anyone about what they are doing or the new materials they receive. 1943 Oct 21: Letter signed Aunt Gert to Ken. Received ration book #4 at the public school, “we have so many books now you don’t know what is what but I guess that is a small item compared to all your discomforts.” 1943 Oct 27: Letter signed Edna to Ken. Went to the river today to observe Navy Day, saw ships and jeeps that rode off into the water. 1943 Oct 27: Letter signed Bill to Marian. He received a letter from Dan Hentscher in Australia. 1943 Nov 6: Letter signed Bill to Marian. Marriage “is too important an event not to be planned and reamed over for a lifetime – not in a ten day furlough. Besides, I still believe it’s the woman who pays. Pardon me, but I don’t believe in war marriages.” 1943 Nov 14: Letter signed Oliver (Grosse, 237 N. Rampart Blvd 26, LA, CA) to Marian. 1943 Nov 22: Letter signed Bill to Marian. He came up with a possible code to get past the censors in order to let them know where he and Bill are stationed. ca. 1944 Jan 6: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Saw the Statue of Liberty “This mile width of water – what happiness it has held, what prayers of Thanksgiving she has heard…” 1944 Jan 8: Letter signed Marian to Ken. Her brother, Dan, is in New Guinea; Dan told them via code. 1944 Jan 8: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Craves excitement of being posted elsewhere, “what an awful thing to tell grandchildren – waiting the war out in Army Air Force Technical Training Schools.” 1944 Jan 16: Letter signed Bill to Ken. Tells of a comrade whose infant daughter died in childbirth and the servicemen’s feelings of helplessness being so far from home. 1944 Jan 20: V-Mail Dan H[entscher] to Ken. Is an aerial photographer and gunner, has been flying practice missions, hasn’t gone over enemy territory yet. 1944 Jan 18: V-mail Dan to Ken. Is about 800 miles from civilization; has seen some enemy action but no zeros. 1944 Jan 30: Letter signed Marian to Ken (“Sunday after Ellington”). Describes the evening, Ruth and Elsie saw Errol Flynn at a nightclub. 1944 Feb 5: Letter signed Marian to Ken. The crowd for Ellington wasn’t large, doesn’t seem to be popular in St. Louis “Too many people dislike the fact that he is colored – that feeling seems to be growing in St. Louis. Too bad.” 1944 Feb 11: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Given a gun and spent time at the firing range. 1944 Feb 12: Letter signed Dan (90th Bomb Group) to [Edna] “Mom” Paul. Mentions flying six missions, takes aerial photos. 1944 Feb 16: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Earned “marksman,” Al Muench says he is going in next month. 1944 Feb 18: V-mail Bill, England, to Ken. About spring, change of seasons. 1944 Feb 21: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Bill is to get ten days leave in England; plans with his mother and Ruth; saw The Sullivans and it hit him hard, mothers should avoid it. 1944 Feb 22: V-mail Bill, England, to Ken. Quotes from Marian’s letter in which she gave her approval of Ruth. 1944 Feb 23: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Is assigned to transmitter truck and tells of books he’s reads; has had nothing from her or Mom since Saturday; Eddie to be home today; “war news is good again…Is the war to be over by Christmas?” 1944 Feb 24: Letter signed Bill, England, to Ken. More on England; quote from Marian’s letter again. 1944 Feb 24: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Ollie [Grosse] has written once since he came home (to StL). 1944 Feb 27: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Has not had a 36 hour pass in the past five weeks to see Dottie and Ralph before they leave [NYC?]. 1944 Feb 28: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Mentions the Wasser’s; recalls his mother’s appendectomy; mentions Orson Welles in Jane Eyre; a Duke Ellington performance; asked how it went at Eddie’s. 1944 Feb 27: V-mail Bill, England, to Ken. His pass was cancelled. 1944 Feb 29: Letter signed Ken to Marian. The party at Eddie’s cancelled Saturday, per his mother. 1944 Mar 1: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Shares his views on giving her an engagement ring. 1944 Mar 3: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Remarks on her request for a gay letter; hopes to get a pass to see Ralph so that “I can go home again, if only through a memory.” 1944 Mar 4: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Wishes his name were Kent Strong; tells of meeting Ollie [Grosse] for the first time. 1944 Mar 6: V-mail Bill, England, to Ken. Censored. Spent his morning at an air base. 1944 Mar 8: Letter signed Normi [Norman Winheim, wife Sylvia] to Ken. Discusses books, his health, Ken’s letters [for more about Norm, see also Ken’s letters on 29 Feb 1944, 11 Mar 1944]. 1944 Mar 9: Letter signed Bill, England, to Mom. Discusses his maneuvers the past week; Dan in New Guinea; “We’re starting to do some real training now, so until this thing is over with and finally make old Hitler say “Uncle,” I’ll be pretty busy.” 1944 Mar 9: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Got his pass and saw Dottie in New York, tells about their adventures, Dottie will be home next week. 1944 Mar 10: Letter signed Bill, England, to Ken. More detail on training the past week; describes an air attack near their position. 1944 Mar 11: Letter signed Ken to Marian. About plans for the Tiemann’s and Hentscher’s to dine at Redeemer; Norm was his best friend in high school. 1944 Mar 11: Letter signed Marian to Ken. Various news from family; Walter A. Meier (of the “Lutheran Hour”) to use one of Dan’s experiences in his sermon tomorrow. 1944 Mar 13: Letter signed Bill, England, to Mom. Letter is heavily censored. 1944 Mar 13: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Is typing his chapter on NYC experience (“The Lily with a Tin Horn”). 1944 Mar 14: Typed letter signed Ken to Marian. Answers her letters; his ancient age and her parents; Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth. 1944 Mar 16: Typed letter signed Ken to Marian. He plans to write his and his friends’ military experiences, re-wrote a letter from Dan [enclosure missing]. 1944 Mar 18: Letter signed Norm to Ken. Tells of his hospital stay; wants to read Ken’s “Lily…Tin Horn” and comments on Ken’s ability to draw and write. 1944 Mar 18: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Saw an Ellington show, Roy Nance was a surprise in a dull green outfit and danced; her last letter mentioned the blinded boy; talks of George O. Gleed and his emergency furlough home [see also 6 Mar 1944 enclosure]. 