Bill receives a furlough and arrives home on or near Mothers Day. About two weeks later Bill returns by bus to Camp Van Dorn. As he gets off the bus he stumbles and severely sprains his ankle. He spends several days in the base infirmary.
The oldest of the “kids” is Robert “Dick.” As his younger brother Victor recalls “Dick, was a wild and rebellious teenager. He was too fond of driving wildly – in cars that were borrowed, so to speak. Not, apparently, for any financial gain, mostly just for the hell of it. He twice went to reform school.” After the family moves to the Quinn farm, Dick takes an interest in farming.
On the US Front:
- More than 480,000 American coal miners walk off of the job when the United Mine Workers’ contract with the nation’s mining companies expires.
- The U.S. Public Roads Administration reports that only a few states are observing the 35 mile per hour speed limit that has been imposed nationally, with vehicles traveling as fast as 45 mph in Minnesota.
- At an airbase at Carlsbad, New Mexico, Dr. Louis Fieser, the chemist who had developed napalm, conducts the first test of the experimental “bat bomb”, with a timed 0.6 ounce explosive attached to a Mexican free-tailed bat. After a demonstration with dummy bombs shows that the bats would, as planned, seek shelter in buildings, Dr. Feiser attaches live explosives to six dormant bats for a demonstration in front of cameras. The bats wake up before detonation, and fly towards the wooden control tower, barracks, and other buildings and set a fire that destroys much of the base.
- The Memphis Belle’s crew becomes the first aircrew in the 8th Air Force to complete its 25-mission tour of duty. The aircraft and crew return to the United States to assist in publicity for the sale of War Bonds.
- The U.S. War Production Board issues an order that all contractors engaged in war production are barred from practicing racial discrimination.
- Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops perform for the first time with symphonic accompaniment, Aaron Copland’s ballet Rodeo.
- Norman Rockwell’s illustration of Rosie the Riveter is introduced, on the cover of the Memorial Day issue of the Saturday Evening Post.
- The four team All-America Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL), the first and last professional baseball league with women players, makes its debut, with the South Bend Blue Sox (Indiana) beating the Rockford Peaches (Illinois), 1-0. In the game with the two Wisconsin teams, Kenosha Shamrocks beat the Racine Belles, 8-6.
On the War Front:
- The Japanese begin a three-day massacre of civilians; about 30,000 Chinese are killed in the Changjiao massacre.
- Remaining German Afrika Korps and Italian troops in North Africa surrender to Allied forces. The Allies take more than 250,000 prisoners.
- The French form a “Resistance Movement.”
- The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising ends. The ghetto is destroyed, with about 14,000 Jews killed and about another 40,000 are sent to the death camp at Treblinka.
- Admiral Karl Dönitz orders the majority of U-boats to withdraw from the Atlantic because of heavy losses to new Allied anti-sub tactics. By the end of the month, 43 U-boats are lost, compared to 34 Allied ships sunk.
- Josef Mengele becomes Chief Medical Officer in Auschwitz.
May 2, 1943 — Camp Van Dorn, MS
Dear Mom & All
I’m just getting around to answering your letter that I received and was very glad to hear from you. I’ve spent at least 8 hrs of this last week end standing in line to get a train ticket. And believe me am I tired. It’s so darn hot here anyway that a person almost melts. But I finally made it after two days of trying. Boy, don’t forget to keep this a secret from eve. I want to surprise her. I’ll be leaving on the night of the 7th and so I’ll probably be in home late Friday night or early Saturday morning. I don’t know for sure what time I’ll get there so don’t bother to have anyone meet me. And I’ll surprise you all by walking in when no one’s looking. How does that sound. You can expect me to be hungry to. In fact I’ll be starving for a home cooked meal. Say see if you can’t have Eve get the Saturday of Sunday off and have her come over home. you know make up some real good excuse and have May and Ruth there to if you can.
Oh yes! You were asking me if I had written to the Ladys. I haven’t because I never can think to when I have the time. I’ll try to remember to do so today. Well I guess I’ll have to wait for a while before I can have fried chicken eh!
