en 2013, avec ses couleurs du film "Memphis Belle"
I come back to you for your mail. You can use all of the photos as you like, there is no problems. If you have documents that I could publish my turn would be a real pleasure for me. Can I publish the letter in the example?
regards
Cédric Chevalier1 rue de la porte de Pantesson21130 Auxonne07-81-10-97-67
"Les demoiselles de Creil: Les B-17 de l'IGN"
I am writing because I believe the "Pink Lady" formerly "Half Pint" was the plane my father flew after the war in Tripoli. Below is his letter transcribed. I also have scanned the letter itself but I don't think I can send it in this format. I was hoping you would give me permission to use the photos of "Half Pint" on my web site and also link my site with yours.
My website: ww2biplanestob17s.com is a blog that will have all the letters written by my father to his parents during WWII. I asked my father to write his war stories also and sometime in the 1990s he wrote over 80 pages of stories. The stories will be in with the letters.
There are only two members left of my father's flight crew, the pilot Lyle Wade, and the ball turret gunner, Bill Weibel. I have been in contact with both of them.
Please let me know if using the photographs would be possible. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Kristine Sellers daughter of Richard Warren co-pilot
Jan. 26, 1946
Tripoli
Dear Mom & Dad,
I’ve meant to write for the last two days , but its seemed as though every time I’ve gotten started, something has come up. It wasn’t any lack of things to write about especially since that last plane brought in your letters of Dec. 20th, 22nd, 2 for the 28th, 31st & Jan. 2 & 4th. That was a mail call deluxe. Received nine letters, seven of which were from you.
The weather has been bad in the area that were supposed to take pictures, so I’ve been taking advantage of the free time by playing soft ball & tennis & just generally soaking up the sun here. Course those malted milks & hamburgers also come under the heading of pleasure. This place has been so darn good so far, we can’t help but wonder if maybe they might take this time off of our leave time. Ha Ha
I think I’ll spend the next few paragraphs answering what ever questions you asked.
Evidently the kids thoroughly enjoyed being shown through a B-17. Reckon it did look kinda complicated. It’s surprising though, how simple most of that stuff becomes after you’ve been around it for a while. I don’t know why you didn’t ask more questions about it Dad. You probably would have had things explained to you that I’ll likely mention some day & you won’t have the slightest idea what I mean. The chances are, your questions wouldn’t have been much stupider than mine,or on my first visit in one.
That was quite a load you had in the car coming back from Selfridge. It’s a darn wonder that, that wasn’t about the time one of the tires would decide to go flat on the bottom.
No, I’ve never seen the picture that Mary Margaret sent you. You see, they were taken on Templehoff Airdrome there in Berlin, just before we took off. Of course they weren’t developed immediately, so I didn’t get to see how they came out. Just leave it hanging there, I’ll get a glance at it one of these days.
I thought I told you what the name of the plane was. If you’ll look you’ll see “c” also has a camera on her besides that bomb. (side margin: The crew chief painted it.) She was painted on, just about the time we started taking pictures, so we wanted to call her “photo-Jeannie”, but it’s the majors ship that I flew most of the time, so he named it half pint after his wife I guess.
Theres no use in writing about thinking about staying in. I think I’ve made it more than clear as to what my feelings are____along that line. Just signed a statement yesterday, which said quote” I desire to be released from the service as quickly as possible,” end of quote. I do intend to try to keep a reserve commission though. Will explain all I know along that line when I get home & likely will know more about it by then than I do now anyway.
Thank you for the pictures. Would like you to send me a good picture of “Muggs.” I don’t know whether I’ve mentioned or not, but I have a lot of pictures, I’ve taken or picked up since I’ve been over here, that I’ll bring back with me. Such ones as aerial shots of Chelveston, St. Trond & this field here. Also one of Paris, all little odds and ends like that. Theres no sense in my sending them home, for I’ll have to explain what they’re all about for you to get much good out of them.
We have two areas more of pictures to take now, so we’ll be here for quite some time likely. Don’t hesitate on sending anything to me you want to at this apo.