1944 Mar 18: Letter signed Marian to Ken. “I have bombed Japanese territory,” Dan taped her signature to a bomb dropped on a supply road on Washington’s Birthday. Now her father is collecting signatures from his friends to send to Dan. 1944 Mar 19: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Saw Ellington again, tells her to see movie, VooDoo Man, for laughs. ca. 1944 Mar 22: Typed letter signed Ken to Marian. May he call her Kelly? [which he regularly does in subsequent letters.] 1944 Mar 22: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Talks of movie Lost Angel; was ordered to throw out boxes of letters received, but he kept those from her and his mother. “When I throw letters away I feel miserable.” 1944 Mar 23: Typed letter signed Ken to Marian. Hopes that Ed Pfeiffer is only a POW; refers to her story of Norman Mueller and of JB [Jefferson Barracks] getting a face lift. 1944 Mar 26: Letter signed Bill to Ken. Has been hiking the countryside. ca. 1944 Mar 29: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Tells her the story of his father and why he isn’t part of the family. 1944 Mar 29: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Dottie and Roy to marry in two weeks in Texas. 1944 Mar 29: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Talks of Dottie and Roy’s wedding. 1944 Apr 3: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Norm told him that Jerry Walsh was killed in a plane crash. 1944 Apr 3: Letter signed Bill to Ken. Explains his views of the English family; speaks of Ken’s writings that he sends; “This spring brings with it the biggest thing that has yet entered my life. I wish I had a lifetime behind me. I would like to be certain of a lifetime. The time of my life has just begun and I am on the threshold of the Time of my Life. Time, Life, life, time – what’s it all about. I want to find out – and all I need is a little more time and life and I will.” 1944 Apr 3: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Is busy, losing his soft job. 1944 Apr 4: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Marian showed his letter about his father to her parents, better than explaining later. 1944 Apr 4: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Is with a radio crew heading to Phillipston, 50 miles away. 1944 Apr 5: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Likes camping, goes into town (Athol, MA) every night. 1944 Apr 6: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Tells of their routine in the radio camp. 1944 Apr 7: Letter signed Ken to Marian. A fire in the camp. 1944 Apr 13: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Talk of Roy and Dottie’s wedding to happen in St. Louis; shares his views on war marriages. 1944 Apr 14: Letter signed Bill to Ken. “Censorship of late has become very strict, for the ------ be about ready to ----- Spring is well on its way.” 1944 Apr 15: Letter signed Bill to Hentscher family. Sings with some friends who play guitar, enjoys England. 1944 Apr 15: V-mail Dan to Ken. He has flown 23 missions; “War is a horrible thing and you can’t realize it until you are in it and feel it.” 1944 Apr 15: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Sending gifts for Marian’s birthday and cards, wants to hear about Roy’s wedding, asks for money; gets lots of letters to answer. 1944 Apr 15: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Tells of a cold trip from camp to base, of broken eggs; his first letter signed “Skeezix,” which she called him in an earlier letter [see 23 Apr 1944]. 1944 Apr 16: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Comments on her details about the Roy-Elsie wedding. 1944 Apr 20: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Gives her a detailed account of his day, including how they locate flying airplanes, “All the above is confidential – avoid Nazi spies…;” expects to be in camp three more weeks. 1944 Apr 25: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Enclosed a sketch he called a “cross section of Pfc K.W.P. in regalia;” fears that all future furloughs have been cancelled; explains how soldiers like everything at home to be as they remember it; “This life either uses up your time or wastes it.” 1944 Apr 26: Letter signed Bill to Ken. About Roy’s wedding; the papers cover the situation in England – “We’re waiting, expectant, and everyone thinks the time is just about here...” 1944 Apr 27: Letter signed Ken to Marian. “Please buy the Forrest-Haymes recording of “Long Ago and Far Away”...My subconscious puts you and me in the lyrics.” 1944 Apr 27: Letter signed Bill to Marian. A teasing happy birthday letter. 1944 Apr 30: Letter signed Ken to Marian. His name is on the list for a five day furlough on May 14, warns it may not happen; enclosed a letter from Slater to Ken [Slater is apparently in the 302nd with Ken but is at the base while Ken is at the outpost.] 1944 May 1: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Tries to cheer her up about his eventual deployment overseas, which he is sure will come. 1944 May 10: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Last letter before his furlough on Sunday the 14th. 1944 May 24: Letter signed Bill, England, to Mom. Talks of Ken’s furlough. 1944 May 25: Letter signed Ken to Marian. He was made a corporal on the 13th; talks little about his furlough except how hard it is to go back; rumors are flying about their deployment. 1944 May 28: Letter signed Bill, England, to Mom. Her package arrived listing its contents, good news in Italy. 1944 May 29: Letter signed Ken to Kelly. Glass fitted for a gas mask, had a tooth filled, will be in a Memorial Day parade in Sheffield on the 30th; sends a love poem. 1944 May 29: Letter signed Bill, England, to Mom – Tells her to keep her spirits up. 1944 June 1: Letter signed Bill, England, to Mom. Received a package from Mr. Tiemann with pipe tobacco, razor blades, handmade knife; washed his clothes with the Ivory soap that she sent. 1944 June 1: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Rumor is they will go to Alaska, had hoped for India or China; also asks for Dan’s code. 1944 June 2: Letter signed Bill, England, to Ken. About Ken’s furlough and his corporal stripes, he had been saving Ken’s letters but had too many so he reread them and burned all but a few. 1944 June 4: Postcards Ken to Marian. Sightseeing in Boston. 