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November 1944

OFFICERS' CLUB GREAT BEND ARMY AIR FIELD GREAT BEND, KANSAS Thursday Nov 2nd Hello Folks, How is everyone today? Things are fine here in Great Bend. I'm flying this afternoon and tonight. Have just been looking over the paper & the news. Went to a show in town last nite. Has sister been doing any more dreaming lately?(HA) I'll tell you. We'll need a good name for our plane when we get one. See if you can think up something suitable and we'll consider it. (HA) We want something that everyone on the crew will be satisfied with so make it good. I just cut a clipping out of the paper I'll send you. That's a B-24 crew standing in front of one of the wings & a Superfort. The election is drawing close isn't it! Kansas is usually a Republican state - I think it's about half & half up here this time. I have a couple rolls of film now. If I ever get a chance I'll get a picture of our whole crew. I told you we had a new Bombardier, Navigator, and Flight Engineer didn't I? We'll fly together for the first time today. I guess I better go show as I have to go out a little early to see the administration officer about something. So long for today. Love to all, Austin

OFFICERS' CLUB GREAT BEND ARMY AIR FIELD GREAT BEND, KANSAS Friday Nite Nov 3, 1944 Hello Mother & all, What's the good news from home? We're doing O.K., around here. Sure no turning cold though. Looks like it might snow any time now. I bought me a new jacket & some other clothing & equipment today. Around $32. Think I have everything else need now to last me for quite a while. Maybe I'll get a new pair of trousers soon. I also got a Rain Coat. I'm flying in the morning. Our schedule has been set back 30 min now due to the shorter days. We get up at 4:30 now & just fly until 1 o'clock at night instead of 2. I also get a day off this Sunday. Intend to go to church for a change. Meet Bob Kuhns, the fellow I'm with most all the time up here. He's from Milwaukee, Wis. We took them in town last nite - Bob could use some sleep. I'm waiting for him to come over to the club now. We are eating a steak tonite. Has John Winn been doing anything new lately? Our RADAR man went to the hospital yesterday with appendicitis. Two boys on Bob's crew have mumps. I hope I don't get them. Got your letter today. I may call you some nite so maybe you can both listen & talk even though sister is at her house if she happens to listen in to see who's calling you (HA) Ph no is {3122 isn't it? 3128} Well & better say Bye Bye for tonite. Love to All, Austin P.S. So you did see a B-29 eh! I may get to come home before 45. A note enclosed if you wish to send it to the LAUDERDALE Co. PAPER.

OFFICERS' CLUB GREAT BEND ARMY AIR FIELD GREAT BEND, KANSAS Tuesday Nov. 7,1944 Dear Folks, Have missed a day or two writing to you. Have been rather busy. Not so much flying though. Here lately I'm only flying one or 2 days a week. We always have something else to do though. I took link training this morning. Had my instrument check in that & passed O.K. We had a U.S.O. Show here at the club last nite. It was pretty good. Then we got up at 4:30 this morning which wasn't so good (HA)! That sure was a big sale & Cotton John made the other day. Tell Frank Ware & the other "hands" hello for me when you see any of them again. Am glad they made such good crops. Today is election day. Guess you'll be listening to election returns tonight. Sure hope the donkeys win! What is John Winn up to now? I guess he has grown quite a bit since I've seev him. The weather up here is pretty pleasant right now. I expect it to be really cold though later this winter. Picked up a couple pots of gum at the PX a bit ago. Will send one along in the letter. Good gum is pretty scarce here too but if you're lucky you can get some once in a while. What plans has John made for next years crops? Is he going to plant the same amount of cotton & keep most of the same families? I guess the colored church is about finished by now. Chery is gonna be scarce of white people isn't it? Well I hope everything's going swell around home. Sure would like to see you all. Love & Best Wishes, Austin

U.S.ARMY AIR FORCES Friday Nov. 10, 1944 Dear Mother & Sister, How is everyone today? We had a big frost last nite & it was pretty cold when I first got up this morning. I got me an extra quilt for my bed just now. I have been in synthetic trainers today. I went to Link Training first. I was scheduled to fly a Celestial Navigation Trainer from 1 to 5 p.m. but that was canceled and I'm off for the rest of the day. Tomorrow Armistice Day. We are having a big Parade & Ceremonies on the field here. The public is invited out. Besides a Parade several War heroes will be given decorations & speeches by both Military & civilian speakers. Also a Formation B-17s Will fly over in Blank File Formation as Taps is sounded in honor of the ones lost in Battle. It will be a formation with a blank space for one plane left out. I got a letter from Jack yesterday. Also wrote to him. This morning I saw Army Air Force pictures of the War the World Over. Pictures of Saipan and all those islands & also France & Germany. Pictures of planes fighting in the skies & also Robot bombs & fighters planes shooting them down. We see these kind of films every week. Here's a form we have to fill out before each flight in the B-29s. It tells how much sleep we've had etc. Also those are the names of the members of our crew. I mailed the watch back to you today. Also a few little magazines I thought you might have time to look over. You said you weren't taking a daily paper now didn't you? How's grandpa doing now? Tell all hello and Solong for today. Love, Austin

