LETTER #47 - 13 NOV 1944

My Little Notes:   Not much to add.  I personally don't remember seeing that feather picture on the wall that he bought for his mother, however, I do remember the coconut head!  As a kid it scared me as it hung on their kitchen wall along with a black cat clock with the eyes and tail moving.  I never liked going in the kitchen!  I could not find an exact photo of it, but it was a man's face with a cigar.  These pics below are runners up!

The type of clock they had in the kitchen with the moving eyes and tail.  These were popular in the 1930s.

LETTER #46 - 10 NOV 1944

My Little Notes:   Hard to believe that he has been in the Army now for over 11 months!  He is right, the paper he used to write the letter was very thin.  Also, sounds like he really enjoyed the package from home and of course the fudge!  I think he is smart for not "playing craps".  I would imagine a female instructor in the Army during this time period would be rough to get the respect. 

Also, sounds like he misses "good old Chicago"!

WWII Army soldiers playing craps.

1944 Guide to the Chicago L system and subway.

Lake Shore Drive ~ Chicago ~ 1944

CHICAGO - CHICAGO THEATER - UNDER MARQUEE - CROWD BUYING AND SELLING WAR BONDS - 1944

Chicago ~ Belmont Harbor -boats-with-skyline-1944

LETTER #45 - 6 NOV 1944 Letter to his brother Tom (my Dad)

My Little Notes:  Such a typical brother to brother letter!  I like the closing of "you better write soon or else!"   He is right, it has been awhile since we saw a letter written to my Dad.  He talks about the mosquito bomber plane, swimming in the ocean for the first time, trumpet and dancing lessons for my Dad who would be a freshman at this time, and taking up boxing in the Army.

WWII boxing gloves

Sergeant Lou Woods was a Camp Grant, IL, Army boxing instructor during World War II.

LETTER #44 - 31 OCT 1944

My Little Notes:  Not much to add.  Seems like he is enjoying Miami and is fascinated with all the tropical fruit growing there!  Sounds nice to have a friend whose family lives there too!

The song is called, “It’s Playtime in Miami” and was written in 1940 by composer Clark Ringwalt to raise  funds for the South Florida Children’s Hospital in Miami, Florida. - See more at: http://toyshopgreetings.com/blog/2011/01/03/playtime-miami-sheet-music-art/#sthash.S7IK4pVj.dpuf

1940s bathing beauties!

Glimpses of Miami in the 1940s...

Miami Beach 1944.  I just love those sunglasses and her outfit!

Soldier in Miami, 1944

LETTER #43 - 24 OCT 1944

                                                                
My Little Notes:  Not much to really add.  He talks about hitchhiking to Miami and that even the officers hitchhike their way around.  He also mentions he received a letter from his Army buddy, Ray Kubick who is still at Truax Field in Madison, Wisconsin but soon will ship to Chanute Field.  He also talks about the trouble getting laundry done down in the South and how expensive like spending $4-5 a month to send them out to get clean!

"War bonds are nest eggs that hatch dreams like this [washing machine] -- WWII advertisement (USA), 1943."

 

 

The closest I could find to a laundry image! 

LETTER #42 - 20 OCT 1944

Boca Raton Army Air Field

My Little Notes:
Well another place for training!   According to a website, The Boca Raton Army Air Field (BRAAF) was the key site during WWII for Airborne Radar research, development, testing & training.  Between 1942 and 1947 over 100,000 troops were stationed at this extremely Top Secret Army Air Force Field in the then small town of Boca Raton, FL.  In 2005 a very interesting book was written about this place called "Small Town, Big Secrets" by Sally J. Ling.  Also, German Uboats were spotted around this area to sink our ships with supplies.  The Germans sank 24 ships in Florida waters during the war, eight of them off Palm Beach County between February and May of 1942.  Here is a link on this information:  the-enemy-presence-german-u-boats.  

Here is also an interesting link on the history on the Air Field:  us-military-in-boca-raton

One more link on the book Small Town, Big Secrets-inside-the-boca-raton-army-air-field-during-world-war by Sally J. Ling.  More photos and history on the website.



Also, Uncle Louie was not kidding when he said he just missed the hurricane!  This was an unnamed one in 1944, but nonetheless left its mark in weather history!

Link to the description of the hurricane, Oct. 18-20, 1944:
Unnamed Hurricane, October 1944