1943
APRIL
4/2/1943 From Pvt. Daniel L. Wilhelm to
Mrs. Edna Standish 904th L. G. A.
S. N. 33504911 2540
Walnut Street, Apt. 7 Squad 44 Flight B Penbrook,
PA Miami Beach, FL Dear Sis, Here we are in Miami
Beach. I am fine hoping you are the
same. We are living in Hotel Le
Roy right along the beach. I am already black. Write soon. Danny PS – I’m in the air corps. |
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4/8/1943 from Pvt. Daniel L. Wilhelm to Mrs. Ira K. Wilhelm 904th L. G. A.
S. N. 33504911 R.
D. #1 Squad 44 Flight B Palmyra,
PA Miami Beach, FL Dear Mother, Here it is 6:30 and we are
waiting for chow, I mean scraps. Today we have to take
examinations all day long. I was just called out for
chow and am now back. It is now
11:00. I will write a letter and
tell you more later. We have mail
call now. I just got a letter from my
honey. Dannie |
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4/23/1943 18th Birthday
of Daniel L. Wilhelm |
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4/26/1943 from Pvt. Daniel L. Wilhelm to
Mrs. Myles Standish 904th L. G. A.
S. N. 33504911 2540
Walnut Street, Apt. 7 Squad 44 Flight B Penbrook,
PA Miami Beach, FL Dear Sis, I am fine and hope you are
the same. I am too busy or I would
write every day. I have 1 day more and I
will be shipped out then. Where to, I
don’t know. I wish I could have been
home for Easter. I bet they had ham. I write to Mabel every day and about 3
days a week to mother so you know I don’t have much pass time. Danny |
MAY 5/21/1943 from PFC D. L. Wilhelm to
Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. A. S. N. 33504911 2540
Walnut Street, Apt. #7 6th T. S. S. Bks
287 Penbrook,
PA Chanute Field, IL Dear Sis, I am fine and hope you are
the same. I didn’t receive any mail
as yet but hope to soon. I started school today and
like it. We have a woman instructor
from Rantoul and she knows her stuff about drafting. Edna, will you please look
in the telephone directory for a Mrs. Cooper’s telephone number? Her address should be Hummelstown R. D.
1. The reason I want her is because
she is Mabel’s neighbor and I am going to call her up someday to surprise
her. It shouldn’t cost too much. And then I might call mother up sometime. Well, how are you and Myles
getting along and how is Lyndy getting along? I hope alright. Mother told me they were up
to your place in my car. I wonder how
he likes it? Does he ever talk about
it? I have a pass to go to town
tonight but I guess I won’t use it. I
wrote a few letters tonight and I will go to bed in about an hour from now. Well, I guess I will close
now and take a shower, shave, and shit.
And go to bed. Your brother, Danny PS. – Tell Myles I said
hello. PS. – Write a letter
instead of a card this time. (Ha Ha) |
|
5/24/1943 from PFC D. L. Wilhelm to
Mr. & Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. A. S. N. 33504911 2540 Walnut Street, Apt. #7 6th T. S. S. Bks
287 Penbrook,
PA Chanute Field, IL Hi Sis and family. I am fine and hope all of you
are the same. I got your card the other
day. You said you wanted some snap
shots. Well, I sent Mabel some
negatives of me and told her to send them to mother when she is finished with
them so you can get them from mother.
You also said you wanted a big picture of me. Well I sent Mabel me and mother me but
they are different so wait till you see them both and then you can have me
made of the one you like the best but if you insist I will have one made just
for you as soon as I get paid again.
I mean for once. Well, Sis, I am running out
of words because I wrote Peeps, Mabel, mother, and now you a letter so I
guess I will close now and hit the old G. I. bed because four o’clock rolls
around pretty soon. Too soon for me. Your brother, Daniel PS. – Write as often as you
can. It feels good to get a lot of
mail. |
JUNE 6/8/1943 from PFC D. L. Wilhelm to
Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. A. S. N. 33504911 2540
Walnut Street, Apt. #7 6th T. S. S. Bks
287 Penbrook,
PA Chanute Field, IL Hi, Sis. Well here it is Tuesday and
one more day of school until I have my day off. I am fine and hope all of you are the same. I received your pictures of yourself and
Lyndy and think they were pretty good.