OFFICERS' CLUB GREAT BEND ARMY AIR FIELD GREAT BEND, KANSAS Monday Nov. 13, 1944 Dear Sister & Family, How's everyone? I got your little last nite. Hope it has stopped raining. The V-mail letter you sent along was from Robert Wise a boy I knew down at Miami Beach. He is on New Guinea flying C-47s in Troop Carrier Command. His home is in Johnson City, Tenn. Yesterday I got a Christmas present. This girl probably thought I was leaving right away. A nice box of personalized stationery. I'll write you a letter on it soon! Also a set of shaving lotion & cologne - Sportsman's (good stuff) Yesterday I went to church in town & was invited out to dinner. Had a nice chicken & roast beef dinner. I got the Laud Co. Paper today and have been reading it all over. How is Mother getting along now? Had she been in bed? I'll try calling tonight. Tell All hello & love, Austin

Lt. Austin H. Winn 0774857 93rd Bomb Sqd AAF Great Bend, Kansas Hello Mother, Just a line or two to say Hi. How is your flu treating you? Hope you're up again by now. I wrote sister a letter a while ago. Forgot to thank you for the name suggestions you sent along. We'll have to let the crew take a vote on it some day. How are the neighbors all getting along? Hope they have heard from Waits, Billy, & Jack latly. It isn't so cold here yet. Guess everyone is busy gathering the crops. Tell all hello. Love, Austin

Austin H. Winn Lieutenant, Air Corps Army of the United States Nov. 15, 1944 Wednesday nite Dear Mother & Sister Greetings from the North Wind (HA) Boy it's sure turned cold up here this week. I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't snow soon. I got 2 letter from Mother tonight. Also on from Estelle Sides & she says she plans to get married Christmas or maybe wait until her Birthday. I guess you'd already heard though through Miss Josie Belle!! This is the new stationery I wrote about. Its' too thin I think, I don't like it as well as regular mail paper. But it's nice paper. We heard today we were all getting leaves before going overseas so see try to arrange it to be home at that special time I the year. Another bit of news is, you remember me writing about grandpa liking the cigars? Well I may go there about the 1st. I'll try to let you know more definite about the time of my leave when I find out. It won't be before that time but may be after. Am glad the folks had from Bill Jack & Waits. I enjoyed talking to all of you the other nite so much. It sure was a good connection. Has John W. gotten over his shots yet? I'm flying early in the morning so best hit the sack early tonight. Love to All, Bye Bye Austin P.S., Had a big steak & French fried potatoes for supper. P.S.S. Yes I heard about Auntie's death & thought I'd already written about it before - Guess she is happier in her new home.

OFFICERS' CLUB GREAT BEND ARMY AIR FIELD GREAT BEND, KANSAS Friday Morning 17th Hello Folks, Just ate breakfast & have time for a few lines. All's well up here. We went on a high altitude flight yesterday for 7 hours. I expect to go again this afternoon. How is everyone around Cherry? I sure don't get to write as often as I used to. It's not as cold today as it has been but it's real cloudy and could still snow. Did you ever receive a bond for this month? I think it was dated Oct 31st though. I just wanted to be sure it didn't get lost in the mail or someway. Hope mother's throat is better by now. I've got to finish packing a footlocker now & turn it in today. Love to All, Austin

OFFICERS' CLUB GREAT BEND ARMY AIR FIELD GREAT BEND, KANSAS Sunday Nov. 19 Dear Mother & Sis, How is everyone today? I was glad to get your letter this morning. And thanks for the pecans too. I got them a couple days ago. John has a lot of cover crops this year. Sure hope he gets the crops out before too much bad weather. Where is Mary Charlotte now, at home? Sorry to hear about her husband's being hurt. I bet your flowers are sure pretty. The Chrysanthemums are $1 each up here. I went our to a florist last Sunday with a girl to get some flowers for a sick person in the hospital here. Tell Otho hello when you see him. Estelle Sides wrote that he & Neal were planning on joining the Merchant Marine if Neal didn't get in the Army. Neal is 1-A now. Oh I still hear from Addie., Dottie, & Evalyn. I just got a box of cookies, candy & 2 rolls of Kodak film from Dottie yesterday. Well everything looks swell around here today. Is kinda cloudy but don't guess it'll rain. It did rain last nite. Is some warmer now too. How's grandpa & John Winn? Hope John will get some ducks for Thanksgiving Day. There are lots of ducks around here. Solong now Love to all, Austin

