WW2 Era Letter Written by Serviceman onboard a Train Heading To Detroit.

[Heartfeltzero]

This letter was written by a Bernard Bremerman. He was born on July 6th 1921 in Missouri. He was writing while on a train from Denver to Detroit for training. He wrote it on January 4th 1943. The letter reads:

“ Monday

Dear Folks:

Well I am on my way to Detroit to advance power Turret school. I didn’t have time to wire for anything else. I had a hour to clean up and pack and get to the station, so you can imagine how I had to hurry to make it.

I sure am glad to get to go, I think we go to Briggs factory where they make the turrets. I sure am lucky I didn’t get sent to some concentration camp like Salt Lake or other camp. I don’t know what I will be when I get out. I imagine still a buck private, looks so anyway.

We will live in a hotel and have all expenses paid, I think it last 3 weeks. It will be nice anyway, I hope so.

I’ll wire you my address soon as I get there, you will get the wire before you will get this letter. I am happy I am going back east anyway and feel better when I cross the old Mississippi River at Burlington at 1:30am. We cross the Missouri at Omaha tonight.

I am riding the original Zephyrs train that established the speed record in 1936 from Chicago to Denver.

I was supposed to ship Sunday but I went to town, so they couldn’t find me. The rest of the bunch, 14 went Sunday but this other boy and I are going together- Lower Birth, $11.00 meal allowance. This is really traveling in luxury and I don’t mean maybe.

I don’t know when I will get a furlough but as soon as I get assigned I am going to apply for one.

Your son,
Bernard.

Pardon the writing. “

He would survive the war and would pass away on January 16th 2012.

[Willmore]

Hi JB.

Another interesting letter.

I wonder if power turret school refers to aircraft, or ship gun turrets?

Kind regards,

Will.

[Heartfeltzero]

Hey Will,

From what I’ve seen, I do believe he was referring to Aircraft turrets. He was coming from Lowry Air Base in Denver. And the Briggs Factory that he mentions in Detroit, where he’s going, manufactured gun turrets for aircraft.

Good day,
JB

[Willmore]

Ah, mystery solved, great research JB.

On a side note, my Grandad was RAF ground crew during the war and somewhere I have his note/sketch book which details the function and maintenance of gun turrets.

Kind regards,

Will.