I also send some negatives home again yesterday of myself and boy
friends. Don’t worry about that big
picture anymore because I am going to have one taken on Thursday but you
won’t get it for a few weeks. I asked
Mabel in my last letter to her about that film and will tell you about it
when she answers. She told me she was
getting some films developed so I guess it is me of them. Well we just had mail call
and I didn’t get a dam thing. We also
had one this morning and didn’t get any in that one either. I usually get about three or four letters
every day. No wonder I am writing to
a fellow in most every state. Well I guess that is all
for this time, but will write later on in the week. So long. Your brother, Daniel PS – Tell Myles I said he
better get in this great army and loose some of that extra energy he has. |
JULY 7/16/1943 From PFC D. L. Wilhelm To
Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. A. S. N. 33504911 2540
Walnut Street, Apt. #7 6th T. S. S. Bks
287 Penbrook,
PA Chanute Field, IL Hi Sis Well here it is almost
another week one by. I finally got my
picture back today and it got pretty good.
Better than I expected. When
you get it you can frame it and take it down home and let mother set it in
the vestibule of the church. Mother
wrote and told me they didn’t seem to know me in the picture that was
there. This one looks more like
me. I didn’t frame it because it is
easier to send the way it is. I will
send it tomorrow afternoon. When you write again, tell
me what that phone bill cost and I will pay for it. Mother wrote and told me that Daddy had tears in his eyes when
he heard it was me. I guess he is
starting to think back now that I am gone. Well I have 23 more days of
school until I graduate and then maybe I will get a chance to come home for a
few days, but it would just be my luck to be shipped to Wash or California or
some other place farther west. How are you and Myles
getting along by now. I guess making
plenty of money. Well if you know
what is good for you, you two will salt some of it down. Boy I am sure sorry I didn’t salt some of
the doe down that I earned already.
As they say, Live & Learn. Well I guess I will close
now and write a letter to Mom and Mabel yet tonight. Your brother, Danny. PS – Write as often as you can. |
AUGUST 8/5/1943 from Pfc D. L. Wilhelm to
Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. A. S. N. Bks 275 2540
Walnut Street, Apt. #7 33504911 9th T.
S. S. Penbrook,
PA Rantoul, IL Hi Sis, I am fine and hope you are
the same. Well today is my last day
off and I am glad. Well, I got to metals yesterday:
one marksman metal of X15 cal. Revolver and one sharpshooters for machine
gun. Seen a good show tonight,
“Spitfire.” Just another war
picture. 9:30, I must go to bed
now. Solong. Write often. Danny |
SEPTEMBER 9/9/1943 43rd Birthday of
Mother, Sadie Laudermilch Wilhelm |
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9/11/1943 from Pfc Daniel L. Wilhelm to
Mrs. Ira K. Wilhelm 476th Service
Sq. Stuttgart Air Field R.
D. #1 Stuttgart, AR Palmyra,
PA Dear Mother, Well, here it is Saturday afternoon
and I have been wondering all day if you guys back there are still alive
'cause I didn’t hear from you for a few days now. I got two letters from Mabel and two newspapers. None from home. One paper was from Texas and was the 27th of
August. The other was the 9th
of this month. I guess by now you are
again packing lunch for school again.
How does Bob like high school?
I am glad I got what I did out of high school. That algebra comes in mighty handy in
sheet-metal work. I don’t know what is the
matter with that Sis of mine. I got
one card from here since I left Chanute.
I guess I will forget to visit her on my furlough if I ever get one. I was down at Little Rock
on Thursday to see Lex and waited until 9 o’clock at the bus station for him
but he never came. I did see one of
the boys though from Palmyra that was inducted the same time. Bunky Morris. He was jealous when he seen
that insignia of the Air Force on my shoulder and also the stripe. He is in the field artillery. Buck private. I expect to make corporal this month. I hope. If we stay here
by the first of the year, I expect to be buck sergeant. We have the control tower
on the radio now and the operator is talking to a plane that is coming in for
a crash landing. Some more work for
the sheet-metal men. Well, I must close now and
go to work. Solong and I will be
seeing you soon. I hope. Your son, Daniel PS – I am going to church
tomorrow is some one wakes me in time. [The above letter forwarded
to Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. on 9/14/1943 with the enclosed note.] Hello there – How are the Standishes
now? Hope OK. I am sorry that I could not give you a
better reception on Sunday and would have liked to have you spend the evening,
but I knew it was a little much excitement for Grandma. I hope you realize Lucy & Harvey came,
Albert & Mae, Flo & George. I
was real tired till bedtime. I sure
hope this life will not be long. It
sure is a burden and still it is my mother and someone must take care of her. Well, I canned 4 more qt.
