This week Edmund is traveling in style in a Pullman car, taking the "Sunset Route" all the way to El, Centro CA. Learn more about his trip below! Click on "comments" above to add your thoughts and/or memories! Feb 22, 1944
Dear Mom, I hope you are feeling well and that everything is okay. I’ve done some traveling since my last letter. We left New River on the 15th, and 6 days later, which was last nite, we arrived here at El Centro, Cal. The trip was very pleasant, and to the fact that we had pullman cars all the way. We came by the southern route, which is known as the “Sunset Route”. The states we went through are South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. From Yuma Arizona, to here, we traveled through Old Mexico. The part we went through, was mostly desert, but we did pass through a couple of pretty fair size towns, as we approached the border. I haven’t had much of a look at this place yet, but from what I have seen, it’s pretty nice. I’ll write more about it, as soon as I get settled. I’ll be here for a while yet, but I don’t know just how long: two or three months perhaps. I have a lot of unpacking and routine to get out of the way, so I’ll close now, but will write again soon. Regards to all. Love, Ed P.S. My address Sgt — -- V.M.B. - 443 M.B.D.A. g-43 U.S.M.C.A.S. El Centro, Cal
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Looks like Edmund is working hard, staying up late, and still there is more to do. He has barely even had time to eat, only grabbing things "on the fly" (Pun intended? Probably!) Antonetta and Rose provide the remedy, as they always do! Click on "comments" above to add your thoughts and/or memories! Feb, 13, 1944
Dear Mom and Rose, Lately I have been kept very busy, which is why I haven’t written sooner. The last week especially, has given me very little, if any, time to myself. We have been making preparations to move, crating and loading supplies. The interference of rain forced us to slow up and threw us behind schedule, so we had to work day and night to catch up. Yesterday, after working all day, I had to resume after evening chow, and continued until 2:00 AM. I slept this morning, and worked the afternoon. We caught up pretty good otherwise I’d be on the job to-nite, again. I just finished washing a pile of clothes, and I’m glad it’s done. Whew! I don’t know where you gals get the patience to wash and wash. Yesterday, the package of salami, preserves, candy and cigarettes arrived and it was more than welcome. I needed some smokes, but didn’t get a chance to buy any, so they came as a life saver. Also, as we have been eating “on the fly”, sandwiches of salami and preserves sure solved the chow problem for my buddies and me. Thank you, Mom and sister Rose, for a very thoughtful and delightful package. We’ll be leaving in a few days, when I can’t say, so continue addressing me here until I notify you of the change. Hoping you are all in the best of health. I’ll say “so long” until next time. Regards to brothers and sisters. Loving son, Ed Ever hear of a flight referred to as a "hop"? I certainly haven't, until this letter. Seems like Edmund is very busy with flight training. He must have visited the family recently as he mentions how good it was to see them in his sweet sign off. Enjoy! Click on "comments" above to add your thoughts and/or memories! Jan 30, 1944
Dear Mom and Rose, I arrived back at the station yesterday at 4:00 am. Connections were very good and there wasn’t the excessively heavy crowd there usually is, on the travel. Ted and I both slept most of the way, which made the trip seem very short. We were awake long enough to eat our sandwiches. Besides the ones I brought, Ted had some chicken sandwiches, and for once, our big bellies had enough. I took yesterday morning off to unpack, and get my gear stowed away (or, at least, that’s what I said) I hit the sack after I unpacked. Remember I told you that I hadn’t received those letters when I got back from Boca Chica? Well, I made the mail clerk go hunting, and sure enough he found a packet of letters, containing 14. From the family, there were two from Rose, one each from Tony, Ida, and Olga, and also one from brother Hugo dated Jan 9th. The rest of the letters were from friends home, that collected while I was in Florida. Hugo wrote that he is well, and has been hearing from you folks. I’m going to write to him to-day. Yesterday afternoon, I went back to work, and was greeted with a four hour hop, all aerial gunnery. Before we leave, I’m supposed to fly with my pilot on a navigation hop to New York. It was scheduled but then cancelled, luckily for me, on the day after I stated on my 71. That gives me the break if not missing it, if it is scheduled again. We expect to be leaving here very soon, but you’ll hear from me between now and then. I’ll close now with regards to the family, and hoping you all remain as well as when I found you on my visit. It was swell being home again. I feel a lot better when I know that everything at home is okay, and I was very happy to find you all looking so nice. Until next time then. Love, Ed Edmund has landed safely in Boca Chica. Thankfully, he finds a package waiting there full of what seem to be his favorite things; salami, provoloni, and cigarettes. Enjoy! Click on "comments" above to add your thoughts and/or memories! Jan 15, 1944
Dear Mom, I arrived here four days ago and would have written sooner, but we have been very busy since the day we came. I left New River on the 10th by plane about noon time. We landed at Charleston South Carolina a few hours later and stayed there overnight. Charleston is an Army airfield, so we ate Army chow and slept in soldiers barracks. We took off the next day and flew straight here to Boca Chica in about 4 hours time. We passed over Miami and Fort Lauderdale, where I was stationed a few months ago. Now I’m a couple of hundred miles further south. This is an island right off the tip of Florida. From the air the islands in this sector make a very nice picture. The weather here is ideal for anything, especially flying. It’s just like spring up there except that the sun is hotter. Before the sun comes up, and at nite, it’s rather cool. The nearest city is Key West, also an island, about 8 miles away. It’s a rather quaint city with it’s part Cuban population. One of our planes carried the mail the day we left, and your package to New River flew down here. I made delicious sandwiches with the salami and provoloni. The pickled stuff went swell with the sandwiches. Thank you very much for the enjoyment of those good old Italian foods and also the cigarettes. As I’ll only be here a short time, continue addressing to Camp LeJeune. Hoping you are in the best of health. I’ll close until next time, which I’ll try to make soon. Regards to the family. Loving son, Ed |
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