LETTER #58 - 6 JANUARY 1945

Uncle Louie Homebound!

My Little Notes:   

Uncle Louie will be coming home soon for a visit.  He definitely sounds happy about that!  He also is just about done with school.......finally, and then he can start getting hours "working on the line".  Funny about him having 2 girlfriends (maybe a future Mrs. Thomsen?) and little Lorraine Williams getting hitched.  

Sad to hear about a possible suicide on Mr. Asmussen.  He must be a neighbor or friend.  I tried to find anything more on this, but the only possible lead I found was a Carl Asmussen who died in 1944 at the age of about 39 buried at Irving Park Cemetery which is close to where they lived. 

Also, he mentions about my Dad playing the "sweet potato".  I never heard of this, but apparently it is a wind instrument called the ocarina or sweet potato which is like a flute with 4 to 12 holes.  I guess shaped like sweet potato.  Below is a link to a short 30 second ditty of someone playing the sweet potato:

A short ditty of someone playing the sweet potato!

Definition of an Ocarina

A "sweet potato" from the 1940s.

LETTER #57 - 31 DECEMBER 1944 FROM RAY KUBICK

My little notes:
Looks like Uncle Louie's Army buddy, Ray has finally made it down to Boca Raton Army Air Force Base. As you recall, he stayed behind to do extra classes.  Sounds like he is looking forward to a new school, new learning and his "gal-friend" Ada Jean in Miami!

A 1940s bathing beauty ~ maybe Ada Jean looked like this!  

LETTER #55 - 21 DEC 1944, LETTER #56 - 26 DEC 1944 & XMAS CARD TO BROTHER TOM

My Little Notes:  I thought I would wrap up 1944 with the rest of the letters and a Xmas card since they are all connected to the holiday.  The first letter above, he mentions he "chewed the fat" with Al.  As you recall Alvin Lloyd has been with him the last few training bases.  They are not roommates at this point, but still at the same location.  He mentions George Friendler (sp?).  I think he was a neighborhood friend.  Sad that a friend he knew was killed in action in Italy.  Italy was a heavy battlefield at that time.  Wonder how he felt being just barely 19 and hearing a friend killed and he has yet gone overseas...

I like his drawing of his "Pop" and the wool underwear!  And he mentions that they should have received a Xmas card from Ward which they did and I posted it in the last post.  

The next letter is a short note, but talks about Christmas and how this was his second one away from home. He also mentions just 2 weeks left of school! 

Outside envelope of the letter below.

This cute Christmas card contained 7 envelopes that got smaller and smaller that Uncle Louie sent to my Dad.

1944 Christmas Seal on the back of the addressed envelope.

Inside the last little envelope was a 1944 penny!