Of peaches 4 qt red beets & 8 qt tomatoes and still have some more to do. The reason I am writing
this way is described in the enclosed letter. Please write to him. It
seems he is not getting my mail because I am writing every day. Dad is at the election board. Please don’t leave Lyndy alone in the
apt. I mean go away and put her to
bed. I love her so. I must iron. Such writing. Write when you can & clean up. Love, Mom PS – Albert Walmer is in
Miss & likes it a lot. Lawrence
Linebaugh is getting married today to Gene Stutzman (crazy). Harry Seltzer is home & Alvin
Linebaugh disobeyed his {mles?} so he was sent home on a 10 day furlough and
after he returns will be shipped across.
Poor kid. Such spelling. It is time to feed Grandma. Bye. |
NOVEMBER 11/5/1943 Death of Grandmother, Laura
Emma Marburger Laudermilch |
DECEMBER 12/6/1943 21st Birthday of
Sister, Edna Lovera Wilhelm Standish |
1944
JANUARY 1/19/1944 from Cpl. Daniel L. Wilhelm to
Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. 16th Bomb Mtns.
Sq. LH - SHAAF 2540
Walnut Street Apt. 7 Salina, KS Penbrook,
PA Dear Sis, I am feeling fine and
hoping you are all the same and happy. I received your letter
today and was very glad to hear from you.
Those pictures are very nice.
Thanks. That kid is sure cute
and growing like a horse. I wish I
could see her again soon but I guess the next time I see her she will be much
bigger and Jr. will probably be walking around. You see I am heading for the deep blue sea very soon. Maybe tomorrow or maybe next week or
later. I am glad you liked the
greeting. I would have liked to send
you a gift too but you see I am in the army. My leg is healed up OK only
there is a lump there as remembrance. The cookies and oranges and
candy were very good although the candy melted and got in the gift but didn’t
hurt any thing. Boy could I go for
some olives now but God only knows when I would get them. Don’t bother. Grandma’s package is still on the way since Christmas. I guess you heard by now
that Irene Unger has a baby boy. I got four letters from
Mabel today and four cards from Mother and also a letter from Herm. I bet I leave before he does. Or maybe the same time. Well, Sis, I guess that’s
about all for now so I must close and take my physical training. So long and try and write
more often if you can. Love, Daniel PS – Tell Myles I said
hello. PS – Say Edna, how about
getting mother and dad up at your place the first Sunday in Feb. and I will
call you up about two thirty in the afternoon if I am still in the states. |
FEBRUARY 2/7/1944 from Cpl. Daniel L. Wilhelm to
Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. 16th Bomb Mtns.
Sq. LH - SHAAF 2540
Walnut Street Apt. 7 Salina, KS Penbrook,
PA Dear Sis, I am feeling fine and
hoping you all are the same. Well yesterday was Sunday
and I was in Harrisburg by voice. Yes
I know Daddy sat back and cried but boy it feels good to just talk to someone
you know even though you can’t see them.
It’s been almost four months since I talked to someone I know. It might not sound bad to you but try it
some time. I will take Gayle Eilene
but I think you will be naming it Myles.
Irene and Bob sure did have
tough luck. I heard the Random Harvest
too. It was a very good story. I didn’t see the picture. I got a letter from Herm
some time ago and he said Fernley was very nice and that she had a nice
built. Ha Ha. Boy I would like to see him. It’s been about a year and a half since I
seen him last. Boy you should of read the
letter I wrote Mabel yesterday after I made the call. I bet it won’t last long any more. I have just come to the point that I ain’t
taking no shit from no one. I have to
take enough of it here in the army. Well, Sis, my two hours are
just about up so I will close and be waiting to hear from you. You see by the time we
finish work and get eight hours sleep we have two hours left to ourselves. So long, Sis, and here’s
wishing you the best of luck. (You
know what I mean.) Love, Daniel PS – I got your pillow
case. Hope you will like it. PS – I met lots of boys in
this outfit from PA. Three from
Harrisburg. Met a girl in town from
Harrisburg also. She is married to a
Lt. |
MARCH
3/14/1944 from Cpl. Daniel L. Wilhelm to
Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. 540
Walnut Street Apt. 7 Penbrook,
PA Dear Sis, I guess you are wondering
where the dickens I am at. Well as
yet it is a military secret but maybe I will be able to tell you soon. I am OK and feeling fine and hoping you
are all in the best of health.
