I know you have given me up as a letter writer. But I do think of you both and often too. The troubles I have make me think of the many you have had with me.
I guess you are getting ready to leave Florida. If it were me, I’d stay until May 15th! It sure is nice here in Yuma. The whole southwest is growing so. Such nice homes here now.
My squadron is here to get rocket firing training. The F86 doesn’t have [page 2] any guns – only rockets.
When I get home in April the ice should be melted and the weather about ready to boat & fish. We are about 1/4 mile from the lake. And there is water all around.
I’m happy with everything but the small house. It is 3 bedrooms, but they are small. Perhaps with summer coming on it will be better.
Your letters sound as if you both like Florida. It is a very comfortable place to live in the winter and I hope you both continue to do it
Worthington Ohio Jan 16th 1956 Temp. 25º and snowing
Dear Dick and Dad:-
Well here tis Sunday night, we just got home from out Gahanna way, we came home early tonight as the roads are a little on the slippery side. It started snowing this morning after we came home from church and has been snowing ever since, about 3 inches up to now.
Ma Kring is getting along very nicely and should be back to normal in about two more weeks. Dad Bring says he knows she is better because she has begun to fire orders and is getting more bossy all the time. They have moved the bed room down stairs for good, as the Doctor said she could not go up and down the stairs anymore.
They intend to make a half bath
[page 2] off the south side of their kitchen, which will work out nicely as they have more space down stairs than they need.
We also stopped in to see Unk & Elsie about our trip down to Florida and as of this time it looks as though they are going along. We wanted to fly down, but if they go along, we will drive. I will take a few extra days off to make up for the lost time driving. Barring any unforeseen circumstances and weather conditions we still plan on leaving here Jan 24th and hope to make it in 2 days. Ralph has some friends he would like to see, one at Pompano Beach a garage man and another at Homestead, so maybe we can all make the trip together.
[page 3] We can make our plans after we get down there as anything could happen between now and then. I would like to spend another day at Cypress Gardens and hope the sun is shining. I would also like to go to St. Augustine to get some pictures at Marineland. Maybe we could plan a route and our time so we could make both of those places on the same trip. Ralph has been reading a lot of Florida items and says he is ready to buy a lot if it is to his liking.
Ruth said to tell you we have 3 grape fruit, 4 tangerines and 9 oranges left. The fruit was really good (Time out) Jan 8 11:30pm
I suppose you wonder what happened to Jan 7. Well that is a
[page 4] different story which Ruth will have to explain when we see you. In the mean time all the tangerines are gone, 1 grapefruit left which I will eat in the morning and 3 oranges.
Don’t bother to send any more fruit as it would probably arrive about the time we leave here.
You can add about 5 more inches of snow to the 3 we had Sunday night. Believe it or not the neighbors are coasting down Wilson Hill Drive tonight. You don’t have to be crazy to live here but it helps, especially me. HardyHarHar
Your old gas box is working just fine (refrigerator)
[page 5] Bill Dennis left for a tour of Florida last Sunday morning. I hope they started early enough to miss the snow. I’m certainly glad he is making the trip maybe he will understand why I’m so crazy about the state. He is due back to work Monday the 21st which will leave us get away on the 24th “I hope”.
How are you getting along in the new house? We are anxious to see it. From the picture it appears that you have a good site lot and some nice trees. Which is the front of the house?– over
[page 6] I better bring this to a close, with Ruths letter I’ll have to sent it in another envelope. I’ll write again to keep you posted on our time of departure etc. Love H. O.
p.s. Lydia is doing very nicely and has got the Florida Fever Bad p.s.s. I got the new boat fever. ps.s.s. I got the Florida fever, I’ll need a new boat there more than here.
Ill answer your letter because soon at Craig, Ill be too busy – and I do want to thank you for sending on the Guns.- We received the next letter too – telling about disregarding the telephone bill.
I called Herman the other evening to tell him to bring me a new 25 H.P. Our Johnson is running fine but remote controls dont work so well on it. And the whole family has been water skiing. It takes a real good motor.
I suppose that you have finished fixing the boat by now,
page 2 and are ready to go north. I think Herman & Ruth are coming down in June. It will be hot, but not so much as July & August.
Went fishing today I we caught a flounder & a sea bass – had them for dinner tonite and they were good. We also caught about 20 hard tails – a fish like a mackerel. Only the fight harder than a bass. They weigh about 1 1/2 pounds.
When you come down this fall it will be fine weather and good fishing too. Well, Ill close now.- See you later
We are all settled down now. Have a nice home. Lois has told you about it I suppose. It is 3 Bedrooms=one floor, on a lot about 200 x 200. The yard is wonderful for Dave & Alan. They dont come in at all, except to eat & sleep, and they are brown as berries already.
Most the work is done around the house and Im lookig forward to fishing the next month. I dont suppose it will be quite as good as Biloxi. But the water is beautiful clear.
We bought an all fibre-glass boat because of the salt water. So we are ready to vacation. I still go to Craig for 4 weeks on 1 May. so I have 4 weeks to relax and fish.
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Dad- please send the guns on down to me. Hope you can remove the old addresses and any reference to my overseas address, so they wont possibly be sent back by a mistake. Insure them for $200 apiece. And I am enclosing 10.00 for postage. If it isnt enough let me know. Should be about right.
Congratulations on reaching your 69th birthday with good health. Lois & I cant seem to find anything you would like so we want you to pick out your own present-that is what the other $5 is for.
Really dont have any news. Lois will keep you informed when I know the exact time Ill be home, and were my next assignment is. What Im writing about is to see if you know any people in Parkersburg named Criner.
