Money all gone

In Frank's letter to his Mom, below, he refers to "boilers." These were the furnaces in the many buildings my grandparents cared for. In this era, and for many years afterwards, they burned coal, requiring lots of coal shoveling when the weather was very cold, often several times a day, even overnight. They could be finicky and required a good deal of attention. 

Ebner gives a detailed description of Keesler Field, MI, where he's stationed. He even includes a drawing of his barracks) 

2-18-43

Dear Mom:

How is everything at home? Please don’t work too hard on those boilers. I still want to see you standing up if I ever get home. Your letters get here in about 2 days and packages take a day longer.I have been writing you every other day or so. I don’t know why my letters haven’t been reaching you. Today I received the package from Powers and I want to thank you for sending me those cookies; they were delicious. The Mississippi miserys are almost over for the time being. [The "Mississippi Miserys" is apparently some illness the boys came down with at Keesler].

I’m waiting for that picture [of Cookie, his girlfriend] impatiently. I wish the time was up to collect that $5.00 from Lillian because my money went too fast down here. I bought a garrison hat last Saturday which cost me $5.00 with the pin and rain cover and seven arm insignia at 15 cents apiece. I bought more shoe polish and an almanac which cost me 98 cents. Now all my money is gone. I was shopping for the boys who couldn’t leave camp and I over ran my money so I owe three dollars to one of the fellows. He trusts me but I hate to owe anyone money.

[Note: Lil and Frank made a bet about Fred or Frank losing more weight, and Frank, apparently is winning. See 2/15/43 letters]

There is a nice U.S.O. down here, but I didn’t stay long because I wanted to see the town. Then I started drinking, first Boilermakers and ended with Tom Collins. It was my first drink since I left Chicago and it tasted good. They have military beer in camp but the stuff isn’t even 3.2.

Thank [Fred] for changing his letter just for my sake. [Fred, my dad, had written a letter in German but after Ebner's request to send no letters in German, Fred rewrote it in English. This letter is coming up soon]. I really appreciate it. As I told you in my last letter, I have received that $20.00, but I haven’t a cent left. If you could send me $10.00 soon I could really use it.

John Hetzel and I have been together ever since Camp Grant and are still very near. I owed him seven dollars before I received your money order and promptly paid him in full.

I’ll give you a detailed description of Keesler Field. It’s about a mile away from Back Bay on the Gulf of Mexico near Biloxi, Mississippi. In fact it’s on the outskirts of town. The terrain is sandy and the roads built in camp are based with clam shells. We live in huts which house a maximum of 28 men at the present time. See diagram on the back of this sheet.

The weather down here is mild. At night it’s cold and during the day it’s warm, but not hot yet. The last three days the moon has been so bright that you don’t need a flash light any more. It even casts a shadow. I must close now but I want to ask one more favor.

Please send my camera in a well protected case for the mail is mistreated something awful. The cookies were broken but most of them were in good shape. The boys down here are talking about girls and it takes concentration to keep on the beam. Please protect my camera well and send my equipment with it.

I must close now but I’m very happy here and I’m fighting a clean battle for leadership. In about 10 or 12 days I hope to get shipped to Chicago? If so, I’m going to show the boys that come with me some Northern hospitality. I must close now so goodnight. It’s 10:45 now and I must turn in so till I write again I’m just

Your Loving Son,

Frank

P.S. I’m going to send my watch home soon. You can tell [Fred] that it’s losing time one day and keeping it another. I can’t figure it out. Still, Frank.

Below is the original letter and the drawing Frank sent along of his bunk house, "hut."

Mississippi Miserys

Ebner writes to brother, Will, about “The Mississippi Miserys,” [I'm spelling it the way he does in the letter.] It's a word apparently created by the men to dub an ailment that affects many soldiers in the camp.

He describes his duties as  flight leader (referred to in a previous letter), most of which appear to take place in the "Orderly Room," a room  set aside in the barracks for general administrative purposes. Ebner is still asking for a picture of his high school girlfriend, Cookie, aka LaVerne Karbach.

No date on this letter, but probably early February because the content fits in with other letters from this period.  

Air Corps Technical School

Keesler Field, Mississippi

Dear Will,

Never fear about my watch. It will be safe as along as it’s with me but I’m sending it home as soon as I can get around to doing so. It’s losing time fast and is of no real value to me in that condition. I wish you would give it to [Fred] and have him take it to a reliable watchmaker to have it timed.

We have a good man on the Field here but he hasn't the wrench to work with on this type. I’m sorry to hear about your bad weather up there and I hope it will clear up soon.