Probably all four of you by now.
I am waiting patiently to hear the news. I do hope everything is over and everything is OK. I know of lots to write about but it is
not writeable so we will skip it till everything is peaceful again. I received a letter of yours some time ago
but can’t find it to answer so I guess you will just have to write another if
you wanted something answered. Ha
Ha. According to our intelligence
officer we might be able to tell you more in a week or so. Well, Sis, I guess that is
about all for now so I will say so long and here’s hoping everything’s OK. Can you read this? I hope. Love, Daniel |
APRIL 4/3/1944 from Cpl. Daniel L. Wilhelm to
Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. 540
Walnut Street Apt. 7 Penbrook,
PA Dear Sis, I guess you are wondering
what happened to me that I haven’t been writing. Well I haven’t had very much time to myself and when I did I
always wrote to mother. I am feeling fine and
hoping all four of you are in the best of health. I haven’t heard the news as yet but I imagine it is OK to say
the four of you by now. I am hoping
you had good luck and everybody is happy. I can imagine by now things
are very beautiful around Harrisburg and Hershey. Leaves are green and flowers are blooming. At least they were when I was young and in
my prime back there. Ha Ha. Will, Sis, I guess that is
about all I know to write that can be written so I will close and hope to be
seeing you again. Sooner or
later. Ha Ha. PS – If you have any extra
candies lying around the house I could go for some of them. Thank you. Write often Brother, Daniel |
|
4/23/1944 19th Birthday
of Daniel L. Wilhelm |
MAY 5/30/1944 from Cpl. D. L. Wilhelm to
Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. 468 Bomb Group
2540 Walnut Street, Apt. 7 A. P. O. 210 N. Y.
N. Y. Penbrook,
PA Dear Sis, I am feeling fine and am hoping
this letter will find all of you in the best of health. I
received the birthday greeting you sent me but still didn’t get the mixed
nuts you said you sent me. I will
probably get them in time for Christmas.
Ha Ha. Last night we had our
church service here at camp and also had a movie called Flesh &
Fantasy. I seen it in the states and
didn’t like it. On Saturday we had
“Thank your lucky stars.” That was a
very good picture, in fact, the best we had yet. It was mostly all musical so maybe that’s why I liked it. I haven’t received any mail
now for five days so I guess it is about due again. I must close now so take
care of yourself and the kiddies and write often. Love,
|
JUNE 6/30/1944 Death of Grandfather,
Samuel George Laudermilch |
JULY 7/25/1944 from Cpl. Daniel L. Wilhelm to
Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. China 2540
Walnut Street, Apt. 7 Penbrook,
PA Dear Sis, I am feeling fine and am
hoping this will find all of you in the best of health. I received your letter with the pictures
and enjoyed seeing them very much. I
never noticed the wording on the back until just a minute ago. I was thinking that Chet was Myles father
all the time. I don’t believe I ever
met him did I? The one of dad and the
kids sure looks good. He looks so
proud. I guess you were at
grandpa’s funeral and I can imagine it was a large one. When you write give me details. By the way let’s be picking up that pen
more often and drop me a line or two once in a while. How about that. I bet Lynndell sure changed
a lot since I seen her last. She
looks so funny with her new style hair cut.
Patsy will probably be as big as Lyndy was when I last saw her. I mean when I see Patsy. Must close now and will be waiting to hear
from you again. Love, Daniel |
AUGUST 8/10/1944 from Cpl. Daniel L. Wilhelm to
Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. China 2540
Walnut Street Apt. 7 Penbrook,
PA Dear Sis, I received your mail today
and was very glad to hear from you. I
am feeling fine and hoping this finds all of you in good health. Sis, you needn’t wonder if
it is hotter here than it is there.
