New Year's Day, 1944, before their first mission.
Note the lack of a New Year's outing the evening before.
FROM
Lt. O. C. Sampson
407 BOMB SQDN, 92 BOMB GROUP
1/1/44
Dear Dot and Ed,
Greetings!
I expect you are
wondering why I'm writing so many letters.
Well I want to make sure not to neglect
anyone since none of our mail from the states
has caught up to us as yet. When you write
to this address Dot it will be sure of getting
to me because it will be my permanent one
while I am here. 407th BOMB SQDN
92nd BOMB GROUP
A.P.O. 634 %Postmaster
N.Y. City, N.Y.
We wanted to go to town last night but
no trucks went in so we saw a USO show
on the post then hit the hay pretty early.
Well another year has passed by,
the last one during the war, I hope. You kids
take care of yourselves and the kids. So until
next letter I'll hang up the pen and say
aw vamoose or awf weeder-sane or so long.
love, brud
'Osc'
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Two days after the crew's first mission on January
5. Note no mention of the mission, or even of flying.
FROM
Lt. O. C. Sampson
407 BOMB SQDN, 92 BOMB GROUP
1/7/44
Dear Dot and Ed,
How do you like the V-mail?
Are you able to read my scribbling? Next
chance you get how about sending some
snapshots? Boy! so far no mail has
caught up with us and I'm finding it rough
waiting for it. Home seems plenty far away
from us here, altho I was almost as far
when in California. Our living conditions here
are darned good, food is O.K. all in all no
kicks. One full week has passed now in the
new year and I haven't even started to realize
that we are in a new year, my 26th one.
Have met a few girls over here but, we
never stay in one place long enough to
really get to know anyone. Just as well.
Do you get to see the folks very often?
I really crave mail kids so lets have it, OK?
So long, brud
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The first mention of a specific target - the March
22 mission to Berlin.
FROM
Lt. O. C. Sampson
407 BOMB SQDN, 92 BOMB GROUP
March 29, 1944
Dear Kids,
Received the
swell snaps of me
wittle niece and nefoo. Received Ed's letter too,
thank you very much. To-day turned out
to be a very nice one. We get to see
more of the sun every day now. I guess
it is the summer coming on.
We had a two day pass,
first one in three weeks the other day.
Didn't do very much. I found out
where my old outfit is stationed. So
if we get time I'm going to go and
talk over old times with them.
I guess you know we have
oak leaf clusters for our air medals.
As you read in the papers, we paid
a visit to Berlin, didn't stay long
enough to enjoy any hospitality.
We get paid in a couple of more
days, so maybe you could use a five
spot or so, eh?
Well, nuffing to talk about so I'll
sign off.
So long,
brud.
-------------------------------------------------------
The news of a 7 day leave at a rest home, after 16
missions for the whole crew.
FROM
Lt. O. C. Sampson
407 BOMB SQDN, 92 BOMB GROUP
April 2, 1944
Dear Dot, Ed 'n family
Just to get even with you folks
I'm sending a likeness of the brud.
We had them taken in London while on
pass. Woody Parramore and I. We are
loafing to-day, it is raining and we didn't
fly. Most of the boys are playing
cards, but ol' Sambo has a ruff time
writing just a couple of letters.
...
Did I tell you our crew is going
(I hope) to get a 7 day leave? We
may go to a rest home. Woody Parramore
and John Steichen can use a rest O.K.
The bombardier and me, the two dumb
guys, haven't enuf sense to let it
bother us.
I just had to pin some big monkey,
who is a co-pilot too, he's from Texas
name of Frank Laird. He started
wrestling around so I flipped him
on Woody's bunk. What a variety of
activities are going on here. A poker
game, dice game, bull shit session,
guys getting ready to go to chow. Usually
there isn't more than 1 or 2 here at a
time. We just got news that we leave
for the rest home tomorrow. Boy! a good
break. Well, write when you get a chance.
P.S. Am sending my air medal home to Mom.
Love, brud Osc
-------------------------------------------------------
After the 7 day leave at the Alton rest home, all refreshed
and eager to fly again.
FROM
Lt. O. C. Sampson
407 BOMB SQDN, 92 BOMB GROUP
April 12, 1944
Dear Dot and Ed:
Please excuse
me no long
time writtee, O.K.? here's my alibi:
We (the crew) were sent to a rest home
for a week to rest our nerves and
stuff. Don't ask me why they sent me,
I guess just because wherever a pilot
goes, his crew goes with him. see!
What a wonderful vacation, made
us feel like kids again, the four
of us officers went to one place, the
enlisted men somewhere else.
I couldn't even try to attempt to
begin to explain what a fine time we
had for those seven days. Not a care
in the world. I swear we forgot we
were in the army air corps over here
to fight a goddam war. A butler brought
us fruit juice in bed every morning with
some remarks like, it's going to be a beautiful
day to-day gentlemen! We awakened at
8:30 and went to bed around 23:30, were
outside playing sports all day and eating
so much and so often, it's a wonder
we didn't get indigestion.
The army personnel in charge there
were swell people who really tried
and suceeded in showing us a good
time.
One day I got a ride to a nearby
town and saw the guys from my old
Infantry outfit who came through the
African and Sicilian campaigns. They
gave me some war souvenirs, bayonets,
etc. which I shall bring home with
me. Also met some boys in London
who came through cadets with me. All
in All, I'm enthusiastic as a kid with a
new bike about it all. Sure and good luck
to you and the kids. love, brud
"Okser"
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This was written just 8 days before the landing at
Altenrhein. Note the timely mention of the movie 'Memphis Belle', about
a B-17 and its crew completing the required 25 missions. The comment about
Oscar Sampson's 25 missions was a mistake; they had a 7 day leave after
16 missions as a crew.
FROM
D. Rathje
234 Riverside Avenue
Newark, NJ
