Aerial View including Venice Pier 1941

Like most young men, shipped around the country during World War II training, Frank is meeting girls wherever he goes. Here Frank tells his parents about a gal he really likes. I wonder how his mother takes this, given that she adores his at-home girlfriend, Cookie.

Frank will be shipping out soon, before “complications” arise with the new girl. Then he’ll be on to the most rigorous challenges he’s yet encountered.


Letter

United States Army Air Forces

3-13-44

Dear Mom and Dad,

How are you folks getting along? I’m in a swell mood and have finally found some writing time. It’s getting near the end of our course and we dropped a class. My section was lucky enough to have the subject that everyone dropped for our last class.

Tell Will I’m sending him a bunch of work sheets and a test that I was able to get. I hope he is getting along fine and he keeps out of the service as long as he can. But really as I look back I haven’t been so bad off and it will be 14 months soon. How is Sam [Fred] coming along?

I met a swell girl through this friend of Lill’s [my mother] out here. I’ve been out with her twice and I like her very, very, very much. Don’t tell Cookie about this but I’ve never had more fun in such a short time.

Her name is Marjorie von Boenigle and she is a neat and nice girl. Her father is dead and she is living with her mother and 2 sisters. Her father was a surgeon and he practiced in ViennaGermany [sic: should be Austria]. Her mother is a nurse and traveled to Europe with her Dad. He died about 4 years ago. She was originally from Chicago and still has a sister living there.

It’s strange how I always meet a girl who I really like just before I leave a camp. The week before last we went to Venice Pier [near Los Angeles], an amusement park like Riverview [famous Chicago amusement park] and this last weekend we went dancing to the Paladium. I had a great time both times and I’m feeling better every time I think of her. I had better ship soon or complications will set in.

Well enough of that I just wanted to tell you how happy I am and thank you for the food you have so generously sent me. The cakes get better every time.

We finish school next Thursday and then we wait for shipment. It may be one week or 3.

Some good news just came over the P.A. system. We got all high grades in our Sunday parade and set a new high base standard. Well I haven’t any more to say—Oh! I just remembered I got a couple of medals for shooting the weapons we have here. I got a marksman’s medal for the 45 cal automatic pistol and a sharpshooter’s medal for the carbine. I’m going to have my picture taken soon and I’ll send you a good one.

Love,

your son, Frank
XXXXX


Original Letter