“Family Archaeologist” explores a century of family letters, diaries, and artifacts, and how they illuminate history and our shared humanity. To get an overview of the blog, click: “Welcome to Family Archaeologist”
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World War II Easter and news from Chicago
Frank's mom, my grandmother, writes about Easter Sunday with my parents, Fred and Lil, and how hard everyone is working. Lil is taking classes in addition to her day job. Will, the oldest Gartz Brother, teaches classes for the Civil Air Patrol. My Dad is taking classes at Lewis Institute (Illinois Institute of Technology, IIT, today). My grandfather's knee is still badly infected, meaning he can't do the stairs required for his janitorial work. A glimpse into 1944 life on Chicago's West Side.
WWII Navigation School—the challenge begins!
Frank has arrived at Navigation School in Hondo, Texas, where he will be challenged as never before in his young life. He anticipates hard work—at least twelve hours a day.
World War II cadet tempted by California gal
In these two letters, written about a week apart, Frank updates his parents about the girl he met in California, and hopes they don't say too much about her to his at-home girlfriend, Cookie. A young man's heart, far from home, seems a bit confused.
World War II high school class scattered across globe
This World War II letter serves as a mini-summary of the far-flung places young men from one West Side Chicago High School were shipped and served in 1944. A faithful correspondent to her former students, Christine Hartley, Frank’s Austin High School division teacher, was a conduit of information to her “boys,” keeping them updated and informed about each other’s whereabouts.
World War II air cadet writes about new girl and worries about dad
Frank's mom wrote to him about his father's severely infected knees. Frank writes these two very short letters, the first to both his parents, the second, about two weeks later, just to his dad, my grandfather. In an earlier letter, my grandmother had written to Frank (Ebner) telling her son of Grandpa's knee injury. Here I think Frank is just trying to establish a personal communication with his father so he can encourage him in the future to take care of himself.
Bad news from the winter World War II home front: infected knees
By the winter of 1944, at the age of fifty-four, my grandfather had spent the previous thirty winters shoveling coal and snow for up to 65 apartments. His body began to give out from the strain. This letter is the first in a series that documents the severe knee problems that plagued my grandfather during World War II, and the huge workload Grandpa's infected knee put on my grandmother.
Air cadet feeling good: new girl and Sharpshooter medals
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.
California girl hooks up with Chicago aviation cadet
Frank will introduce the California gal, Margaret (Margie) to his parents in a 3/13/1944 letter. He'll say he likes her "very very very much." Frank still cares about his at-home girlfriend, Cookie, but we have to remember, he had lived a very insular life on Chicago’s West Side and was only 18 when he left for basic training. He’s being introduced to the world, as millions of boys were during WWII, and a good-looking, charming, sweet guy is discovering many girls out there thinks he’s just swell! This Margie is one to them.
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