Less than two years after Pearl Harbor, the lives of every family in America were upended, and that included the lives of those in my former community, West Garfield Park. In my family's relatively small West Side Chicago church, Bethel Lutheran, nearly 100 boys were in the service—and several girls as well. That's 100 families with sons (and some daughters) in harm's way. The anxiety must have been palpable.
My grandmother congratulates her son on becoming flight sergeant and on his stint teaching fellow airmen how to dance. She adds some motherly warnings to keep to his studies. When she writes, "Think always of yourself first," I don't think she means for him to be selfish, but rather not to forget his duties and school work.
John Koroschetz, my mother, Lillian's, father, whose death on 9/17/1943, is recorded in this letter to Frank. My maternal grandfather, John Koroschetz, was buried on September 20, 1943. In her letter to Ebner (Frank), my grandmother notes that [...]
University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point—That's where Frank has been assigned to the 97th College Detachment to pursue college courses. Without the military, Frank would never have been able to attend this excellent school. And there's a bonus: Girls! Girls! [...]
Yes, Frank is an Army Air Corps Cadet, but part of his training will be college courses. His parents' dream was to see all three of their boys graduate from college (my grandparents were able to only complete through fourth grade in Romania.)