“Letters of a World War II Airman” shares original letters to and from my uncle, Frank Ebner Gartz, from 1943-1945, tracing the course of WWII, life on the home front, and the evolution of a neighborhood kid into seasoned airman.
A radio similar to the one on which my grandmother set Ebner's photo to greet Morning and Night A shrine set atop a radio the the one posted here. In the center, their son's high school graduation picture. [...]
Lillian Gartz executive secretary to Mr. Gibney,president of The Bayer [aspirin] Company Working seven days a week up to twelve hours a day was common for my Dad during the war years. My Mom, Lillian, had long hours too, [...]
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.