Down here it’s damp always. In the morning it’s very damp and chilly but there’s always a clear sky or slightly mottled with fleecy clouds and in the afternoon and late morning it’s warm and clear The camp is only about a fifteen minute walk to town but so far we haven’t been able to leave the camp.

I might get a class B pass and I tell you the reason why soon. This pass is good until 11:00 P.M. Well here’s the pay off. I’ve been made Flight leader and responsible to the sergeants in the Orderly room. That’s over approximately 200 men. At first I was scared as hell but after I got over that I had and am having a good time.

I sit on my tail in the orderly room all day doing odd jobs for the sergeants while the Flight drills like hell. Boy! Is there red tape in this man’s army.

I have what is called the “Mississippi Miserys.” It’s a sort of a cold. I’ve had it about a week now and there’s no change for the better. Nearly all the men down here have it and it’s hell. It’s a cough that almost chokes you and a clogged up nose. It comes from the damp weather. I sent home some personal papers I want kept for me.

Also before I forget, remind Mom not to write to me in German. If she thinks that I can't read her English then you write it for her. I’m up also for Officers’ Candidate School, but I’m going to pass that up right now until I’m done with my Radio Operator Mechanics course. Well, that finishes this letter right now. Maybe I’ll have more time to write now so you can expect more letters than one a week.

Your dear and loving
Brother
Frank.

P.S. I’m only kidding

Just as I was finishing this letter I heard something like the rumble of thunder and asked what it was. It was the big bombers dropping their load about 14 miles away.

Send that picture of Cookie soon.

Frank

Writing as much as I can

Ebner responds to his mother's desperate plea for more letters, and his oldest brother's (Will) apparent chastisement about the "dearth" of letters.

To read about the history of Keesler Field click HERE

Air Corps Technical School

Keesler Field, Mississippi

2-16-43

Dear Mom,

I’m sorry to hear you are not getting my mail regular but I’ve written as often as time permitted. Maybe you haven’t been getting all the ail I’ve written because I’ve never postponed it over 4 days. I have received the $20.00 and thanks a lot. I’ve spent most of the money now. You see that I’m writing in pencil. That is because I was too generous and lent my pen to someone who shipped out, pen and all. Until I get another pen I’ll have to write like this.

I have received your letters and I suggest that you number your letters up to 10 and then start all over again. This way I’ll know that I’m getting all your letters. Will’s subject and item letter which is very facetious and not appreciated very much for I’m trying hard to keep writing as much and to as many as feasible. [Older brother, Will, just have chided Frank/Ebner for not writing enough. I don't have this letter from Will, which obviously upset Frank/Ebner with its sarcastic tone.]

I haven’t written to Holub or Hatley as yet. We have a bugler now and he just blew lights out. I’ve been switched as has everybody else in the 953rd T.S.S. In Hut City (our area’s name). I’m now flight 675’s Flight leader. A fellow (southern) just came in and displayed the provincial Southern hospitality by giving the fellows of the orderly room cake and candy which was sent to him. I must close now, so lots of Love

Your son,
Frank

Original letter below:

© Copyright Linda Gartz - No part of this blog (photos, letters or letter quotes, written work, etc.) may be used without the express permission of Linda Gartz or a link back to this blog.

Lots of Love on Valentine's Day

Lisi, Ebner's Mom

Lisi Gartz, my grandmother, struggles again with English, writing in her tortured spelling and syntax to Ebner, her youngest son, who's in basic training at Keesler Field, Mississippi. She enlists  my mother, Lillian, to take over midway through the letter to help with the writing. 

My father's family seemed to prefer their son's middle names to their first ones, so just Grandma addresses Frank Ebner as "Ebner" my father, Fred, is often referred to as "Sam" in the letters. I'm going to transcribe his name as "Fred," so his identity won't be so confusing, but he's "Sam" in the original, which is, again, at the end. About midway through the letter, my mother's handwriting appears, clearly taking dictation from Grandma to ease Grandma's English problems. Mom refers to herself by her middle name, "Louise," which no one called her. I think she does it tongue in cheek, repeating the "Middle name syndrome." Again, I kept her name "Lil' in the transcription to avoid identity confusion.

Chicago, Il
Feb 14-43

My Dear Soldier Son Ebner,

Here I come with my best, as always. I am allone, father on his Work. We have today a bitter cold strong wind from north and west. Will is on the Field [flying]. They have there many new members from a Chicago school so he hat to go.

My Dear Ebner you never know how I was sick for a few line from you...to hear what you are doing. Now I am so happy I don’t know if I am shouting or lafing or crying. Don’t leave me watching for so long for one word from you, I beg you, or I come there. Or like father said, send a telegram and find out what it happening to him.

God bless you and be all right with your miseries? Get cough drops and Anacin tablets. You know how we do it for coughing. If you got turpentine (?) take two drops if you can in sugar once dayly.

