WW2 Era Letter Written by B-17/B-24 Heavy Bomber Crewmen to a Friend.

[Heartfeltzero]

This letter was written by a John A. Bezpalec. He was born on April 13th 1922 in North Dakota. During the war, he served in the Army Air Corps as a Bombardier/Navigator in both B-17 and B-24 Heavy Bombers within the 777th Bomb Squadron, 464th Bomb Group. The letter reads:

“ Somewhere in Italy
Monday A.M.
April 10th 1944

Dearest Betty,

I just got your last letter, it’s a rainy morning and we don’t have to work so I’m going to try to give you an answer to your swell letter.

I suppose you’re sweating out Harry’s furlough, I was supposed to get one before we left the states, but as usual I got the short end of the stick. But maybe things will all even up in the end, I hope. I guess that long spell without any mail from me has my darling wife just about worried crazy. I’ve been getting mail dated from the last of Feb. to about the middle of March, I sure will be one happy lad when my mail gets caught up.

I guess those japs will have to wait till the Germans get polished off, darn it anyway. As for the weather, it’s cold in the morning, hot at noon and cool again in the evening. These tents aren’t any too warm either, there aren’t going to be any stoves till next winter, that is, if we’re here that long. You’d really like this camp, it’s on a hillside, and you sure do get exercise running up and down here all day long. You’d be able to keep your girlish figure with the greatest of ease! I went into town yesterday and now I’m glad to be back in camp, these people have no idea of sanitation, the streets are littered with trash and filth and the whole place smells like a pig sty. You remember how the air fields used to stink, or do you recall those moonlight drives with the planes buring all over?, well the towns are about a thousand times worse!

I haven’t heard from Merlin for 6 or 7 months now, I guess he’s still married and a 4-F too. I guess some girls have all the luck. No?

I’ve got a good deal on the income tax, I don’t have to pay it till after the war is over, if then! That $300-bonus that all the service men will get is going to help Colleen and I go on a long honeymoon, we’ve been married for over a year and a half now and haven’t gone off by ourselves yet, seems that I’m a rather slow worker, doesn’t it? That Valentine doesn’t seem to have made me cry, but of course I haven’t seen it! I bet this time it’s really love with the both of you, you’re the second swellest girl in this world, of course the ever-loving wife comes first with me, but next to her you’re tops. That Harry of yours is really one lucky guy, but of course he already knows that.

I’d better close, there seem to be two or three other letters that need to be answered. Write soon, I’m on the lookout for a few jokes to send you, but no luck so far.

Love and kisses,
Johnny.

PS - notice the new APO number, please? “

John would survive the remainder of the war and after participating in many bombing missions, he would return home. John would pass away on December 18th 2004 in Cincinnati, Ohio, aged 82.