Maxwell's Letters Home

Jan. 20, 1945          2630          WF          R.A.A.B. Reno, NV Winfred scribbles a few lines to the Folks – (says it is Sunday but uses Saturday’s date); can sleep in on Sundays; doesn’t know how much longer he will be there; wishes he knew where he was going – could be many places; complains about the cold; hopes to hear from Cliff and get his views on the English; hopes the Russians get to Berlin soon to ease pressure on the West; closes to get breakfast at the P.X.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Winfred sent two letters home on January 19, 1945; one to the Folks, and one to Margaret. Jan. 19, 1945 (2)          2620          WM          R.A.A.B. Reno, NV Winfred writes Margaret again; says they have been flying his fannie off; completed his schooling yesterday and requested Memphis; asks how she is doing; was ‘on the carpet’ because he missed flying this morning but got out of it because he is finished so then got into trouble for not saluting; closes now to write the Folks.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Winfred sent two letters home on January 19, 1945; one to the Folks, and one to Margaret. Jan. 19, 1945 (1)         2610          WF          R.A.A.B. Reno, NV Winfred asks the Folks how everything is in Irondale; says all is well with him – finished flight training yesterday; guesses he will ship out one of these days; asked for Memphis but may not be lucky; hasn’t heard from Cliff (though he has written him several times); says the weather is cold like in Missouri – wishes he were there; and closes to write more letters.

Jan. 16, 1945          2600          CF          Swanage, England Clifford is going to start writing more or he may quit getting letters; says all is peaceful, is getting along okay but has a bad cold; goes to the picture show now and then but they only have pictures he has already seen, comments on his sister Patsy’s bike for Christmas; saw in the paper that the Russians are on the move again and hopes they keep it up; received Xmas cards from all the folks which keeps up the morale; and closes.

Jan. 15, 1945          2590          WF          R.A.A.B. Reno, NV Winfred composes his weekly Sunday afternoon letter to the Folks (letter date is for Monday); got back late last night because the plane he was on was forced down over Hammer Field due to mechanical failure; has been staying on the base but occasionally dates a WAC from Texas; wishes to hear from Cliff who has been getting around some lately; still has some checking out to do in flight before getting out of there; has enclosed a clipping about the ARTU school there; heard that Pat (Merrill) has landed a guy – never knew one quite like her; tells his sister Patsy he read her letter and asks about her bicycling; then closes asking about Jim’ s (unknown) new hat.

Jan. 12, 1945          2580          CF          Swanage, England Clifford asks the Folks to excuse his delay in writing this V-Mail; is not a lot to tell,  was in London again; got a letter from Winfred today; thought they had been hearing from him but not according to their last letter; sorry that Kenneth Frago, an Irondale boy, was killed (last October); doesn’t worry about getting hurt as long as in England; is glad Winfred is assigned to a transport plane – much safer; received two swell Xmas packages; answer soon.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Two letters were sent home on January 11, 1945; Winfred wrote Margaret, Clifford wrote the Folks. Jan. 11, 1945          2570          CF          Swanage, England Clifford writes the Folks since he doesn’t have anything else to do; is still okay; doesn’t like the weather; has grown tired of this ETO business; glad Winfred finished with such a high average – guesses he will be stationed on the West Coast; didn’t realize Pat (Merrill) was having so many heartbreaks but guesses someone has to keep the Irondale gossip rolling; tells mom not to worry; and tells dad he got and enjoyed the letter he had sent.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Two letters were sent home on January 11, 1945; Winfred wrote Margaret, Clifford wrote the Folks. Jan. 11, 1945          2560          WM          R.A.A.B. Reno, NV Winfred writes Margaret he is at the close of another rainy day; arose at 4 A.M. for third day in a row to fly for five hours; should check out from there in a couple of weeks; use to build the C-46 cargo planes he now flies; not doing much lately outside of his regular duties – goes to shows 3 or 4 times each week and visits the N.C.O. club nightly; asks about the man situation in St. Louis and comments on the WACs and civilian girls there; has graduated from school there with a 96 or 97 average – maybe should have studied more in high school; asks about the Dickey girls; and hopes she can run into some of the boys he had fought with in Europe that are now stationed at Scott Field.

Jan. 9, 1945          2550          WF          R.A.A.B. Reno, NV Winfred writes he was glad to hear from the Folks and received the county newspaper; all is as usual; been doing some flying which tires him out; hasn’t heard from Cliff; may leave this base in a month; hasn’t heard from his friend Bob Dickey in a long time – Bob is off fighting the Germans; Winfred hopes to get a furlough when he leaves there – his first one in the U.S.

Jan. 7, 1945          2540          WM          R.A.A.B. Reno, NV Winfred informs Margaret he has finished ground school, will check out in the air, be assigned, and maybe get a furlough; is cold there; has only been studying and going to school – no time to write; guesses her grind is the same; asks about boyfriends, etc.; guesses Cliff is having a time England; has a chance to become an instructor or go to O.C.S. but would end up in the ground forces overseas – can make more money as a R.O. in the A.T.C.; and closes.