1944 June 5: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Describes his weekend in Boston. 1944 June 6: Letter signed Ken to Marian. His unit is restricted tomorrow; threw out all non-essential items; heard of the European invasion at 6 A.M.; until she sends Dan’s code he will use his own with names of movie stars. 1944 June 7: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Last letter for a while, getting on a train to unknown destination; last private letter until censorship is lifted. 1944 June 8: V-mail Lee [Pvt. Leland K. Eckart] to “Mom Paul.” He is in England. 1944 June 13: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Describes train trip across country, “shall have to get used to this third party business;” with some censored lines. ca. 1944 June 14: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Censored [First letter of many bearing a parcel post stamp on pages of the letter where Ken requested she send him a package]. 1944 June 14: Letter signed Bill, in France, to Mom. He landed DDay +6; letter ration is one per day so will divide them among her, Ken and Ruth; he was always on the south coast of England; working one of the guns; tells her not to worry. 1944 June 14: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Tells her about his pay raise to corporal and it’s distribution for her; describes his camp vaguely. 1944 June 14: Letter signed Ken to Marian. She has written “S-E-A-T-T-L-E” down the side with a letter at the side of each paragraph, presumably solving the code used by her brother, Dan, and shared with Ken. ca. 1944 June 17-24: Letters from Ken aboard the USS U.S. Grant from en route to Hawaii from Seattle [difficult to date Ken’s letters with the censors, cannot determine the accuracy of the postmarks; name of the transport ship not revealed until a letter after censorship was lifted in Sept 1945]. 1944 June 18: Letter signed Bill, France, to Mom. More on southern England since he can’t write of what/where he is now; encloses a leaflet handed to every serviceman at D-Day from Gen. Eisenhower. 1944 June 21: Letter signed Bill, France, to Mom. Encloses picture postcards of Arundel, England. 1944 June 24: Letter signed Bill, France, to Ken. “There are some wonderful unforgettable lighter moments of this war, but these are far overshadowed by the grim hellish hours night and day, of dark savage death everywhere.” “Just me and God and the Present.” 1944 June 25: Letter signed Bill, France, to Mom. Explains about K rations, coffee, growing a moustache/goatee, no bath since entering France, looks forward to the future. 1944 June 27: Letter signed Ken, Somewhere in the Pacific, to Marian. Received 19 letters! Two from Bill but dated before the invasion, is worried but won’t tell his mother that; hopes Bill wasn’t in the first wave at Normandy. [parcel post poststamp] 1944 June 28: Letter signed Bill, France, to Mom. Assures her that he is farther behind the front line with his field artillery unit than an infantryman or a tank unit; his gun crew sgt is also from StL and sent the name and address of Sgt’s mother to Edna (Mrs. Charles Kornfeld);asks for a package with food and/or candy [parcel post poststamp; 3pg.] 1944 June 30: Letter signed Bill, France, to Mom. Poignant letter about dreams, the past being only permanent part of our lives. 1944 July 1: Letter signed Bill, Fighting in France, to Ken. Tells of destruction and death in France as they move through small towns; how the people cheer them. 1944 July 1: V-mail Ken to Marian. Puppy named Lassie made the trip from Seattle to Hawaii in McNulty’s fatigue pocket, “she’s our pride and joy.” 1944 July 3: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Mentions Roy Preusser and asks her to find out more about him. 1944 July 8: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Going to more classes soon; Bob Hope is in Hawaii. 1944 July 9: Letter signed Bill, Fighting in France, to Mom. Promoted to PFC; got to go behind the lines “Almost to the beachhead” and had a 5 minute hot shower; good to get away from the front and the noise. 1944 July 9: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Received 11 letters today; tells her not to send money, he has to get it changed to Hawaiian currency. 1944 July 12: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Saw the Bob Hope show tonight. 1944 July 16: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Finished reading Strange Fruit, banned in some cities, left in “cold bewilderment and hot fury…wanting to do something about the hypocrisy and blindness, and knowing it is all so hopeless, and knowing we must escape the sordid world of hate to the one we can fashion for ourselves with those we love.” Mentions that there’s not much to do but read, goes to the library. 1944 July 26: Letter signed Bill, Fighting in France, to Ken. Went to a Lutheran service today, first time in 8 months, had missed the routine; service interrupted by P51s flying over. 1944 July 17: Letter signed Ken, Oahu, to Marian. “St. Louis isn’t a town, it’s a fairyland. The States are another planet. Home isn’t real, it’s made of ether and rainbows. Laughter is mockery, loneliness the only present...” 1944 July 18: Letter signed Bill, France, to Ken. Has discovered that he loves to write, would like to do it professionally; encourages Ken to do so. 1944 July 18: Letter signed Ken, Oahu, to Marian. In retrospect not so crazy about Strange Fruit, recommends So Little Time; asks her to get Thomas Wolfe’s Letters to His Mother, Storm Over the Land, and The Lost Weekend. 1944 July 25: Letter signed Ken to Bill. How lucky they are to have found Marian and Ruth, their families helped their mother. 1944 July 25: Letter signed Bill to Ken. “A Normandy Narrative, This Day.” 1944 July 31: Letter signed Ken to Marian. No letters again today; describes some of his buddies to her. 1944 Aug 7: Letter signed Ken, Oahu, to Marian. Had a 3 day pass, tells her what he did and saw in Honolulu. 1944 Aug 14: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Filled out a War Department questionnaire about post-war intentions. Enclosed program for What A Life presented by the U.S. Army Special Service Office. 1944 Aug 22: Letter signed Ken to Marian. He had chance to go into Special Service and leave radio. 1944 Aug 24: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Mentions again that war may be over soon, “Joes” are thinking about going home. [He has said this several times over the past month; often refers to servicemen as G.I.’s and Joes.] 1944 Aug 26: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Letter from Dan says that his head wounds are healing and he’s been awarded a purple heart. 