It sure is . It’s only about
130 degrees. Well, tomorrow morning you
will read of another raid we pulled in Japan. Right now they are on the target or almost. It’s a lot of hard work but it sure feels
good to see our planes head for Japan with a load of bombs. Listen, I don’t take her
word for everything. Boy I wrote her
a good letter. I haven’t heard from
her either for twenty days. I don’t
care either cause it will be a long time before I get home again. I hope Lynndell got rid of
her measles by now. Please send her a
plant and sign my name. I must close now and go to
bed. Hope to hear from you again
soon. Love, Daniel |
|
8/29/1944 from Cpl. Daniel L. Wilhelm to
Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. China 540
Walnut Street Apt. 7 Penbrook,
PA Dear Sis, I received your letter
about a week ago and was very glad to hear from you. I am OK and feeling fine. The past three days I was on pass and
enjoyed myself very much. I got you a
pair of ear rings and would have gotten more but everything is so
expensive. You see there is inflation
in China and also when they see an American soldier prices go up. I hope you will like them. I got mother a broach pin with a jade
stone in it. That I paid plenty for. Sis, it seems you are down
home quite often now. I hope you
learned to help mother out when ever you can. I hope you don’t take the neighborhood along when you go for a
meal 'cause you know the condition of mother. I sure do enjoy seeing
pictures from you and if you can get me films please send me some no matter
what size. The meals we get now
aren’t very bad. This noon we had C
rations. When I was on my pass I eat
like a king. Almost like at home and
slept in nice soft beds with clean linens. Well, Sis, I guess that is
about all for now so I will close and say so long and write when ever you
can. Love, Daniel |
SEPTEMBER 9/9/1944 44th Birthday of
mother Sadie Laudermilch Wilhelm 9/11/1944 from Cpl. Daniel L. Wilhelm to
Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. China 540
Walnut Street Apt. 7 Penbrook,
PA Dear Sis, Haven’t heard from you for
a while so I thought I would drop you a line instead. Well, Sis, I don’t know if
I should tell you or not but I am in the horse pistol right now but what my
trouble is I don’t know. I am going
on my third day in here now and had five blood smears taken but they still can’t
seem to find any thing. The Major thinks
it might be malaria. Listen, Sis,
whatever you do, don’t tell mother cause you know how she worries without her
knowing that I am in here. Don’t you
worry either 'cause I will be OK and out again in a few days. I guess you heard of the
raid we pulled the other day. I guess
you also heard the broadcast the Japs put out about the raid they pulled on
us too. All they done was made a few
bomb craters. They claimed to have
destroyed forty some planes but so far I don’t know of any. Well, I guess everything is
changing colors already back there and it’s probably getting rather cool. I guess that’s about all I
have to write about so I will close and hoping to hear from you soon. Love, Daniel PS – Enclosed is a picture
of which I have two and I guess you meant to keep one. By the way, who the devil is the gal? [Enclosed picture of
Fernley (?), Lynndell, and Bob Wilhelm with a cow on the farm.] |
OCTOBER 10/31/1944 From Cpl. Daniel L. Wilhelm To
Mrs. Ira K. Wilhelm Forwarded
to Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. Dear Mother I am feeling fine and am
hoping this finds all of you in the best of health. Well Mother I guess you are
wondering why I didn’t write. I have
been very busy didn’t even get time to take a shower or shave for a week
until today. I was going to write you
on Sunday nite, but when I came in I found out I had to move to another tent
so I didn’t get to go to church and after I was half moved something happened
and I finished moving around eleven at nite. Good morning and here it is
the first of November. Well something
happened last nite again and I didn’t get to finish the letter as I planned
to do so I will finish before I go to the line. I hope. Well last nite
was Halloween nite and I didn’t spend it turning over back yard latrines
either. Yesterday I received two
letters from you and also one from Adela Vmail dated the 14th and
yours was dated 14 & 9 of Oct. Now to answer them. As for weather here it is
rather nice the last few days and things here dried up a bit again. Say I am afraid you
wouldn’t care for one of those eight-minute jobs once you got one. Rough.
