Index of Billy's Letters Home
Index of Billy's Letters Home
NOTE: There are brief annotations by some of the links if the letters contain information that relates to something in the Journal or an important family event. But these are by no means the only reasons to read the letters; I found them all to be interesting snapshots of a young person's life in the '40s. In particular, if you want to know what songs were popular in England or the U.S. at a given time, or what were the best movies showing, the letters will fill you in!
Unfortunately, we do not have the letters that June, Una, any other family members, or any of their friends, wrote to Billy. However, we did find, in summer, 2007, some photos that I believe June and others sent to him while he was in England.
In addition, we can assume that he wrote a lot of letters, based on an often-updated address book that we found with his papers.
* unless otherwise noted, letters are to June
| February 5 | March 28 March 28 (to Una) |
April 22 |
| February 10 | April 2 | May 5 |
| March 19 | April 19 | May 13 |
| March 26 | April 20 | May 20 |
| April 5 from Kelly Field, San Antonio | November 1 (to Una) from Ft. Myers, FL | November 10 from Ft. Myers, FL |
July 22 from Kelly Field, San Antonio |
November 2 from Ft. Myers, FL | November 16 from Ft. Myers, FL |
| August 3 from Kelly Field, San Antonio | November 4 (to Una) from Avon Park, FL | November 29 from Ft. Myers, FL |
| September 18 from Hondo, TX September 18 (to Una) includes descriptions of some training flights; discusses upcoming graduation |
November 6 (to Una) from Ft. Myers, FL | December 4 from Ft. Myers, FL |
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December 25 from Avon Park, FL |
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| January 9 from Avon Park, FL | June 13 from Avon Park, FL | September 1 from England describes another trip to London |
| January 24 from Avon Park, FL | June 20 from West Palm Beach, FL on last leave before heading out |
September 4 from England |
| January 31 from Avon Park, FL describes some flying |
June 22 from Avon Park, FL | September 8 from England joined new crew |
February 10 from Avon Park, FL |
June 25 from Avon Park, FL | September 14 from England |
| February 18 from Avon Park, FL comments on June's wanting to be a WAC |
July 1 from Avon Park, FL on official alert |
September 18 from England |
| March 13 from Avon Park, FL | July 3 from Avon Park, FL | September 22 from England first mention of having flown missions |
| March 23 from Avon Park, FL put on a combat crew |
July 5 from Avon Park, FL knows where he's going but can't say |
October 2 from England |
| April 24 from Tampa, FL | July 8 from Avon Park, FL | October 13 from England |
| April 29 from Avon Park, FL moved to 480th Bombardment Squadron |
July 22 from APO (while stuck in Presque Isle, ME) mentions it will be his last uncensored letter for a while |
October 22 from England "V-mail" |
| April 30 (to Una) from Avon Park, FL | August 4 from England first from the E.T.O. |
October 26 from England |
| May 3 from Avon Park, FL talks about Sonny |
August 9 from England | November 2 from England "V-mail" |
| May 9 from Avon Park, FL talks about training; expects to leave in June |
August 14 from England talks about leave in London, with much description |
November 8 from England |
| May 17 from Avon Park, FL mentions some buddies flew over Houston |
August 17 from England | November 13 from England |
| May 18 from Avon Park, FL | August 22 from England | December 8 from England "V-mail" |
| May 25 from Avon Park, FL talks about flying over Cuba and the Bahamas |
August 27 from England talks about barrack-mates; refers to Junie's baptism |
December 9 from England included a page from a "Yank" magazine; here are images of the enclosure |
| June 8 from Avon Park, FL talks about a trip to Houston |
August 28 from England refers to "jotting down" notes about trip |
December 19 from England |
December 25 from England |
Official Army Christmas card | |
| January 2 from England | April 7 from England "V-mail" |
July 4 from England refers to Chuck and Mac going home |
| January 7 from England | April 8 from England cut-out from censor |
July 5 from England |
| January 12 from England describes visit to London |
April 12 from England talks about tail gunner's wedding to an English girl |
July 12 from England "Bird Dog Special" crew all have gone home |
| January 20 from England | April 20 from England refers to Una's wedding to Joe Nolen |
August 11 from England refers to picture with the "Jolly Roger" and picture in his cockpit, which might be this one |
| January 26 from England | April 26 from England | September 6 from France refers to taking "quite a few more pictures" |
| February 1 from England mentions promotion to 1st Lt. |
May 9 from England | September 11 from France |
| February 8 from England talks about move to 391st, missing friends |
May 15 from England | September 15 from France |
| February 14 from England the shorthand notes on the last page were made by June |
May 27 from England moved again (back to 323rd) |
September 24 from France |
February 17 (to Una) from England |
June 2 from England | September 30 from England on leave |
| February 28 from England | June 10 from England refers to D-Day |
October 3 from England |
| March 10 from England refers to a mission of "Lard's" over Berlin |
June 14 from England | December 4 from Santa Ana, CA long letter describing trip to California |
| March 20 from England | June 24 from England | December 10 from Santa Ana, CA |
| April 6 from England "V-mail" |
June 30 from England | December 21 from hospital in Santa Ana would have been home for Christmas (transferred to Ellington Field) but for chicken pox |
December 30 from hospital in Santa Ana papers messed up due to delay in the hospital means not home for New Year's |
Christmas card | |
| February 19 from San Antonio | March 14-15 from Brady | April 3 from Brady detailed wedding and living plans |
| February 26 from San Antonio | March 21 from Brady | November 20 from Louisville, KY |
| March 12 from Brady, TX (flying school;"not exactly a resort") |
March 29 from Brady | November 24 from Louisville |
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