1944 Aug 30: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Tells of a crash that involved two P38’s and wonders at his “dispassionate feeling.” 1944 Sept 2: Letter signed Dan [Hentscher] to Ken. Hopes to be home in 2 or 3 months; not flying and may get off flying status if he can’t make pilot; does not think the war will be over soon. 1944 Sept 3: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Saw Home in Indiana, made him homesick. 1944 Sept 3: V-mail Bill, Belgium, to Mom. Don’t’ worry, won’t hear from him very often, “I’m right next door to what started all this, and a-knocking at the door.” ca. 1944 Sept 8: Postcard to Mrs. Paul from Mrs. A. Grosse. 1944 Sept 8: Letter signed Bill, Belgium, to Mom. Thinks the war can’t last much longer, hopes not as the weather is becoming cooler. 1944 Sept 9: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Tells her not to believe everything she reads about poison gas, soldiers are well protected; “The Germans are licked but won’t admit it. Don’t worry…the worst is over.” 1944 Sept 9: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Talks of jazz recordings, sent her silk, unable to find 127 film for the camera that she sent him; the squadron’s censor enjoys reading his letters. 1944 Sept 10: Letter signed Bill, Belgium, to Mom. “Anxiously waiting for the last big push,” supply line is long, supplement their K rations with food from the local people; thinks the worst is over. 1944 Sept 11: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Discusses books, doesn’t go with the critics or bestsellers, feeling homesick and traces it back to Home in Indiana (movie). 1944 Sept 12: V-mail Bill, Belgium, to Mom. He mentions her work and that she is going to school. 1944 Sept 12: Letter signed Ken to Marian. All about their plans for the future, children and house, etc. 1944 Sept 13: V-mail Bill, Belgium, to Mom. Hopes armistice will be signed soon. 1944 Sept 13: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Thinks war will be over by December; still cheering for the Browns, school is better. 1944 Sept 15: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Ran into a buddy from the beginning of radio school, explains that they are typical GIs as the military takes the edge of emotions, “you’ve got the present, and no more.” 1944 Sept 15: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Ken. Hopes war ends soon; “…it is that close and that uncertain.” 1944 Sept 15: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Saw Jack Benny last night, Spencer Tracy is in Honolulu visiting hospitals. 1944 Sept 15: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Mom. “A strange and peculiar feeling being here, actually in Nazi Germany;” can’t say anything, censors; “Looking back on over three months of combat I realize that Lady Luck has been with me and so has God. Now, in the closing days of the war I’m sure neither will desert me.” 1944 Sept 17: V-mail Bill, Germany, to Mom. Supposes from the papers that she knows the Germans are fighting hard at the end. 1944 Sept 17: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Mentions Dan’s story and hopes he gets a furlough; he doesn’t want a furlough himself, wants to be home permanently. 1944 Sept 17: Letter signed Ken to Marian. A coded letter, Marian has written “H-I-C-K-A-M” along the left side of the letter with one letter revealed per paragraph. 1944 Sept 18: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Thanks her for the box, shared but kept some goodies just for himself; wants to dance with her the first 300 days that he’s home. 1944 Sept 20: V-mail Bill, Germany, to Ken. “It seems they are going to fight on to the last man… I have ceased trying to understand the German mind and can only come to conclusion they are no longer human.” 1944 Sept 21: Letter signed Bill, Somewhere inside Germany, to Mom. Requests a package with food and stationary, asks for a camera for Xmas [parcel post stamp on pg.2] 1944 Sept 23: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Mention’s Dan’s account [presumably of his plane being shot down]. 1944 Sept 26: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Mom. Cold rains, not looking forward to the winter, requests a package and a camera [parcel post stamps on pg.2 (Oct 20 1944) and pg.3 (Nov 14 1944)]. 1944 Sept 25: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Read the headlines about the 1st Army in Germany east of Aachen, worries for Bill; news in Honolulu was the clean up of the red light district. 1944 Sept 26: Letter from Ken. No greeting, no closing, envelope addressed to Marian; 5 pg story and closing poem [In 30 Oct 1944 letter to Ken, Bill mentions 5 pages of half dreams sent on Sept 25th and will keep pages forever. Ken may have sent the same pages to both Marian and Bill.] 1944 Sept 28: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Received his mother’s letter about his grandfather today; “Ah for something concrete to build our dreams on instead of our elusive hopes that each day seems less likely to materialize.” 1944 Sept 30: Letter signed Ken to Marian. “Bill saw his first Belgian at midnight on the second…” 1944 Sept 30: V-mail Bill, Germany, to Mom. Closes with “Hey Mom – I wanna go home.” 1944 Oct 1: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Mom. He sent money to Ruth; lots of rain and mud; some of the guys fish in a nearby stream so they have trout along with their K and C rations. 1944 Oct 1: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Ken. Has his doubts about a quick finish; tells of books he’s read (The Bishops by Thorne Smith, The Trees, Botany Bay. 1944 Oct 1: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Asks her to send everything about the Browns in the upcoming World Series. 1944 Oct 3: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Quotes from one of Bill’s letters about meeting a young French girl who gave him a bouquet of flowers and said, “Good Luck,” as they rolled through her town. 1944 Oct 3: Letter signed Ken to Marian. There is a piece, “Who is that Man?,” by Dorothy Parker in the September [Readers Digest], an explanation of the returning soldier. 1944 Oct 4: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Mom. Censorship about past locations has been lifted a bit, was near Paris but moving too fast to go through it on July 25th, places include Cherbourg, Meaux, and Dianant in Belgium. 