January 9, 1944
Dear Folks, This is the day that I should have started on another 71. I had one all signed and sealed for the 9th, 10th and 11th, but all 71’s were cancelled, as we are leaving for Boca Chica sooner than we expected. Tomorrow the 10th we are slated to take off. By the time you receive this, I’ll already be in Florida. It shouldn’t take us but 4-6 hours to get there by plane. Not everyone is traveling by plane, just the crews. The trip should be good experience for me as I’ll have a lot of radio work to do. Right now it’s snowing and I hope it clears up by the morning so we can take off. It’s going to be a pleasure to operate in good flying weather again. Down here in Carolina we’ve had nothing but rain and snow since the cold started. We’ll be in Florida about two weeks, and do nothing but fly and fly. I haven’t heard anything about a change in address, since we’l be gone such a short time. Continue writing to my present address, until I notify you of any change. While I’m in Florida, I may get a chance to go to Havana Cuba, an it’s not very far from where we’ll be. I have all my summer clothes packed in a nice suitcase I was issued. It’s a good thing I had all my khaki trousers, hats and shirts laundered. Now, I can’t get caught with “my pants down”, and have to do them myself. I’ll close now hoping that you’re all in the best of health. Give my regards to everyone. Love, Ed P.S. Did Olga receive the gloves I sent her?
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If you were wondering if Eddie ever got his watch, here is your answer! Enjoy reading, and take a look at the WWII photos page this week, where I've posted some photos of Edmund with his buddy Teddy Wiesenthal. Click on "comments" above to add your thoughts and/or memories! Dear Mom,
I hope you’re well, also the girls. Friday, I received the wrist watch, and it’s a honey. It’s just what I wanted. I was afraid that it had been lost, and I was greatly relieved when it arrived. I want to thank you, Rose, and Ida for that beautiful timepiece. To-day Roses letter of the 29th came, and I see you were also worried about the watch. I couldn’t write the day it came, because I went out to celebrate New Year’s Eve. I went to Wilmington, N.C. with Ted Wiesenthal, and we had a nice time. It was an occasion for a double celebration because that day we found out that we had been promoted. Yes, I am now a Sgt, and it gives me great pleasure to write and tell you of it. That means 12 more rocks per month, and with flight pay, it makes pretty good “kush“. Nothing new to report at this time, to I’ll close. Give my regards to the family. Love, Ed P.S. The past two days I’ve had a yearning for some salami. Do you have a few extra ration points? P.S. #2 Thanks again for the watch. It must have been hard to be away from your family at the holidays. Clearly Edmund was grateful for the letters he received and the delicious cookies "as only Theresa can make". A special note to Antonetta in Italian is included on the last page. I have been keeping George very busy with Italian documents to translate, and as soon as it's ready, I'll post! Thanks again, George! Click on "comments" above to add your thoughts and/or memories! 12/30/1943
Dear Mom and Rose, Today I received your New Year cards, and Rose’s letter of Christmas day which were all welcome. As I have no cards, I’ll take this opportunity, to express my best wishes for a New-Year that will find us all happily reunited. Two days ago I received a Xmas package from Theresa, which was very nice indeed. I guess you know what it contained, cigarettes, candy, gum, mints, fruit cake, and delicious cookies, as only Theresa can make. They were real tasty. (F——), I haven’t received the wrist watch yet. It evidently has met with a delay somewhere alone the line, but I guess it will arrive all-right. I’ll wait a few more days, and if it doesn’t show up, I’ll let you know, and you can have the post-office send a tracer through. (was it insured?) I hope that it comes, so you won’t have to go to any trouble. Did I tell you that I received a letter from Hugo? It was dated Dec. 5, and it got here in less than 20 days. I enjoyed his letter very much. He sure writes in an interesting manner. Everything seems to be all right with him, and he enjoyed your Xmas packages very much. Along the middle of Jan we may leave this place for about two weeks, to do a little training down in Florida. I imagine the reason for it, is because conditions there are so much more favorable for flying. It hasn’t been made official yet, but from all indications it is a pretty safe bet. I’ll let you know more about it, when we get the direct dope. Everything with me is swell, and I’m feeling great. The officers of the squadron are holding a New Year dance for the enlisted men. They’re arranging to have women marines come over from Hadnot Point, and have gotten a good band to furnish the music. I’ll say good bye for now folks, and please relay my wishes to the family, for a happy and healthy New Year. Love, Ed Here is the second letter out of eleven total that I have from Edmund. I will continue to post them chronologically. We can get to know him through his letters home, and also find out tidbits about other family members in the process! Please find the transcription below. Click on "comments" above to add your thoughts and/or memories! AUGUST 1943