(Sadie writes: Can’t understand this.) Yes Lawrence (Sadie writes:
Shroyer) is right about it being tough to see your buddies die but I don’t
know what I would do if I got the sad news he did. I guess stay in China. I don’t know what to think
of the Kreider bunch. Why don’t you
tell her you have enough troubles of your own. Say about this sickness I
had. If I would have had malaria I
would of told you ‘cause you would find it out any way when I come home. I did have yellow Jaundice and if there
was a way to prove it I would. So Betty Herr went to the
West. Do you know I had a dream about
her the other nite. Can’t tell you
what it was though. Yes, we have sweet potatoes
over here and we get them once in a while.
Also have nice big persimmons and do I like them. Wah.
We are getting real good food now at least much better then when we
came here six months ago. Mother, I could tell you his
name (Sadie writes: A boy from Jonestown) if I knew it but I forgot it. We have quite a few boys from PA in our
outfit. The closest one is from
Harrisburg. I will drop Mengeses a
line if I ever get a little spare time. Well I guess I must close
and maybe I will finish this at noon. Well here it is Wednesday
evening, November 1 and I didn’t get to finish at noon of course. Today I inquired again
about sending money home but no soap so I salted $350 in the Soldiers Deposit
of course I cant’ draw it out again until the time of discharge but it still
draws interest and if any thing happens to me you will receive it. I am also going to find out about an
allotment and if possible, I will make one out. That money order you were expecting you won’t get ‘cause I
didn’t send it. According to your letter
Bob did have a lucky birthday and also getting to be a good shot with that
22. Is that the one I had? I’m not too bad myself with my carbine 00
45 pistol. Say does Lyndel know who I
am when you show her my picture? I
guess not, she was pretty young when she last saw me to remember. Why does that amuse you
about going to school after the war?
Of course I don’t intend to go to college or business school, but to
trade school. Refrigeration and air
conditioning is my choice and according to the G. I. bill of rights, the
government pays for it. Or so they
say. Yes we can talk to the
Chinese, but mostly by hand although I picked up quite a few words. Once in a while you will find one who can
speak fairly good English. They
originate from the east coast. We
very seldom get in contact with women.
When we first came here, they either ran and hid or just hid their
faces. Some of the boys get in very
close contact with them of course they don’t care very much about themselves. I guess that is about all
for this time, so I will close and write as often as I can. Love Daniel PS – Tell me how long this
letter takes to reach you ‘cause it is free mail or the same as your
three-cent mail. I don’t know what to
say about your mail, but I guess it don’t make much difference. Enclosed is some Chinese money. |
NOVEMBER 11/7/1944 From Cpl. Daniel L. Wilhelm To
Mrs. Myles Standish, Jr. Somewhere in China 540
Walnut Street Apt. 7 Penbrook,
PA Dear Sis, I received your letter
yesterday and was very glad to hear from you. I must say. Long time
no hear from. Maybe do better next
time. Ah. I also received the pictures and sure enjoy seeing them. Say, my kid brother is growing up isn’t
he? I am feeling fine and am
hoping this finds all of you in good health.
I had Yellow Jaundice when I was in the hospital but mother still
thinks I had malaria. I did think at
first I had it cause at that time quite a few of the boys had it. Thanks again for sending
mother that plant for her birthday and when I get home I will do you a
favor. I have your ear rings, a
babies bib for me of the kids which is hand made. It had a little pocket right in the center. It was quite expensive but I thought it
was cute. I have that and other stuff
for mother all packed and ready to go but can’t send it. You see there is no post office where I am
at. It amuses me to read some peoples
mail that I get. They seem to think
China is a wonderful place just like U.S.A.