Fred (aka "Sam") and Lil Gartz, who
took over writing the letter for
Lisi

[My mother’s handwriting continues the letter so Grandma must have dictated the rest for her to write.] 

My Dear Franz,

I took the picture of LaVerne (aka "Cookie") and you to Ebert’s [a photography studio] to have a print made to fit into your bible. As a matter of fact, on one side, the picture of LaVerne and you will be printed and on the other, the family group picture will be printed (two for the price of one).

Then if you like, you can send the group picture you now have on to Frank Von Arx, or home, whichever you prefer.

[Fred]  is very busy working overtime and Lil is kept going keeping Sam’s stomach from shrinking. (It looks like you will win that $5.00 bet from Lillian [This is obviously my mother's personal comment about a bet they must have made about who could lose more weight, Frank or Fred].

Franz, you don’t know how happy it made me to receive that lovely Valentine. I felt very blue and sad not having heard from you except for the telegram. So when I received the Valentine, I suddenly felt happy again for it seemed you were with me in spirit.

Below in my mother's handwriting, writing for Grandma:

[Lillian] and [Fred]  just dropped in now so [Lillian]  is finishing the letter for me so that you will have less trouble reading it.

Also, on the 11th I wrote you if you received the $20.00 money order and underwear I sent you immediately upon receipt of your telegram. Did you get this all right? As to the letters I wrote you in German, I hope sincerely they did not hurt your standing in any way.

Congratulations on becoming a flight leader; we are very proud of you and hope you keep right on going up the ladder. We are glad you plan to finish or complete the radio course before going to officers Training School. That, we are sure, is the best thing.

Sam started a long letter to you in German and was aboutt o mail it when he heard you would rather not receive anyt mail written in German, so he will write you soon in English, as you wish.

Both Father and I are working long, long hours each day as you well know is the case in this weather.

Are you in the same company with any of the boys you knew in civilian life? Also please let us know near what city Keesler Field is located.

We know you are busy, but if you knew how much cheer your letters would bring, you would write once a week.

Yesterday (Saturday) Lil ordered a box of cookies from Father and me to be sent you via Parcel Post as a Valentine Gift. Please let us know if you get this in good condition. We would gladly send you a package once a week if we were sure it reachs you o.k. Let us know.

[Then my grandmother’s handwriting again]:

Pleas wen you get [this letter], how many day it took to reach you?

A big hug and love from your Father and Mother

Will Gartz, who wrote
the P.S. (note oval photo behind
him: that's of Lisi's father and
brother, both called Sam

P.S. [Will’s (the oldest Gartz son) handwriting

Have you made any arrangements to take the $10,000 insurance policy available to service men? Let us know.

Note: Per Ken Burns’s documentary and book, “The War,” parents would receive $10,000 in the event their son were killed, and this must be the policy that provided that "benefit."

Note: the underlines, circles, and notes were mine to note important parts on xerox copies I made of the letters before I had a scanner. 

In charge of 200 men...

Mississippi. See detail at right for
location of Keesler Field

Frank's Mom wrote a desperate plea to her son, Frank Ebner to send her "some lines," i.e., WRITE! Little did she know the responsibilities he had already taken on. Before he could have received her letter of February 11th (posted yesterday, click My troubled heart), he had already written this letter from Keesler Field, near Biloxi, Mississippi. The War Department started an Aviation Mechanics school at Keesler Field, which was activated in June, 1941. "The first shipment of recruits arrived at Keesler Field on August 21, 1941. Many stayed at Keesler to become airplane and engine mechanics, while others transferred to aerial gunner or aviation cadet schools." (Info from "Keesler Air Force Base," Wikipedia)

Ebner was so busy that he had lost track of the date, thinking it was still Feb. 11th. 

Based on his stationery, Ebner was in Aviation Mechanics School, probably part of basic training here at Keesler, as he had just been drafted on Jan. 23rd. 

location of Keesler
Field

2-12-43 (Misdated on letter as 2-11-43) 

Dear Mom,

It’s 10:15 now and I’ve been on the run all day since 5:00 AM and am dead, but I’m only going to dash off a line or two. This is not such an easy job in charge of 200 men because they all have to know about this or that. I may be able to do my work if they day was 50 hours long.

Well, tomorrow is Lincoln’s Birthday  and a leader we will never forget. My letters have been irregular, but I’ve been busy; very busy and it’s not only my flight whose number is 750, but my old flight and 5 or 6 new flights who ask my instructions and whose requests I can’t refuse.