I guess we can get along without it. Say I’d sure like to see this place since you’ve moved out there. Say mom I’d sure have given a pretty nickel to have seen that gander going around & around with Dick. So he’s learning to run a tractor is he. Well just between you and me mom I hope he takes an interest in farm work. He should make a damn good farmer. And tell him I said so. Say Mom don’t bother to send me anything for my birthday because I’ll be home right quick and you can give me a piece of pie. When my pal Jim was home he wrote and told me that he ate a piece of lemon custard pie for me. But I told him he’d never tasted good pie until he has ate some of my Mom’s cherry pie. And so he hasn’t said anything more about it. Oh! I forgot to tell you that I received your paper from Eaton. And it sure seemed good to read about the old home town. Thanks a million for it. And say Mom tell Dad I’ll buy him a good drink when I get home. The Best in town. So I’ll be seeing you all. With lots of love to you, Dad and all the kids
Bill
PS Mom here’s a little secret for you. Ardis has practically consented to marry me, but I don’t intend to do anything like that until after this war is over. And she feels the same way. You’ll really love her mom. She’s a Darling. She gave me a big box of home made candy & a homemade fruit cake for my birthday and were they good. Trust me to find a good cook Mom. This summer she’s going to work in Salt Lake City, Utah for the telephone company. Some sort a job like Eve has I guess. And can she save money. Oh! Boy! Her for me Mom.
Lots of Love
Bill
May 19, 1943 — Camp Van Dorn, MS
Dear Mom
Just a note to let you know I arrived in Camp OK and here I am taking life easy. I stepped off the bus yesterday morning and turned my ankle. So I’ll gold brick for a couple of days. The rest of the fellows are out in the field working and from what I hear they’re not having any party. Tomorrow they are going on a 35 mile hike and here’s hoping I miss it. Gee it sure is hot down here. The old thermometer averages a hundred and 20 degrees every day. It rained a little yesterday and I think it might rain today some. How are all the kids getting along. Tell them I said hello to each and every one. Even Pat. And say there meals here don’t even begin to taste like the ones I had (at) home. I sure miss all the good things to eat that I had. But just you wait I’ll be back for some more one of these days. And pie hell if these guys here could taste some of your pie they’d all go over the Hill. And say tell Dad that that shoe polish he bought me is Eaton is the best stuff I ever had for shoes. It sure makes the leather soft. And also tell him to have lots of stock around the place and the next time I get home. I’ll try being a farmer. I’d sure like to be there for Butchering time this fall. Well mom its time I get on to another letter. So I’ll write more later.
With the Best Love
Always
Bill
May 28, 1943 — Camp Van Dorn, MS
Dear Mom & All
Just received your letter and card today and sure enjoyed them. I’d almost forgotten there was such a thing as Memorial Day coming up right now. I’m dogged tired from the hike we had last night. We went thru a stiff days training yesterday then took that hike last night (25 miles) and today we drilled for the Division review. And am I sleepy and tired. I never knew a man could have such sore feet. They probably wouldn’t be so bad only quite a few of the boys petered out last night and we had to carry their packs. And the last three miles of that hike was really tough. I could feel the gravel on the road thru these heavy G.I. shoes. But it’s all in the game. Well I sure got a lot of mail today. From you, Eve, Dick, Laurence, an one from Ardis. Gee did I enjoy hearing form her. She’s in Salt Lake City now. Looking for a job. I sure wish I were there. Probably I will be this summer. Gee do I wish I were home to enjoy some good old cows milk. And home made butter. Oh! Boy. Say we’re sure going places these days aren’t we. Next time I get there I’ll find a gang of farmers running around all over the place. By the way what happened to porky, Did he die or what. Say it sure does look like we’re going to get back to the top again for a change. Maybe if we keep this up you folks can take it easy after a while and let some body else do the work. And as for this gang of Irish & Dutch kids, well they can be pretty darned rugged when they get down to brass tacks. But you had better be careful about bragging me up mom I’m liable to come home some day and eat you out of house and home. I’ve sure got some rugged appetite sometimes.
You know I said one time a long time ago that I’d like to someday be able to take care of you and Dad. Well I’m still going towards that end. Maybe someday we’ll see things that way. Well any way I’ve got the write to Dad and Dick. So I’ll be closing.
With Lots of Love to all
Bill
Say mom you know I’d sure give a lot to see Dick really take an interest in stock. Maybe after all we’ve found out what he likes to do. Anyway I hope so. I sure do. Say I’m going to be sending a lot of stuff home one of these days real soon. Only don’t get excited about me leaving here for a while anyway.
Bye Now
ww2letterproject 
I am enjoying reading some of the Banis history and the letters from Bill whom I never met as I was born after the war. I do have a copy of a letter Eve wrote for my parents for their 50th anniversary where she talked about the farm burning down. Also enjoying the pictures.
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