Babu writes (prepare to chuckle, if you are anything like me): June 11, 1941, Had a letter and some pictures from Jakey. I told myself to keep quiet about any plans to go South because they may not formulate, but I still talk. Why do I have such a garrulous tongue? Went to choir rehearsal…
Tag: airforce
“Flaming Blonde”
In the last post the passage Babu wrote in her journal on June 4th mentioned that she got a letter from Jakey asking her to come down. Here is the passage: June 4, 1941, Jakey had a perfect announcement of his solo flight in the paper tonight. John Bartula came up tonight and asked me…
Dodo No More
May 29, 1941, Had another letter from Jakey. This one was a happy one. He wrote that he had soloed Tuesday. His mother and I went to Matilda Showyra’s shower. I had a grand time. Edmund came and after I had a few numbers and a few drinks and he had more, we got pretty…
Before the News Breaks: Part I
While Babu is in Chicopee wrestling with loss, Jake is in Alabama having no idea that he, too, has lost a friend. The letters Babu gets from him are a jarring juxtaposition to what she is facing at home. Was it a welcome distraction? May 21, 1941, Jakey wrote me another letter today and he…
Jake’s Base
This is one of a few research posts I’ve been working on. Everything I read about in Babu’s pages and Jake’s letters makes me want to know more. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough time to do more than a basic google search, but even that can drudge up some neat information. One of my rabbit…
Convicts in the Barracks, May 10, 1941
May 10, 1941, Saw Ernie off on the train and felt lonesome. Came home and started cleaning my drawers. Jake sent me another letter and some pictures. He looks so thin and his hair is clipped short. Edmund, Johnny Lech, and Eddie came up early and left soon. J.L. came back about 8 and we…
Letters from “This Godforsaken Hole”
May 6, 1941, It’s so warm again and no rain. I had another letter from Jakey again today. It felt so good. Freda Grockmal read our palms and told us what the stars had in store for us-at club tonight. We adjourned to the Moonlight and we had cokes and exchanged experiences. All the way…
August, 1940: Part Two
Here is Part One: August, 1940: The Trip Here is something not to be missed while Babu is on vacation with Jakey in Amsterdam, NY and staying with Ann and Paul: Sunday, August 11th, 1940 We slept late and attended 12 o’clock mass at the Shrine of Auriesville. After dinner we went swimming again but…
Retro Wednesday: The Great New England Airshow
A rumble, kind of a cracking rumble. A kind of cracking, tearing, rumble. And then it is out from behind the clouds, overhead, and then gone. Fighter planes and stunt men, and much, much more, put on quite a quite a show at Westover Airforce Base this weekend. What could be better than standing on…
transcribingmemory 