Major H. S. Criner is at Taegu [Air Base], where I am visiting. This evening we started talking and It seemed that he knew a lot of people that we should know. In fact his grandmothers name was Smith – wasnt there a Smith in our family? [Yes] He knows Shepards – Buchanans – [did a quick check on Lt. Col. Harold Smith Criner, not related via Smiths.]
There are a lot of Davis & Smiths in his family.
Well it has been warmer the past few days. Perhaps the last few weeks of my stay here will be more pleasant. Anyhow it doesnt matter very much, just so I get to come home around 1 March.
[page 2]
I suppose you will be getting ready to go to Canada soon. Wish I could make it, but it seems that I just wont ever get a vacation in the summer. Maybe when I reture?
Hope you are all well. Give my regards to Aunt Doshie & Uncle Burch. Ill see you soon
Bill
It is the lull between holidays. We had a cold christmas day with no snow. The package arrived OK and the presents were just fine. Thanks ever so much for the P.J’s as they were needed.
Work here at K-55 in Korea is much different than I have been doing. Im back to communications work and it isnt nearly as interesting as fighter aircraft operations. But it will get me home sooner. If I would have remained in Okinawa I’d come home in April. This way Ill make it in March. In fact I expect to leave Korea sometime during the last two weeks in February. There isnt much news from
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here. I just wanted you to know that I was still kicking. I should be getting my new assignment stateside in a few days of a few weeks at the most. When I know where Im going Ill sent another letter.
Try not to let the cold weather get you down. It is bothering me! No colds or runny nose but I just cant seem to keep warm.
Have been moving about quite a bit so I havent been able to write much. Letters to Lois have been rather light. As you probably know I was supposed to be in Korea, but have been sent for a period of temporary duty to Okinawa – Pen is not too good so excuse the scratches.
The way things are going, I should be back in Korea about 10 December. And I hope to get my christmas boxes there. It is medium warm here on Okinawa – about 50º to 70º with the wind blowing constantly. It was beginning to get cold in Korea – down to freezing quite a bit.
As you mentioned in your last letter, the boys are growing up and I will probably notice a big change in them. Sure miss the little rascals. [apparently his daughter is of no interest]
Im very sorry to hear that Bess is having so much trouble. I hope that she is finished with it now. She certainly has enough trouble as it is.
We are on maneuvers here in Okinawa and I’ve been living in a tent & sleeping bag
[page 2]
for the past week. There is about two more weeks to go.
So much work to do that I dont have much time to get homesick. But once in a while I do.
Flying is about normal. I finished my 2000th hour last month. I am assigned to the 67th Fighter Squadron now and it is quite some outfit. The squadron insignia is a rooster with a pair of boxing gloves.
We almost caught the last typhoon but it died out just before getting here. Would have been rough on the equipment out in the open like we are.
Dont know just when I’ll get to write agian. But Ill try not to make it too long.
Take care of yourself & tell Dad hello for me
Bill
Just after writing you a letter, I received yours of the 15th. In fact Im not sure if I received yours before or after I wrote last. Anyhow this letter will bring you up to date.
I am now at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa for several weeks, after which I shall return to K-55 at Osan Korea.
The outfit moved here to Kadena, and I was transferred out just prior to their leaving. I will be as Headquarters 5th Air Force at K-55 when I return, about 12 November.
The cool weather had just started when I left K55. Here at Hadena it is windy, but not cold. About 60º-65º.
Sorry to hear about Bess. Hope that she is alright by now.
Give Doshi & Burch my regards, and dont work so hard.
Looks like Ill be home early in March. So Ill try to write a few more times before then. But remember that I was behind the door when the pens were passed out. — Bill
I havent forgotten you. Havent been writing anyone very much lately. Work has been real heavy the past month. 14 to 16 hours a day. Altho there hasnt been much flying.
It is cool here now. Frost in the evenings. Clear blue skies. The days are warm. Typical October weather at home I guess.
I quit work today (Sunday) at 1200 noon. A party of us went hunting pheasants. I shot one. Only had one shot. We saw a lot of them, but they would get up just out of gunshot. They are ringnecks like the ones at home. The Koreans dont hunt, so there are lots of them here. A lot of ducks and geese too.
If I stay here this fall I will probably get to do a lot of hunting. I heard from Ruth yesterday, and she says that everything is going O.K. Havent heard from you folks lately, but I imagine everything is alright too.
[page 2]
Lois writes every few days that one of the kids is spending a night with you. I know that they enjoy it. And Im happy that I brought the family back to Westerville while I am overseas.
According to the calenday, it is 128 days to go. That is, if I stay in Korea. If I should move elsewhere it would be about 180 days. In any event Ill be home before school is out.
Take good card of yourselves & write when you have the time.
Its a good thing that you dont hold your breath until I write! But I do try to get in a few. By the time I write Lois & the kids I’m usually written out.
I have been flying a lot during the last few weeks. Nearly all in jets. Dont fly the C-47 much anymore.
It has been unbearably hot since the 1st of August. I cooled off a little yesterday, but it is back at it again today. We had a hurricane called “Grace” that tore up southern Japan several days ago. It just barely reached here with light winds, so may be it will change the weather.
Lois wrote that she and the kids had a fine time in Canada and a good trip home. I want to thank you again for giving them a vacation.
When do you plan to come back to Westerville? You may have told me, but I forget. Really, I guess the best time of the year is in the fall. I would enjoy it the most. Hunting
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and fishing would certainly be better then.
Is everything going all right? I wonder if it is. I mean if you & Dad are both OK?
I dont have any real news, but I wanted to write a line. Havent had a letter from you for a while, but guess I owe you one.
jen's ancestors 