1944 Oct 6: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Dan found him on Oahu on his way home on furlough, they spent about 8 hours together. 1944 Oct 6: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Mom. He is back to the radio for the first time in combat, no more cannoneering. Weather still cloudy rain, got overcoats, knit wool caps, wool gloves, and extra blankets. [parcel post stamp, p.2] 1944 Oct 7: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Dan told him it would take another year to defeat Japan, thinks he’s been too optimistic about the end of the war. 1944 Oct 8: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Saw Betty Hutton perform, Olivia DeHaviland is on Oahu to visit hospitals. 1944 Oct 12: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Enclosed page of soldiers’ letters from YANK magazine (n.d., p.14), None of the letters are marked for interest, but there is one on Overseas Censorship written by Sgt James R. Brown saying that his descriptions of racial segregation in England, where he is stationed, are cut from his letters to his family. 1944 Oct 14: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Ken. Spent five days as a forward observer with the infantrymen, didn’t tell his mother, one of the most dangerous jobs taking you as close to the enemy as you can get. 1944 Oct 20: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Mom. Received a package dated August 30th. 1944 Oct 21: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Ken. Back to “F.O.’ing” again, stays in a deep hole covered with twigs and leaves, other details (no envelope). 1944 Oct 27: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Ken. Waiting for reunions, Lee is in Europe, Dick Borthwick was in Italy and now in France. 1944 Oct 28: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Received a V-mail from Ruth telling him that Bill is a T/S and back in radio. 1944 Oct 30: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Ken. Saw Willie Shore in a USO show tonight, lots of laughs, first one he’s seen, describes the show. 1944 Oct 31: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Ken. Protestants went to church services in a church in Belgium that reminded him of Holy Cross in St. Louis, Lutheran pastor presided; described the church and the services. 1944 Oct 31: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Mom. Shorter version of the two letters to Ken; “1945 will be the happiest year of our life;” enclosed two newsclipping photos of soldiers fighting in Europe. 1944 Nov 4: Typed letter signed Ken to Marian. Requests a box [parcel post stamps on pg.2 and envelope]. 1944 Nov 7: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Mentions his grandfather’s funeral [stamped water damaged in transit] 1944 Nov 7: Letter signed Ken to Mom. About his grandfather’s funeral [stamped water damaged in transit]. 1944 Nov 8: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Ken. Lee has written from Paris; hasn’t felt like writing. 1944 Nov 9: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Ken. First snowfall; snow in Germany is possibly more beautiful than anywhere else but war has made it ugly to him. 1944 Nov 9: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Received Bill’s Oct 14th letter [stamped water damaged in transit]. 1944 Nov 9: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Page 2 almost illegible [stamped water damaged in transit]. 1944 Nov 14: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Enclosed four snapshots of himself and friends, one identified. 1944 Nov 13: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Ken. Death of their grandfather bothered him, despite being in war and seeing it everyday. 1944 Nov 14: Letter signed Ken to Marian. “Dear Kelley”, enclosed 4 snapshots. 1944 Nov 15: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Ken. Went to church in an old Lutheran church; rain and snow “here there and everywhere the black mud and white snow is potted with scarlet.” 1944 Nov 20: V-mail Bill, Germany, to Mom. Everything is alright; days are so short now there’s nothing to do, dreaming of the future. 1944 Nov 22: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Ken. Has reread all of Ken’s letters that he’s saved hundreds of times; has read biography of John Barrymore (Goodnight Sweet Prince); rereads 48 Saroyan Stories and says it has the same effect as an Ellington session. Thanksgiving Day 1944: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Mom. Had turkey and went to the Lutheran Church. 1944 Nov 23: V-mail Bill, Germany, to Ken. Much like the previous letter to Mom; despite his circumstances is thankful for many reasons. 1944 Nov 23: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Requests Christmas cookies [parcel post stamp]. 1944 Nov 27: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Lots of packages arrived, there are fifteen in the tent amongst the four occupants; met a cousin (Warren Paul) whom he hadn’t seen for years. 1944 Nov 29: V-mail Bill, Germany, to Mom. Explains that they are asked to use V-mail due to the volume of air mail. 1944 Nov 30: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Ken. He and four friends went to Verviers, Belgium, on a one day pass, got drunk, and ate steak. 1944 Dec 1: V-mail Bill, Germany, to Mom. He’s ok, explains why he cancelled his war bond. 1944 Dec 1: Letter signed Ken, Oahu, to Marian. Tells her what he sent everyone for Christmas. 1944 Dec 2: V-mail Bill, Germany, to Mom. Received three of her letters (two from October, one from November); “Things in Germany…keep going and everywhere everything is happening.” 1944 Dec 2: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Tells of meeting his cousin Warren Paul (in Hawaii) who’s been to the Aleutians and the Marianas. 1944 Dec 2: Letter signed Ken to Marian. “No mail today…” [see Photo Collection for enclosed snapshots and negatives]. 1944 Dec 4: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Mom. Ruth sent him her camera; hopes for some clear weather. 1944 Dec 9: V-mail Bill, Germany, to Ken. Bad weather, beautiful snow, been busy. 1944 Dec 12: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Ken. It’s his 6 month anniversary in Europe [7 pg.]. 1944 Dec 13: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Mom. Six months since he landed on 12 June, D-day +6. 1944 Dec 15: Letter signed Bill to Marian. Discusses Ken’s writing talent; is now a Technician Fifth Grade (T/5). 