January 4, 1946 - Tientsin, China

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This is the absolute last letter from the shoe box. I am hoping to once again post letters. I am making an appeal to my relatives to go through those boxes of momentos, and provide me with additional material. I would love to read some of letters my father, Joe wrote to his friends and family.

Until then, I hope you have enjoyed reliving a troubling time during our nation's history from the angle of the average 'GI' Joe. It has been a pleasure sharing with you.

November 30, 1945 - Tientsin, China

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 This is one of two letters that I have written to my father Joe by his brother-in-law, Al. Al was a marine stationed in the South Pacific. This letter is written from China. On my mother, Norma's side of the family, her brother George was in the Air Force and stationed during WWII in China and also spent some time in India.

My dad and his step brother Paul as well as brother-in-law always liked to joke and tease. In this letter, Al sends Joe a hundred dollar Chinese bill (worth about 2 cents), so Joe could go and buy a camera. Of course, this was almost an impossibility as most consumer items were in short supply.

I am sure Joe enjoyed the humor, as he kept and preserved the letter and bill for all of these years.

Cherbourg, France, June 13, 1945

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To learn more about V-MAIL click the wikipedia link below:

V-Mail

This is the last letter in the shoe box from Paul to my father Joe. In the next couple of weeks, I will post the two letters written by Al Paskowicz to my father Joe.

I am hoping in the future, that some of my relatives will provide me letters in their possession. Of course, I will share them on this blog.

France, May 25, 1945

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La Haye du Puits, France, May 14, 1945

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Click the link below to read the article on Victory in Europe Day:

Victory in Europe Day

that occurred on May 7-8, 1945.

If you look to the right, click the link 'Where I'm From', I have been posting pictures my father took during the War.

France, May 4, 1945

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These letters were written on onion skin paper and are very fragile. I find it very interesting that both Paul and my dad would send type written letters. For years, the letters that I received from my dad were type written, and he would usually write them all cap. He would never sign them, just his typed name at the end of the letter. After reading these war letters, I wonder if that is where he learned to send letters in this fashion.

France, April 28, 1945

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April 19, 1945

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 To learn more about V-MAIL click the wikipedia link below:

V-Mail

France, March 30, 1945

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March 9, 1945

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To learn more about V-MAIL click the wikipedia link below:

V-Mail

France, February 18, 1945

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 To learn more about V-MAIL click the wikipedia link below:

V-Mail

France, February 6, 1945

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Paris, January 15, 1945

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I really don't know the significance of the news paper clipping found with this letter, as Paul does not make mention of it in the letter. I included it as thought it was interesting to get a very small glimpse of life back during the war.

France, December 14, 1944

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In this letter we learn that Paul is quite a heavy smoker.  I can not imagine the stress that war brings. However, later in life he did pay for being a smoker.

France, December 1, 1944

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To learn more about V-MAIL click the wikipedia link below:

V-Mail

Holland, November 16, 1944

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This letter is very difficult to read because the blue ink has faded over the years. I have typed and provided the text of the letter below:

Holland

16 Nov 44

Dear Joe,

Your air mail letter with the stamps enclosed arrived the other day. Thanks again Joe, they really do arrive at times they’re most needed. I’ve received two supplies since I’ve been here in Holland and haven’t done a heck of a lot of writing, so I have quite a supply.

Yes, I’m still in Holland and I too am wondering when I’ll leave this God forsaken mud hole. Still, I suppose it could be a lot worse so I haven’t reason to bitch too loudly. Yes, Joe, I was also in that affair the papers played up as much as they did, but as long as I’m still up and around, I won’t worry about who the papers said were there. Those were the days when even a cold can of hash would have been relished.

I was surprised, yet pleased to learn that some one pays enough attention to my letters to notice a difference between my first letter from France and the first from Holland. I imagine it was because we all expected the confession. I hope I’ll never have to write you a letter from a third place.

Annie writes quite faithfully. She mentions you quite frequently too.

Did you ever get to see the short movie of the airborne landings here in Holland? We had the opportunity to see it, but I didn’t get to see it. They have movies now and then here, but I haven’t seen one yet. I always seem to have other things to do about the time the movie is playing.

Like most of the boys here, I have a Jerry pistol. It’s a P-38. A .38 cal that replaces the Luger. There only seems to be one Luger in the outfit. Needless to say, I don’t have the rifle I had in England, so I’ll hang on to the pistol. It’s a lot easier to carry than a rifle anyway. There really is a lot less to write of here then you have there, so I’ll be signing off.

I haven’t heard from Bob Nelson or Griffin for ages. Laurence is in California, Meyer is in France.

Thanks again for the stamps, Joe. Write soon.

Paul

November 6, 1944

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To learn more about V-MAIL click the wikipedia link below:

V-Mail

 

Paul mentions the old man's view on birthdays and holidays and he was referring to Paul Senior, his father. Paul also mentions the problem my father had with goodies sent to him from home. They were stolen during the night, as I remember my father relaying that story. I guess Paul solved the problem by eating the whole thing in one setting!

October 20, 1944

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To learn more about V-MAIL click the wikipedia link below:

V-Mail

October 11, 1944

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To learn more about V-MAIL click the wikipedia link below:

V-Mail

October 1, 1944

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To learn more about Operation Market Garden click the wikipedia link below:

Operation Market Garden

To learn more about WWII in Europe 1944 click the link below:

Surrender in Europe 1944

To learn more about V-MAIL click the wikipedia link below:

V-Mail

August 31, 1944

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This V-Mail letter was in the same envelope as the previous posting. I do not have any of the letters that Paul wrote while in the hospital. I assume these letters have been lost. As of this post, I have no information on why Paul was in the hospital. I am reading these letters as I post them, so maybe in a future letter there will be some enlightenment.

I think for this era, it was pretty high tech to send recordings. I imagine this was quite a popular business back 'home'. With resources short, I bet this was quite costly. Here we have a glimpse of how the family back home felt about their men over seas.

To learn more about V-MAIL click the wikipedia link below:

V-Mail