I'm posting two World War II letters today because each is very short and each brings Frank's parents up-to-date on the outstanding achievements of his Squadron 85. His second letter relates the increasing pressure on these young men to reach their highest potential. Frank is rising to the expectations.
During World War II virtually every young man was serving America in some capacity. High school buddies from small towns and insular neighborhoods were separated and scattered all across the country and the world, in different branches of the service.
My German-speaking grandmother (ethnic German, born in Transylvania) is sending lots of love to her youngest son, Frank. "Be yourself" is a common exhortation of hers. Her confidence in her son comes through in this phrase. As his mom, she knows if he's "true to himself" and his fine nature, he'll find success. She adds some chatty news about home and the neighbors he left behind.
A son training to fight in World War II created worry for my grandmother—praying that her son would make it home alive and unharmed. But this letter shows her heavy heart is relieved of at least one worry. Her 54-year-old husband, who has worked sixteen-hour days at hard, physical labor, since arriving in America at age 21, is finally taking it a little easier.
Frank Gartz's best friend, Frank Von Arx, writes to him from his post in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Besides the usual wry humor, this letter contains little-known information about the World War II Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. It was the first time the Japanese had invaded American soil since the War of 1812. I had known nothing about the battles of Attu and Kiska before reading this letter and looking into the history.