"Raising hell" for a Happy Birthday during World War II

Ebner at six months: Nov., 24, 1924 What a cutie!

Today, May 14th, is the 90th anniversary of my Uncle Frank’s birth—but back in 1944, he had just turned twenty. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UNCLE EBNER! I’m posting these two letters together. The first is from Frank, telling my parents how he planned to celebrate his 20th in San Antonio with an old friend from our neighborhood church (see post of his birthday, which coincided with Mother’s Day in 1944, with funny San Antonio photo here.) The second is written by my mother, wishing Ebner a Happy Birthday and enclosing the best gift for a soldier: money. The writing of each is lively and shows the warm affection between my mom and her brother-in-law.

Letters

United States Army Air Force

5/6/1944

Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church, West End and Keeler, Chicago. He met Vivian Lund, the girl he plans to “raise hell” with, at Bethel

Dear Fritz,

Well it’s about time I paid my debts. Enclosed you will find the balance of my debt minus the usual interest for a loan. I’ve been kept pretty busy with my work here and have had little chance to do any writing.

The mornings here have been pretty cold but they warm up as the day goes on. We had rain yesterday and it spoiled our flight. Something always happens when we are scheduled to fly. We have had 4 dates set so far for our first flight and each time something happened.

Do you remember Vivian Lund from church? Well she’s down here and I believe we will knock off a good time together. I’m hoping to get an over night pass to San Antonio on the 13^thand 14^th to celebrate my birthday and so far the plan is as follows. She will rent a room and change into a formal. Then we will go out and raise hell.

Well no other news and I want to write to Mom. So take care of yourself and write soon.

Your loving brother,

Frank

Ebner LTRs 1944-05-09 From Lil and Fred

May 9, 1944

Dear Frank,

Enclosed is a little birthday greeting from us and a slip good for the ten smackers which are for your enjoyment as you see fit – practical or otherwise.

You have our sincere best wishes for a Happy Birthday and we are only sorry you can’t celebrate it in our midst.

Take good care of yourself and see that nothing happens to you because we want you to be back with us again some day to marry and raise those 13 kids – or is that too many?

Your father, much to everyone’s amazement is taking in his stride the prescribed rest cure for his bum knee and fortunately, they took care of it before too much damage was done.

Fred and Will are taking care of the “chop suey” disposal part of his work as well as helping out on tending the hoppers and so on and your Mother does the rest. Your Dad is lucky his wife is so strong and ready to help out at all times – and I’m sure you will agree.

Fred and I intend to do our photography work at home tonight because they waste too much time at school and we don’t get enough out of it. We have just about all the essential equipment by now so with 180 pictures to be either developed or printed or both, we figure we’re better off doing it at home.

Well, so long for now, Toots—

Love, Lillian and Fred

P.S. Fred received your money order for $20.00. That was really prompt repayment. (How are your business projects?)