82) " We really have a swell place now"---March 3, 1945

APO 70-- Lingayen Airfield, Luzon, Philippines


Somewhere in the Philippines

March 3rd, 45
My darling,

I really am sorry about that last letter I sent. Now that I think of it must have been some what sarcastic in spots. We all write things that we don’t exactly mean.

Your talk about not thinking that I am seriously in love with you sort of took me completely by surprise. I really didn’t think that you doubted me that much. Or do you really think that I can’t tell my own mind at this stage in the game? We know each other better than to try to make me believe that you really don’t care.

We really have a swell place now. We are about 200 yards from the ocean and it is really nice. We had a porch started for our tent today. Filipino carpenters are doing the job for us.

We have a tent 16’ X 16’ and the porch will be 16’ X 8’, so you see we will have plenty of room. We plan on having a card table and a little snack kitchen out on the new porch. We get lots of eggs & corn & stuff like that to eat. Not in the Mess Hall!

I have received but two letters from you since my last letter. I really don’t know the dates on them and I left them in my shirt pocket in supply. I am glad you liked Johnny, he is a swell fellow. Guess he has told you plenty about the Squadron and maybe a little about me. I hope he hasn’t scared you too much. Tell him that I said we have a pretty cozy spot now but don’t come back to the 9th if he can help it.

Maybe someday I will be lucky enough to come home. I don’t’ see much chance in the near future but you never can tell.

Well enough for now except to tell you that I am yours and will come home to you if you want me ???

Sweet dreams,
Jack

My best to Anne & your Mom

Bamboo huts the 9FS lived in. Located right on the beach.

(photo from www.flyingknights.net  submitted by  R. Hawes, 9FS fighter pilot)

81) "Some of this stuff we have to take over here teaches us a lot about life & people."---Early March, 1945

APO 70-- Lingayen Airfield, Luzon, Philippines

This letter is not dated but the postmark indicates that it is the next letter in the sequence. The return address is APO 70 (Luzon), so it is written after the 9th squadron arrived at Lingayen Airfield, Luzon, Philippines.

Dearest,

I know what you mean about the dream and you aren’t connected with it, you ARE that dream. I have made up my mind and don’t intend to change it. I naturally can’t do anything about it way over here. So you see we will have to wait. Whether or not we like it. I don’t see how you could see it any other way.

As far as that being a serious matter, I fully realize that & appreciate the fact that you realize it. We are young but we’re not getting any younger. All that I’ve gone through over here may have changed me but I’m sure I’ll be a lot better when I get back. Some of this stuff we have to take over here teaches us a lot about life & people.

I don’t think I could be anything but sincere in what I tell you. No good giving a girl a line when I’m over here. What good would it do me?

I really don’t see how you can get ideas like that as many years as you have known me. Really now don’t let going to college & being a sorority girl change your simple, sweet, honest way of thinking. Please darling it means so very much to know that you are waiting back there. Not anyone OR some particular “dream” girl. But you, just you! See how bad it is?

We are very comfortable here and will probably get a chance to write more often.

Say hello! To Anne & your Mom for me.

Sweet dreams till next time
I love you with all my heart.

Jack

NOTES :

• The early part of March found the squadron in the process of getting settled in their new camp area at Lingayen, Luzon. For the first time in the Philippine battle of camps, the Ninth got a decent break insofar as they moved into an area already partially built up by the 44th Fighter Squadron, 18th Fighter Group of the 13th Air Force. The whole move was an unusual one in that we left all our heavy equipment, vehicles, tents, cots, etc., at Mindoro and effected a trade with the squadron into whose area we moved, this being the first time in our history that such a complete exchange of campsites had occurred.--From the 9th FS Unit History (Ken Clark)
• The camp area we moved into is situated about one-quarter of a mile from the west end of Lingayen Strip and extends from the beach to about 600 yards inland, bordered by a road leading to the town of Lingayen. The beach itself is a wide, clean, sandy area, and extends into the Gulf in a gradual slope, which makes it a wonderful bathing resort and is being utilized for that purpose. The 9th Officers' Quarters, two rows of Nipa shacks, are built about fifty feet from the water's edge and the cool sea breeze constantly keeps the quarters comfortable. The gray-white sand of the beach, interspersed with sparse grass, extends throughout the entire camp area and the Filipino-built Nipa huts on that background of sand and an occasional palm tree gives the camp a definite South Pacific "Paradise Island" atmosphere.--From the 9th FS Unit History(Ken Clark)
• Operationally the squadron got right down to work, under the control of 308th Bomb Wing through Group, and for the first five days we flew cover for convoys, C-47's on dropping missions, minesweepers, and started on a phase of close ground support missions under the direction of various ground controllers. Using instantaneous bombs, our planes dive-bombed Kato and Koshun Airdromes and the Hosan Rail Yards all on Formosa. Also Jap held areas at Cabuyo, Dupax and San Fernando on Luzon.--From the 9th FS Unit History (Ken Clark)
• The ground fighting in the Luzon area has been slow, painful work for the infantry, digging the Japs out cave by cave in the Yamshita Line east of Manila and constantly patrolling the Baguio area, still a Japanese strong point. Consequently the work of our planes against inaccessible Japanese positions had been highly appreciated and the use of instantaneous demolition bombs, and the new napalm bombs under the close direction from ground controllers has proved to be very successful.--From the 9th FS Unit History (Ken Clark)
• Napalm is any of a number of flammable liquids used in warfare, often jellied gasoline. Napalm is actually the thickener in such liquids, which when mixed with gasoline makes a sticky incendiary gel. Developed by the U.S. in World War II by a team of  Harvard chemists led by Louis Fieser, its name is a combination  of its original ingredients, coprecipitated aluminum salts of naphthenic and palmitic acids. These were added to the flammable substance to cause it to gel. (Wikipedia)