Frank Von Arx, Frank Gartz’s best friend Fun 1940s Lingo crops up throughout this very first letter written to my Uncle Ebner BEFORE he was even drafted. That's because his best buddy, Frank Von Arx, had already been inducted [...]

Frank's former science and division teacher at Austin High School, Miss Hartley, was a regular correspondent, not only to Frank Ebner, but to many of his buddies from his high school class. Harvey Duck was in Frank's same division (see photo), and his name comes up in this letter as Miss Hartley is keeping all the boys apprised of their classmates doings and whereabouts  (See 3/3 posted letter from Frank's Mom.) Miss Hartley also mentions that Cookie, Frank's girlfriend, took over Duck's job.

Frank Gartz left Keesler Field in Mississippi and arrived on February 27th, 1943, at the Army Technical School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for an 18-week stay. His long days of classes, studying, and drilling in a frigid wind will toughen him up. Here's a good description of the town and the first serious courses for an airman in training. He probably wrote this letter before receiving the one his mother wrote to him on March 3rd too, so I'm posting this a little after the date it was written.

LaVerne “Cookie” Karbach(bridesmaid photo) Ebner’shigh school girlfriend Harvey Duck Letter Chicago, Ill Mar. 3 Dear Ebner I was waiting [for] Will to send you a Letter but he is with his Air Port Working and so [...]

My grandmother placed two lights with green beaded shades flanking Ebner's high school graduation picture, as my father mentioned in his 2/21-23 letter. Here my grandmother tells her son how she keeps "in touch" with him through this little "shrine" she had erected.