1944 Dec 15: Letter signed Bill to Mom. About her house and keeping it; has had clear, cold weather. 1944 Dec 16: V-mail Bill, Germany, to Mom. He’s fine, war is doing well at present. 1944 Dec 17: Letter signed Bill, Germany, to Ken. Al got engaged; Roy had a forced landing in Belgium and is ok; each of Ken’s letters is a soul-lifter. 1944 Dec 18: V-mail (non-film) Bill, Germany, to Mom. Christmas packages have started arriving and Ruth’s camera arrived safely. 1944 Dec 21: Typed letter signed Ken to Marian. Always thinking of Bill. 1944 Dec 24: V-mail Bill, Somewhere in Europe, to Ken. Happy birthday!; “we’re having a hell of a day over here.” 1944 Dec 24: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Poinsettias are in bloom in great bushes everywhere. Christmas Day 1944: Letter signed Bill, Somewhere in Europe, to Ken. Had C rations (10 in 1); “there’s no feeling of the Christmas spirit around here. No one had it in him to sing any carols.” 1944 Dec 25: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Insightful letter on the purpose of the war, why some come home and others don’t; enclosed clipping of a Xmas poem. 1944 Dec 27: Letter signed Bill, Belgium, to Ken. Its his birthday; temperature is 6 degrees, canteens freeze, had to put ink over the fire in order to write a letter. 1944 Dec 27: Letter signed Bill, Belgium, to Mom. It’s his 23rd birthday; used the camera and film, sent some away to be developed; enclosed Belgian hankerchiefs. 1944 Dec 31: Letter signed Bill, Belgium, to Mom. Might have turkey tomorrow; received her package of food (coffee, candy, chicken) and wool socks; made about a gallon of coffee last night. 1945 Jan 3: V-mail Bill, Belgium, to Mom. Still cold, hasn’t had a sick day since arriving in Europe. 1945 Jan 5: V-mail Bill, Belgium, to Ken. “It’s the moment”, not how you live it but living it. 1945 Jan 5: Letter signed Ken, Oahu, Hawaii, to Mom. Tries to reassure her about Bill; thinks he’s near Aachen, Germany, and Verviers, Belgium. [1945 Jan 6]: Typed letter signed Ken to Mom. Dated “December 6” but talks of Christmas and letters dated from Christmas, so the date is wrong; advises his mother to see about getting a divorce. 1945 Jan 5: V-mail Bill, Belgium, to Ken. Wonders why he lives when friends die. 1945 Jan 9: Letter signed Ken to Mom. On another field with the 7th Fighter Command; in a barracks with better chow, different job. 1945 Jan 11: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Thinks he may a desk job in Hawaii for the duration. 1945 Jan 16: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Still no mail; shares his thoughts on soldiers returning home after the war and all the ways their service and experiences have changed them and the obstacles they will have to overcome. 1945 Jan 17: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Went to Red Cross about Eugene Bouch [someone about whom she asked him to inquire]. 1945 Jan 18: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Letter with code, Marian translated to “G-O-I-N-G W-E-S-T” along the left side or the letter. 1945 Jan 19: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Encloses two of Bill’s letters [which explains the presence of several of Bill’s letters in the collection]. 1945 Jan 19: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Note with article about Fight Control from Air Force magazine (Nov ’44) that he asks her to save; about the type of work that he does. 1945 Jan 23: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Went to the Red Cross again about Eugene Bouch, last listing was from Sept 1943 and gave her the address, apparently Edna Bouch’s mother; Ken suggests the mother contact the St. Louis Red Cross or the Navy Department. 1945 Jan 22: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Received a Dec 27th letter from Bill. 1945 Jan 24: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Received a letter from Ralph, thinks he’s near Paulou [near Philippines]. 1945 Jan 26: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Received four letters from Bill, references what he said; expects to stay in radio. 1945 Jan 26: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Received 25 pieces of mail. 1945 Jan 27: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Coded letter translates “S-A-I-P-A-N.” 1945 Jan 28: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Closing of letter censored. 1945 Jan 28: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Mail all straightened out, getting letters that were missing; “Perhaps now Bill can hope for more than just the end of bad weather with the Russians near Berlin.” 1945 Feb 1: Letter signed Ken, Oahu, to Marian. Talks of returning to CPH [Concordia Publishing House] when he gets home, at least until the right job comes along. 1945 Feb 3: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Coded letter, translates “T-W-O M-O-N-T-H-S.” ca. 1945 Feb 17: Letter signed Ken, Somewhere at Sea, to Marian. Describes boarding the ship, its sleeping quarters, long lines for everything; parts of ship off limits to passengers. ca. 1945 Feb 21: Letter signed Ken, Somewhere at Sea, to Marian. Still aboard ship. 1945 Mar 5: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Is on a “new acre of soil”, censored. 1945 Mar 6: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Tells her some of the conditions, food (K rations), seeing some of the old unit, expects to be reunited soon. 1945 Mar 10: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Received 18 letters; now knows what Bill and Ralph went through. 1945 Mar 11: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Has seen and smelled dead Japanese but cannot tell her where he is except that it’s not Saipan; refuses to bring home Japanese souvenirs. 1945 Mar 13: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. – Received letters from Dan Hammond in France and from Roy in London sweating out a few more missions. 1945 Mar 14: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Anita at CPH says that Will Storck [or Storek?] is missing in Belgium; will be back with the 302nd tomorrow. 1945 Mar 15: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Back w 302nd; dug another foxhole but they have cots; got six letters from Bill, the last at the beginning of the latest Allied offensive into Germany but before he’d had leave; glad to get the clipping about Richard Hofner. 