“… I think we have the right to get married in spite of this war. If I wait until after it’s over I may never get married. And I want just a small taste of what life can really mean to a person before I have to go.”
–Bill, October 29
Bill and his unit leave Van Dorn and go on maneuvers in Louisiana. His training at Van Dorn is complete. He transfers to Ft. Dix, New Jersey, effectively a staging area for troops moving east.
Anna’s younger brother, Howard Russell Wing commits suicide on October 25, after he had been inducted into the US Army in May of 1943 at the age of 35. As Fanny Kisling Banis recalls, “He seemed unable to take the stress of basic training and army life.” He is survived by a wife and a young son.
The Banis family buys their first car.
Anna mails doughnuts to Bill. As Ruth Banis Nance recalls “Each fall after butchering, the fat would be rendered and Mom would make doughnuts. I hated the smell of the rendered fat and only years later could I eat and enjoy a doughnut.”
Fanny is now in high school where she excels academically.
On the US Front:
- The New York Yankees defeat the St. Louis Cardinals, winning the World Series in five games.
- In a Rutgers University laboratory, 23 year-old student Albert Schatz first isolates the antibiotic Streptomycin. The new medicine kills strains of bacteria against which penicillin is ineffective. Human treatment would be approved in 1946.
- Four years after being introduced as a superhero in Detective Comics issue #27 (in May, 1939), “Batman” reaches a larger audience with the debut of his own newspaper comic strip.
- Gus Bodnar of the Toronto Maple Leafs scores a goal only 15 seconds after starting his National Hockey League career against the New York Rangers. He sets a league record that still stands for the fastest goal by a rookie.
On the War Front:
- Ninety-eight American civilian prisoners are executed on Wake Island in Micronesia.
- Chiang Kai-shek takes the oath of office as chairman of the Nationalist Government in China.
- Operation Cartwheel begins a bombing campaign against the major Japanese base Rabaul, in the Solomon islands.
- Italy declares war on Germany.
- 229 out of 292 B-17s reach the target in the Second Raid on Schweinfurt. Losses are so heavy that the long range daylight bombing campaign is suspended until the bombers can be escorted by P-51 fighters.
- The German War Office contracts the Mittelwerk to produce 12,000 V-2 rockets.
October 2, 1943 — LA Maneuvers
Dear Mother & all:
First a line to let you know I received your last letter and enjoyed it very much. I haven’t been able to do any writing for over a week. Because in that period of time I didn’t even get a chance to take my shoes & socks off. And to make matter worse it rained continuously. We live in fox holes and slept in them and sometimes we had our three meals a day and other times we didn’t. But I’m still getting along fine. These are supposed to be tough maneuvers but they’re a snap compared to what we had before. We only have about a month and a half to go yet. And then we’re scheduled to go overseas. So by the last of February I’ll know.
Well I’m glad to hear that everyone is fine at home. So Abe decided to move did he. It’s time he learned a lesson or two about life anyway.
Say they’ve sure been burning things up around home lately haven’t they. I saw in the Register Herald where one of the Winn boys was killed over in Europe and that Vergil Killen was inducted in the Army. That little squirt will wish he had left the armed forces alone if he gets in the infantry. But live and learn. Oh yes I heard about you buying the car and at the same time I got a letter from Helen and she said she met Abe on the street and he was as mad as an old wet hen because Dad wouldn’t let him have the car to run around in.
Say mom do you remember how we used to buy that milk chocolate at the 5 and 10 store. Is it possible to get any more. If so I’d like to have you send me a bunch of it in your next box. Because I can carry it on maneuvers and it makes a swell substitute when you’ve been with out something to eat for a couple of days. I’ll first tell you what I’d like to have then if you decide to send me a box some day you’ll know what to put in it. Candy or cake & cookies or doughnuts & cigarettes (camels). In fact some raisin filled cookies would taste like a million dollars. You know how I love to eat and in here they practically take that privilege away from you.
Well I’d better close
With lots of Love to all
Bill
PS Ardis told me in her last letter that she was going to write to you. Take care of her for me mom. She’s coming back to visit you for a little while if I have to go over seas.
Bye now
Tell the gang Hello
October 10, 1943 — Shreveport, LA
October 29, 1943 — Fort Dix, NJ
Dear Mom & Everyone
I was terribly glad to hear from you. And how is everyone at home these days. It’s rather cold up here. This close to the ocean. I thought maybe this rain we had would turn to snow but, it didn’t.
Gee I was sure sorry to hear that Uncle Russel killed himself. I can’t hardly imagine him doing anything like that. There must be some explanation. I guess its really tough on Grandpa and for that matter all of you. I thought a lot of Uncle Russ. This damned war does strange things to people. I hope everything turns out ok. Let me know what’s going on. Say I’m sorry the doughnuts turned out bad. Maybe its best because they would have been spoiled if they had followed me around for a couple or three weeks. I got a letter from Fanny the same time I got yours and you know she’s the most sensible & grown-up person I think I ever met. She’s sure going places in school. More power to her. Mom, I didn’t know whether I asked you or not but, I may get a furlough any day and I want all the money I can get, I’m planning to get married, I want you to tell me how much you can get for me. I’ll need a lot. This will be the last chance I have to get married for a long while. And I really want to mom. I know I’m in love with her and she’s in love with me the same way. Then we’ve planned it for so long that I think we have the right to get married in spite of this war. If I wait until after it’s over I may never get married. And I want just a small taste of what life can really mean to a person before I have to go.
So much for that. I’ll have to get up early and its late now. So tell Fanny I’ll write her later. Give my love to Dad, and all the kids, mom
Lots of Love
Bill
PS; Ardis is going to write you. I sent her your address. Be good to her. You & her are my best girls, mom
Bye now
Love
ww2letterproject 
Thank you Steve & Rebecca for this window into what life was like for the Banis family. I know Mom Banis was sad on Mother’s Day because she said that was when Bill was killed. Best wishes to all.
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Me too
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his letters always move me to tears
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