Ha. Ha. It is like U.S.A. was
maybe a hundred years ago. Ann
Sheridan had to go back before she had expected too and said it was too
rough. Say, I was sure surprised
when I heard that Bob & Henry & Denver were to see you. You mean to tell me he goes out again
instead of sit at home all the time like he did? As for writing Bob a letter I will do so and I hope he don’t
start smoking. It just a darn habit. I quit smoking cigarettes and smoke a pipe
once in a while. By the way could you get me
some film? 120-620-616-116 or what
have you. I guess they are hard to
get. I would like to take some
pictures of China 'cause I know you would like to see them and I would like
to have some also. I can always find
a camera to fit the film. I could also use a new
pipe. A sporty model with a small
bowl. A Yellow bowl, LinnK Medico or
A Kaywoodie or any kind. If you would
send it first class or air mail it would only take as long as a letter to get
here if it’s a small package. Well, Sis, I guess this is
about the end of this letter so I will close and be waiting to hear from you
again. Solong. Love,
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11/18/1944 From Cpl D. L. Wilhelm To Mrs. Ira K. Wilhelm A. S. N. 3350 4911 R. D. #1 468 Bomb Group Palmyra, Penna. 794 Bomb Sq A. P. O. 493 N. Y. N. Y. Rice Bowl Dear Mother I am feeling fine and am
hoping this finds all of you in the best of health. Since I last wrote you I have received two letters and was very
glad to hear from you. Also received
the pheasant tail. Boy I sure wish I
was back there hunting instead of over here in this hole. They made out OK on their chill deal after
all didn’t they. I can just taste one
of those nice brown rabbit legs now.
That’s one animal I haven’t seen since I left the states. I am sorry to hear that you
didn’t get any mail for over two weeks but that’s not my fault. Five days I believe is the longest that I
left o9 by without writing. You know
there is a long way between here and there and a hundred and one things can
happen till it travels all that way. That flag that I sent you
reads something like this: I am an American Airman helping to free
China. Lead me and show me to the
nearest air base. Anyway if those
aren’t the exact words, it means the same thing. They are worn on the back of your flight jacket. About the rats Herm was
talking about. Which ones was he
talking about? We have some around
here but in the hospital where I was they come out on the floor after the
lights went out and they sounded like they were playing football in the
hallway. The news about Mrs. Shetz
is pretty tough but I guess there is nothing to do about it anymore. Is Loyd in the army too? I was also wondering if Bud Stover is in
the army yet. I received a letter from Herm
the other day too and he hopes he will soon get home to his Pauline. He didn’t say anything about mud. Yes I drive trucks and jeeps once in a
while. I will never forget the first
nite I drove a 2 ½ ton truck. It was
a nite of an air raid and I had to cross a very narrow bridge without
lights. I started sweating at first
but I made it OK. Yes, I guess most
of the boys were for F. D. R. here also, but it really didn’t worry me. It’s getting so that I don’t care what
happens anymore. Yes, I still have those
socks you sent me except for the pair that was stolen from me while I had
them outside the tent to dry. This is
some of the ink you sent me. I
believe the packages will get here sooner than they did last year. The boys got them last year when we landed
in India. I mean the boys that were
here. Say, did Earl Hetrick say
anything about getting a letter from me.
I wrote them about three months ago but didn’t hear from them as
yet. I bet those kids are sure grown
up since I last seen them. Almost two
years ago. You know I wrote to Peep
last October 2 and the other day the letter was returned even though the
address was exactly the same as he had on his letter he wrote me ‘cause I
checked it when I received it. Well I guess this is about the
end of my letter for this time so I will close and read some of my paper I
got about a week ago. So long and
don’t worry if you don’t hear from me some times ‘cause lots of things might
happen to the letters or I may be very busy and unable to write. Solong. Love, Daniel |
DECEMBER 12/4/1944 From Cpl D. L. Wilhelm To
Mrs. Ira K. Wilhelm A. S. N. 3350 4911 R.
D. #1 468 Bomb Group Palmyra,
Penna. 794 Bomb Sq A. P. O. 493 c/o P. M. N.
Y. N. Y. China Dear Mom, Dad, & Bob, I am feeling fine and am
hoping this finds all of you in the best of health. I received your Vmail
yesterday that you sent me November 19 and also the pipe. Thanks a lot. The silk stocking is hanging here in front of me. The first one I seen in ten months. Ha. Ha. I haven’t much time to
write you tonite 'cause I must soon go back out on the line. Just a few lines to let you know I am OK
and still kicking. Well I guess by this time
you have spent your Christmas or just about to. I hope you had a merry one.
I will be home for Christmas this year but only in my dreams and hope
by next year I will be able to be with you physically instead of just
mentally. I just ask one of the boys
what there is to write about and he came to the same conclusion as I did. Not a thing. These Chinese have their
wheat in and is about four inches high already. We had some rain the other nite and was it cold. Well, today was a nice day although my
sheepskin coat and pants felt very comfortable.
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