1945 Mar 16: V-mail Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Coded to tell her where he is but the brevity of the V-mail sheet only lets him code “I-W-O-J.” 1945 Mar 16: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Can now say more about what has happened… now knows what Bill, Dan and Ralph (on Guadalcanal) went through; still called a combat zone but not much happening; tells of seeing dead Japanese soldiers and his feelings; tells sorrowful stories of seeing the soldiers who have been in the fighting. [6pg.] 1945 Mar 17: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Letter from Bill with photos and a story which he did not detail; Dan, Eddie, and Roy are coming home; her brother Bob is in college; package request [parcel post stamp]. 1945 Mar 19: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Has a story to tell about something that happened last night. 1945 Mar 20: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. All about their relationship and their choice not to have a wartime marriage. 1945 Mar 22: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Recounts his landing on Iwo Jima, which was still under fire, and settling into a foxhole, c-rations, the dead Japanese soldiers, seeing his friends. 1945 Mar 24: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Happy to have seen a Honolulu newspaper, requests clippings from home, especially by Ernie Pyle; movies. ca. 1945 Mar 26: Greeting card Ken to Marian. Easter poem in greeting card. 1945 Mar 26: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Writing letter in “our palatial foxhole and the kerosene lamp is lit.” 1945 Mar 29: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. They have beer, looking forward to not tasting the chlorination like in the water. 1945 Mar 30: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Requests a package with food and books (the $.90 pocket books) [parcel post stamp]. 1945 April 1 (Easter): Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. They have a tin roof for their foxhole. ca. 1945 Apr 10: Birthday card Ken to Marian. Enclosed illustrated V-mail poem, several pages of original poems. 1945 Apr 16: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Says he must have hundreds of letters but not sure he can hang onto them, damp from the rain. 1945 Apr 20: Letter signed Ken to Marian. A dossier on their friends and their foibles. 1945 Apr 23: Letter signed Ken, the Western Pacific, to Marian. Russia is in Berlin, Okinawa is getting better; requests she send writing paper [parcel post stamp]. 1945 Apr 25: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Mentions that his mom got a liberation letter from Bill [he hasn’t mentioned getting a letter from Bill this month]. 1945 May 1: Letter signed Ken to Marian. He used army Gift Service to send her flowers, placed the order in January; lots of rumors about war’s end; only way to relax is reading. 1945 May 7: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Ralph is on Okinawa. 1945 May 9: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Mentions rumors that German war is over; last letter from Bill was dated Apr 4th. 1945 May 10: Letter signed Ken to Marian. About 50 of them waited up to hear Truman declare the German war over; “nobody felt any cause for wild celebrating and had a beer anyway” 1945 May 29: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Received a letter Bill dated May 8th – happy that it is over. 1945 June 26: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Marian spent a day with Willie Smith; wonders if Bill might be sent to the Pacific. 1945 June 28: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Quoted from one of Bill’s letters: “I’m leaving for the states this week – home for 30 days.” Enclosed poetry. 1945 July 4: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Requests a package [parcel post stamp, p.2]. 1945 July 8: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Chapel is made of packing cases, burlap, benches, with tapestry, gold crucifix, and candelabra. 1945 July 9: Telegram from Bill, Camp Patrick Henry, to Mom. Back in US, will be home in 5 or 6 days. 1945 July 14: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Received her letter from 4th of July; June wedding sounds good; wonders if Bill is home yet. 1945 July 20: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Received letter from Bill saying he was going to U.S. 1945 July 21: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Receive her letters of the 13th and 14th with her assessment of Bill now that he’s home; happy that he’s home. 1945 July 28: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Provides quotes from Bill and his mom’s letters; Bill gave Ruth a ring when he got home; wants to know if Marian wants one, despite their talking about it earlier but they’ve been separated 2 years now. 1945 Aug 3: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Can now tell her where he is. “Iwo! The rock.” “Three years since we met – yes – but not even three months together.” 1945 Aug 4: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Tells her about Iwo, its landscape, and the Volcano Isles; “the Sea-bees have taken off a good hunk of her [Mt. Suribachi] top. She’s not the same as the day I first saw her with the flag atop;” of the battle “the cemeteries are always reminders, passing them everyday – there are four thousand four hundred reminders.” [1 of 3 letters with this date; large, lined pages]. 1945 Aug 4: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Iwo radio station WVTX broadcast a ballgame, Saipan also has a station to which he can listen; explains that Bill’s blue moods are natural after combat, he may remember the concentration camps. 1945 Aug 4: Letter signed Ken to Bill. Explains his landing and first weeks on Iwo Jima [dated before censorship was lifted, possibly allowed because Bill was in the Army, 7pgs]. 1945 Aug 7: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Closes with “Could be that this is the week. We’re crazy to think so, but we’ll believe in anything that’s a possible ticket home. Comes the atomic bomb and whither Japan?” 1945 Aug 8: Letter signed Ken to Marian. About the bombing of Hiroshima: “The important thing is for the war to end, and I don’t care how it’s done. I find myself indifferent to the prospect of a nation being wiped from the crust of the earth. I’ve become heartless. I suppose there are some who are crying this weapon is inhuman and all the rest. I know they’re right.” 