I think that tomorrow I may get a pass into town. I’ve got my fingers crossed because I’ve wanted to see Biloxi ever since I reached my destination at Keesler. I made a mistake on the date for today is the 12th, but one day is like another, even Sunday. I’m getting sleepy and I still have to wash up so God bless you all and write soon even if I can’t write often. I received my first letter from “Cookie” today since I’ve been in the service.

Love

Frank

P.S. Still address my flight as 684 and all in the same in the address. How about that picture of “Cookie.”

My troubled heart

Elisabeth (Lisi) Gartz, Jan. 1943

Ebner's mother was undoubtedly finding that writing her son in English was so difficult, she fell back to writing to him in German. Below is a translation into English of what she wrote, but she'd soon find she had no easy way out of her struggle with English. After Ebner received this letter, he requested that no one in the family write future letters to him in German. It was, after all, the language of the enemy. 

(To see my father's own run-in with anti-German sentiment during the war see the posts: War and Bigotry, An FBI investigation, and Anti-American Hobbies,

Translated from the original German, edited for length and interest. Original at end.

Chicago
Feb. 11-43

Lieber Ebner…

Dear Ebner,

I have to ask whether you have received the money that on January 31 you asked me to send. I sent you the money on the same day––20 dollars––with a letter from me and also from Bill [brother Will]. On Feb. 1, 1943, I sent you the underwear about which you asked. Now 11 long days and nights and I wait to at least hear whether you received everything. Are you sick or haven’t you received it?

On Feb. 3rd Will sent you a letter with a few lines from me. Haven’t you received that either, or what’s going on? I have the receipt from the money order, so I can get the money back.
Your two girls, LaVerne* and Shirley ask about you on the telephone––not once but several times, twice a week up to now. What do you think I should tell them with my heavy heart. Not once a word [from you]. So I ask you, if it’s not possible to write a lot, just write a few words how it’s going for you.

I only wish for a few words. From Frank [ probably Von Arx] I received a long letter. It made me very happy, but I would much prefer a letter from you. Papa had the flu.

With a thousand Greetings and kisses from us,
Ma and Pa

Don’t let me worry or be troubled in my heart any longer.

* "LaVerne" is the birth name of Ebner's high school sweetheart, whom everyone called "Cookie."

Slow Starvation?

Elsie and Bert Von Arx, parents of
Ebner's best friend, Frank Von Arx.

Ebner's best buddy, Frank Von Arx, wrote him on Feb. 2, 1943. Seventy years ago today, Von Arx's mom took  her turn filling Ebner in on the home front. She reports her mother is dying. I've edited the letter for clarity and length. Original at end. 

Chicago, Ill
Feb. 8, 1943

Dear Frank:

How nice it is to hear from our second son Frank. Well. It looks like you are in the Air Corps also, so I take it from the heading of your letter. Also that your pal Johnny is with you. Knowing someone does make a difference when away from home, not that it would take Frank Gartz very long to pick out a few buddies.

Received three letters from Frank V.A. today, after telling us a week ago not to send anymore mail as they would be on the move. Imagine his disgust in still being stranded and with nothing but repetition of maneuvers and marking time. 

The third letter of course was an S.O.S. For funds. Nothing to do and no money would wear on anybody’s nerves. So pronto things will be straightened by air mail unless he gets the sudden request to move on.

Was out today for our an hour’s fresh air after ten days of imprisonment. Mother is right down in bed now and can’t be left at all alone––must be fed, if [I] succeed in so doing, and all other necessary duties of nursing. Thought she would leave us last week, but somehow rallied back a little again, but it just can’t be very long with no food to speak of (Imagine that, Frank, slow starvation?)

Mr. V.A. Is very busy. Do you know him ever to be otherwise?  Being property man for the OCD he is presently in the throws of giving out some 700 fire extinguishers to block captains in this territory. Those are assembled at the fire barns at Wilcox [Avenue] South. 

The girls are both busy with work, school, bowling, and what not. Not much time left over. All are out tonight. I’m just alone with Grandma who is sleeping in a steady stupor so it is very lonesome.

Haven't’ seen many of the church people as I have not attended lately. Just Ruth has been holding up the family good name.

Your letter was addressed to Mr.[Von Arx] but I took the liberty to open it. Therefore the early answer from me.

[I] suppose you are getting your dose of shots and drilling etc. Never mind boy. You can take them and show ‘em all up. What say you?

Best wishes to you for your health, happiness, and good luck for a speedy return home to family and friends and in the meantime, may God bless you and keep you from all harm.

Sincere love,

Mrs. E. Von Arx
4431 Wilcox Street

ORIGINAL LETTER BELOW:

© Copyright Linda Gartz - No part of this blog (photos, letters or letter quotes, written work, etc.) may be used without the express permission of Linda Gartz or a link back to this blog.