Winfred to Margaret

Jan. 28, 1945          2660          WM          R.A.A.B. Reno, NV Winfred scribbles a ditty to Margaret; says it is a rare, beautiful day there; hasn’t been doing much but wait; says some of the boys are going overseas again – hopes he is not with them; complains the army is getting more disagreeable – camps are much stricter hopes to see her soon and closes.

Jan. 26, 1945          2650          WM          R.A.A.B. Reno, NV Winfred has a lot of spare time so writes Margaret wile waiting for shipping orders; yesterday turned down going to Miami to be a R.O. on navigational training ships – will now probably end up somewhere even further away from home; saw ‘Winged Victory’ last night – it had B-24s in it; heard from Cliff who asked about his connections in London; comments on all of the Bartlow cousins being married now; and closes.

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: 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. 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.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Below is the first letter Winfred sent home to his sister Margaret in 1945. Jan. 4, 1945          2520          WM          R.A.A.B. Reno, NV Winfred writes Margaret while awaiting inspection; two more days of ground school before being checked out in the air; has a 95.5% average plus a 25 W.P.M. code speed – as high as you can get; hopes to get stationed at Memphis and fly the Southern Route to Africa; his war buddies are at Scott Field; hopes for a break and closes to get the wrinkles out of his bed.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Below is one of the last two letters sent home by the boys in 1944. On Christmas Day, Winfred sent a letter to his sister Margaret, and Clifford sent a V-mail to the Folks. Dec. 25, 1944          2470          WM          R.A.A.B. Reno, NV Winfred writes Margaret on Christmas morning while everyone else is still in the sack; never ate yesterday due to a sick stomach from something he ate at the mess hall; better today; would sure like to be home for Xmas; is concerned about Cliff – hopes he doesn’t end up on the Western Front; will be at the Reno base for a couple more months; halfway through school now with a nice average; maybe he can get a furlough when he leaves there; wishes them a merry Xmas and thanks them for the nice package.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Two letters were sent home on December 17, 1944; one by Winfred to Margaret, and one by Clifford to the Folks. Dec. 17, 1944          2430          WM          R.A.A.B. Reno, NV Winfred tells Margaret he has been too busy to write; this school is rough = need an 85% average to graduate; hasn’t done much but go to school – not even left camp (but there are a lot of WAC’s there to help keep them occupied); feels fine; weighs 182; drinks chocolate malts and eats steak each night – she ought to try it; wishes they would hear from Cliff – guesses he’s in the midst of it now; no Yuletide spirit there; will get a furlough after finishing school; then stationed on a coast (easier to get overseas from there); closes and wishes all a merry Xmas.

EDITOR’S NOTE: After a five day train trip from Miami, Winfred has arrived at his new base near Reno, Nevada. Nov. 29, 1944          2420          WM          R.A.A.B. Reno, NV Winfred writes Margaret letting her know he has moved to a desolate place near Reno; is being processed again; will take a flying exam, code check, etc., and  then go to school again; after school things looks so dark he won’t even mention it until he knows for sure; it’s chilly and dry; hasn’t heard from anyone in a while; it took five days and nights by train to get there; had a short layover in St. Louis (not long enough to see anyone); asks about the Dickey’s, tell all “Hello” and wonders if Uncle Herman still rolls his own; closes and will write more when he knows more.

WELCOME BACK ! EDITOR’S NOTE: After a three-month gap, the letters home from Winfred Maxwell and his younger brother Clifford resume. From where we left off: the war continues. France has been liberated, the Russians are advancing from the east, and in the Pacific the allies continue island hopping towards Japan, the Philippians were liberated in October. It has become obvious to almost everyone that the Allies will eventually win – it is just a matter of how long it will take and at what cost. Winfred returned to the United States in September. Those in the service would not be discharged until the war was over. Since he did not desire a long-term future for himself in the army, he decided there was no reason to go to Officer Candidate School (O.C.S.). Instead, he would transfer to the Air Transport Command (A.T.C.). There was little chance of seeing any more combat, he already had most of the needed skills, and it paid more. So, with a little more schooling in advanced radio and navigation in the States, he could work for the A.T.C. as a radio operator/navigator on a transport plane flying needed supplies to the troops. Currently, he has just about finished his schooling in Florida and is about halfway through his training. Where he goes from here, we will see. Also, Winfred finally received his first 30-day furlough. It allowed him to visit home in Irondale, Missouri for the first time in almost two years. It occurred towards the end of October until the third week in November 1944. He was able to see the Folks, his sister Margaret and others. It seems the on-again off-again relationship he had had with his girl friend Lois must have finally ended as she is never mentioned again in any of the letters. It is also likely that Clifford’s old girlfriend, Pat Merrill has attracted some of his attention. She will be mentioned often in letters to come; more as a curiosity item than a love interest. Clifford’s war is really just beginning. The 768th Field Artillery Battalion (Motorized 155mm Howitzer Tractor Drawn) was activated on May 9, 1944 at Camp Barkley, Texas per General Order No. 2 Hq 418th Field Artillery (FA) Group. On September 2, 1944 the battalion was relieved from the 418th FA Group and moved to Camp Bowie, Texas under the 414th FA Group. Training was completed there, all required medical care was provided (immunizations, overseas physicals, dental surveys, etc.), and preparation was completed for the move to the Port of Embarkation (P.O.E.). On November 4, 1944, the battalion began travel by train to the Camp Kilmer, New Jersey staging area and was relieved of attachment to the 414th FA Group. The battalion arrived at Camp Kilmer on November 7, 1944. EDITOR’S NOTE: Below is the first letter sent home that we have since Winfred returned to the United States. It was sent to his sister Margaret from his AAF Base at the Surfside Hotel in Miami, Florida. Nov. 21, 1944          2400          WM          Miami Beach, FL Winfred writes Margaret asking how things are in St. Louis; all is O.K.; he has been processed, passed the physical exam, been classified, and now sees the dentist regularly; rumors cause him to doubt his army future; he will be sent to school in Reno, NV not Scott Field, IL which would be close to home; from there it could be A.T.C. or instructor and overseas; must close; tell the Dickeys “hello”. PS He is disgustingly healthy. Below is a newspaper article from The Lead Belt News in St. Francois County, Missouri dated Friday, November 17, 1944 which mentions a dinner having been held in DesLoge, Missouri in honor of Winfred at the home of Mr. G. J. Bartlow, one of Winfred’s uncle’s.