Hello Mom, How is everyone and everything at the old homestead? I sure wish I could be there right now. It’s six o’clock, and I can see that big beautiful bowl of spaghetti, sitting up there on the table. What I couldn’t do to (gain) a couple pounds, even Uncle “dutch” would have to take a back seat. Speaking of the old coot, I’m sorry I couldn’t have been there on his visit. I always got a kick out of his crazy antics. If any of the family write to him anytime, relay my regards. Rose, your last letter to Yellow Water caught up with me, and I enjoyed it, very much. I thought I had thanked you for that delicioso candy, but evidently I didn’t. Thanks very much, and please excuse me for forgetting to do it sooner. I wrote to Mindo and Hugo right before leaving gunnery school. I hope my letter to Min didn’t get lost in that tie-up you mentioned. I’ll write to him again, just in case it did. I don’t think I told you that I received a nice long letter from brother H. He certainly picks up things fast, judging from the typing he does. My goodness, people go to school for a coupe yrs before they type like that, and he picked it up in a few weeks. I guess there isn’t anything he can’t make good at. He told me that he was going to transfer, as the office job was just temporary. What’s he doing now, Rose? Ma-maaa!!! I have another one of them sad stories to tell. With my transfer, as usual, there came no pay: and the next pay day is Sept 5th. Right now I’m flat as the stove lid, and I’m forced once again to send out an S.O.S. If you can find in your heart, (and pocketbook) to advance this leech $25, I would appreciate it very much. I hate like hell to keep asking for money. As I know it doesn’t grow on trees, and anyone gets tired after so many times of lending it out. I’m sorry to be such a pest, Mom. Well, I guess that’s all I have to say for now; except everything with me is all right. We’re not doing much as our pilots haven’t come in yet. I’ll have a lot to tell you when I start flying next week. Keep the old spirit up at the home front, Mom. I’ll be seeing you soon. Give my regards to Ida, Olga, Theresa, and all the boys. So long for now, and love, Ed Though Edmund was lost at war, his charming personality is revealed through this letter to his mother and sister Rose. Click on "comments" above to add your thoughts and/or memories! Pvt. Edmund S. Santomasso
U.S. Marine Air Corps June 18, 1943 Hi ya mates, How is everything at the old homestead, and how are my two favorite gals? Mom, please excuse me for not writing sooner, and thanking you for the delicious salami and provoloni. I don’t have to tell you, how much it was enjoyed, not only by me, but all the lads in the section too. Thanks Mom, you’re a peach. I also want to thank you, for the carton of cigarettes. I don’t know what I’d do without you, every time I run out of smokes, a package from you arrives. Rose, I received two of your letters, one today which I enjoyed very much. I got the two bucks all-right, and I did just what you suggested, I bought some beers. I drank them for you. Last week I was out to Jacksonville Beach, and spent the day lolling in the beautiful sun, and diving into the big rollers. You should see the great big rollers that come in down here. We get about 100 yards out, and when one comes, it carries you way the hell up to the shore. My buddies and I are planning to go again tomorrow. All week we’ve been getting tests and more tests which is why I was unable to write sooner. Tomorrow is the last day of Radio School and you never saw a happier bunch of guys than we are. Graduation exercises won’t be rec’d. until July 3rd. Until then we’ll be occupied by attending Radar classes. Radar includes the advanced phases of radio, and the use of the “confidential” equipments. Later on, if we ever get to use the stuff, we get $5.00 extra as Radarmen. It’s too bad, Hugo isn’t getting home as expected, but keep your chin up, what’s a few more weeks. Let me know more about that Radio school he’s going to. The army comes out pretty good concerning rates, in their schools. Say, thanks for pictures of the Engineer you sent me. He looks swell, and fit as a fiddle. Speaking of pictures, I had some taken at a studio in town. I saw the proofs, and as usual——. Well, anyway they’ll be ready the 28th of this month. I guess that’s all for now folks; give my regards to the family, and “keep a’swinging”. Love, Ed |
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