1945 Aug 9: Letter signed Ken to Marian. More about the optimism among GI’s… “We can see the corner to turn. It won’t take me five minutes to pack. I hope it snows this Christmas and I’m there to see it.” 1945 Aug 10: Letter signed Ken to Marian. “P.S. Hey hey – over the radio just now – the Japs surrendering? Who knows? What next?” 1945 Aug 15: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Tells of celebration after hearing report of surrender. 1945 Aug 29: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Kay Kayser did a show on Iwo, best he’s seen. 1945 Sept 5: Letter signed Ken to Marian. “Freedom begins, censorship ends;” for six months he’s been closer to Tokyo than she is to Detroit; hand drawn map of radio installations on Iwo Jima on p.2 to go along with his description of what he’s been doing the past six months. 1945 Sept 6: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Hiked around Surabachi; tells of his work in Hawaii preparing to move out and how his outfit was split up; how his group waited days offshore to land to Iwo Jima, which they did on Mar 1st. 1945 Sept 7: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Tells his scariest night when an ammo dump blew up; enclosed the Iwo Jima Inquirer which they were previously prohibited from sending home. 1945 Sept 8: Letter signed Ken to Marian. His group landed in Iwo D +13; others landed earlier with the Marines and worked with Navy planes; has lots of negatives that he’s sending home, including some of dead Japanese soldiers; tells what happened before he landed as his ship was forty miles away on D +4; tells of the Navy shelling the island, being in foxholes, and a “bonsai raid” about a mile away in which pilots and mechanics were killed in their sleep; doesn’t mind talking about it – thought he would. 1945 Sept 10: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Lists and tells a bit about several of his comrades (John Victor Pinney of NJ, George O’Gleed of Quebec, John J. Sziveez (sp) of Milwaukee, Joseph Sibley of Maine, Arthur J. Waikins of Pennsylvania, Bill Sawyer of Chicago, John J. Hibbard of Massachusetts, Norris Tabor of Idaho, and Edward Bresser (sp). 1945 Sept 10: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Gives her a brief retelling of the stories in his Sept 8th letter to Marian; says he has catalogued all his negatives and is sending them a few at time so they don’t get lost in the mail. 1945 Sept 11: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Unofficial word is they will be on Iwo until November, thinks this means they won’t go to Japan; “Marian understands that she is not supposed to work after the marriage...” 1945 Sept 15: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Tells of watching a B-29 crew bail out over Iwo and the plane crash just off shore of his location at Surabachi’s crater. 1945 Sept 15: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Tells a brief story of his first days on the island. 1945 Sept 17: Letter signed Ken to Mom. GI’s expect to get $300 when they are discharged. 1945 Sept 17: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Has found out that he’s not with the 7th Fighter Command but under the 20th Bomber Command, 7th Air Force, 7th Fighter Wing, Army Air Forces Pacific Ocean Area. 1945 Sept 18: Letter signed Bill, Camp Callan, to Mom. Rumor is they will go to Fort Ord next week and may be home in another month or three. 1945 Sept 19: Letter signed Bill to Mom. Definitely going to Fort Ord next week. 1945 Sept 19: Letter signed Ken to Mom. Started tearing down the radio station, attached to the 7th Fighter Command but under the 20th Bomber Command; tells her he’s started writing a book but not to tell anyone; does not know when he will be discharged – maybe six months. 1945 Sept 22: Letter signed Bill to Mom. Glad to hear that Roy is home; should be home in October. 1945 Sept 23: Letter signed Bill to Mom. Tried to see Louis Armstrong but the club was negro only; leaving tomorrow for Ft. Ord 1945 Oct 1: Letter signed Bill, Ft. Ord, to Mom. Talks of Dick Borthwick (sp?) who was taken prisoner by Germans and freed by Russians. 1945 Oct 5: Letter signed Ken to Marian. About the book he is writing and his reading of Delilah. 1945 Oct 6: Letter signed Ken to Bill. Recommends Delilah, provides an excerpt; lots on his ideas and theories for his own book. 1945 Oct 10: Letter signed Bill to Mom. Definite plans for discharge on Oct 15, plans to be home by the 22nd 1945 Oct 11: Letter signed Lee [Leland K. Eckhart?], Paris, France to Ken. Lee went to Germany for a few days with mixed emotions, unclear what he does. [Ken enclosed this letter in his 11 Nov 1945 letter to his mother]. 1945 Oct 14: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Either Marian or her mother compared him to Phil Silvers. 1945 Oct 23: Letter signed Ken to Bill. First letter to Bill after he was discharged. 1945 Oct 26: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Explains what problems he and other GIs see with the GI Bill of Rights; complaints about VA hospitals and treatment of veterans [8pg.]. 1945 Oct 26: Letter signed Tom Ryan, Camp San Luis Obispo, to Bill. A friend from the army, says several younger guys with few points are reenlisting. 1945 Oct 26: Letter signed Ken to Bill. Full of suggestions on what to do now that he’s home. 1945 Oct 29: Letter signed Joseph Oliver, Newark, NJ, to Bill. Brief letter about being home, signed “as ever a combat pal.” 1945 Nov 19: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Announced that his outfit is to be ready to ship out on Dec 1st, doesn’t know any other details. 1945 Nov 23: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Definite news and a meeting tomorrow morning; Navy signal tower says that lots of ships are due soon. 1945 Dec 1: Letter signed Ken to “Pug” [Marian]. The rumor is that they leave on Monday the 3rd. 1945 Dec 18: Telegram Ken, San Pedro, CA, to Marian. Safe in Los Angeles. 1945 Nov 30: Letter signed Ken to Marian. Outfit will be part of the 81st Service Group, no longer in the 302nd Fighter Command; made sergeant quite some time ago. 1945 Dec 21: Letter signed Ken to Marian. In the U.S. but won’t be home for Christmas; took 15 days to arrive from Iwo Jima.

Dates

  • 1945 Sept 8-13

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Extent

From the Collection: 4.25 Cubic Feet ( (9 boxes; 1 oversize folder))

Language of Materials

English

Creator

Repository Details

Part of the Missouri Historical Society Library and Research Center Repository

Contact:
225 S. Skinker Blvd.
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314-746-4510