OFFICERS' CLUB GREAT BEND ARMY AIR FIELD GREAT BEND, KANSAS Monday 20th Nov. Dear Mother and All, How's that cold weather now? It's lots warmer here now. I'm not even wearing a coat this afternoon. I got a little letter from sister today. I'm lying in bed (just resting HAHA). So hope you can read this. I've written several letters today. Here's a little note that you can send in to the paper. I left out the name of the base purposly. I'll be OK to send this. Also here a little picture you can look over HA. We weren't expecting him to snap the camera. You put it up somewhere. Is there any room in my album for more pictures? Tell all hello. Happy Thanksgiving Love, Austin

OFFICERS' CLUB GREAT BEND ARMY AIR FIELD GREAT BEND, KANSAS Wednesday Nov. 22 Dear Mother and Sister, Well Thanksgiving has slipped right up on us again. I got your letter today & the clipping of Grace Turner. I've been flying a navigation trainer today. The Navigator & I took a 4 hour flight over in Russia (HA). We did o.k. I'm all dressed to go to Larned tonight. Our Squadron is having a party over there. A big dinner too. Don't know if we're having chicken or turkey. Cost $4 a plate. Tomorrow our crew is getting its pictures made by a B-29 but I don't think the picture will be released for a while yet on account of security reasons. I may take a picture of our crew with my camera tho but won't get A 29 with them. Here are a few little circulars etc that you might have time to read. Also a letter I got from a girl up at Lincoln, written by Withee. I hadn't ever heard from him since he shipped out. So I wrote this girl that he wrote to and gave her his address. So she sent part of his letter Also. I wrote A.V. Winn last nite also. He must be already overseas by now. I'll write Withee tomorrow is possible. How's every one around the place? Is Frank Ware any better of the pneumonia? Hope your throat is well. Tell Otho hello when you see him again. Is the kitchen any warmer with the new lining? I guess I better say Bye about now. How's the Sides family. Heard from Jack lately? Do they know where he is now? Love to All, Austin P.S. Did you get the bond dated Oct. 31st? Answer

OFFICERS' CLUB GREAT BEND ARMY AIR FIELD GREAT BEND, KANSAS Friday 24 Dear Mother & all, Now is every one Today - It's raining here now. I've been woeking on the line today on airplane engines. We had a great feast Thanksgiving. Wednesday Nite & went to the 93rd Sgt. Party. We had chicken & all trimmings. Then Thurs Morning I went to the enlisted Mens Mess I had Turkey at 12 noon. Then at 7PM we had another Turkey Dinner in the Officers Club so I really got plenty to eat. We took some pictures of our crew yesterday with my camera. I hope they turn out O.K. I'll send them when I get them developed. Tomorrow I'm going on a Cross Country flight in a B-29 which will take about 16 hours. We will be flying that long without landing. Will burn about 800 gallons of gasoline. So I need to get plenty of sleep tonite. I'm going to bed in a few minutes. It's 4:30 PM now (get up at 4:30 AM). You may not hear from me for a few days now 'cause I'll be pretty busy even after I come back from this mission for about a week. I got the letter about you receiving the Bond so disregard my last letter. Hope everything is swell around home. Did you get turkey or duck for Thanksgiving? If I don't write for about 3 days you'll know where I am. I'll try to write you from there though. Love to all, Austin

OFFICERS' CLUB GREAT BEND ARMY AIR FIELD GREAT BEND, KANSAS Tuesday 28th Dear Folks, How is everyone today? Am O.K. here except for a little cold weather we're having. I didn't go on the trip I wrote about as our Navigator's father died and he got an emergency leave. So maby next week. I think I'll get home between Christmas and New Year's. Some crews are leaving before Christmas but have to be back here by the 27th. So I think this will be just as good a time as having to leave on Xmas day to come back. I'm going to P.I. in a little while so must make this short as usual (HA). I sure am sleepy - I made a flight down to Austin, Tex. the other nite & lost a lot of sleep then I had to be up early today for morning briefing. Received your letters yesterday which I enjoyed. Tell all hello. How's John Winn? Bye now Love Austin P.S. Estelle wrote she & her boyfriend weren't getting married.

OFFICERS' CLUB GREAT BEND ARMY AIR FIELD GREAT BEND, KANSAS Nov. 30 Dear Mother & all, Just a note - Its time for chow. I just wrote Jack a letter as I got a nice one from him today & also a picture. I flew over to Liberal Kansas last nite to pick up a Superfort that was forced down a few days ago. We took off but had engine trouble & had feather one engine & land again there so I stayed all nite there. Came back today in a B-17 as they weren't through working on the 29. Its really cold here. Down to 70 last nite. Tell all Hello. I got your letters today. Hows Otho? Solong Now Love Austin