I’ve come to the conclusion Mom that you’re taking some of my ups & downs a little too seriously, just by some of the answers I get back. Its been largely my fault for I’ve written just as I felt at the moment. Theres one thing you’ve got to understand about these gripes or “bitches.” As we call them in the Army. They’re just things that come up that go against your “grain”, some unjust too, but actually all they do is make you mad for the time being & give you something to think about, where other wise, you’d likely only have your thumbs to twiddle spending that time. When you come down to the fine points of it all I’m actually happier because I’ve got something to be mad about, than I would be if there was nothing on my mind, which then wouldn’t be otherwise. Theres an old saying in the Army. “A “ bitching” Army is a happy one, but when theres none, theres trouble coming.” My troubles aren’t half as bad as I make them sound.
Don’t worry about me getting involved in any black market dealings. These currency control books have us hog-tied along that line. All we can possibly send home is what we make. As for my sending home all I make. All there is to buy 99% of the time over here, is your rations, which cost about $5 a month. I have enough back money on my currency control book to take care of that, so that actually I can send home as much as I make. I’m not going to be able to do that down here. These hamburgers, malted milk & occasional beer, along with souveniers cost me a little extra. I’ll get paid 38,037 mal the 31st $319 & some cents to put it in English. Will likely send about $225 of that home for now.
I’m sure I’ve mentioned “Mout.” He’s my closed friend & companion. Hes a navigtor on another crew & hails from Arkansas. Really a swell guy from all angles. We lived together at St. Frond & Lechfeld, but are separated here. Hes even gotten me to go to church occasionally. I think hes 27 & married. Unfortunately, not happily. His wife has cancer of the breast which makes it so that he doesn’t want to ask for a divorce. He gets pretty down hearted at the situation at times.
I’m saying nothing on this matter until something happens, but there seems to be fair possibilities that I’ll be home before the cards say I will at present.
Think I’ll ring off for this afternoon & get this in the mail.
Worlds of love,
Dick
P.S. I’m doing to to my gal friends, what happened (side margin: I mean they’re rapidly disappearing)to the 10 little Indians. Only have one left now.
over
DadOn my saying that you wrote sneeringly of the hunt on the Island, I’m sure you took me wrong. What I meant was that the way you wrote it, it seemed to me like you were just standing by waiting to put that sneak punch in, that you did get two deer. After I’d laughed so much at your missing that one & figuring you didn’t do so well after all. Still don’t know if I made it very clear?
Envelope:
Lt. R. W. Warren 0-833275
365th sqdn., 305 Bomb Gr.
apo#498 c/o p.m.
New York, N.Y.
I am writing because I believe the "Pink Lady" formerly "Half Pint" was the plane my father flew after the war in Tripoli. Below is his letter transcribed. I also have scanned the letter itself but I don't think I can send it in this format. I was hoping you would give me permission to use the photos of "Half Pint" on my web site and also link my site with yours.
My website: ww2biplanestob17s.com is a blog that will have all the letters written by my father to his parents during WWII. I asked my father to write his war stories also and sometime in the 1990s he wrote over 80 pages of stories. The stories will be in with the letters.
There are only two members left of my father's flight crew, the pilot Lyle Wade, and the ball turret gunner, Bill Weibel. I have been in contact with both of them.
Please let me know if using the photographs would be possible. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Kristine Sellers daughter of Richard Warren co-pilot
Jan. 26, 1946
Tripoli
Dear Mom & Dad,
I’ve meant to write for the last two days , but its seemed as though every time I’ve gotten started, something has come up. It wasn’t any lack of things to write about especially since that last plane brought in your letters of Dec. 20th, 22nd, 2 for the 28th, 31st & Jan. 2 & 4th. That was a mail call deluxe. Received nine letters, seven of which were from you.
The weather has been bad in the area that were supposed to take pictures, so I’ve been taking advantage of the free time by playing soft ball & tennis & just generally soaking up the sun here. Course those malted milks & hamburgers also come under the heading of pleasure. This place has been so darn good so far, we can’t help but wonder if maybe they might take this time off of our leave time. Ha Ha
I think I’ll spend the next few paragraphs answering what ever questions you asked.
Evidently the kids thoroughly enjoyed being shown through a B-17. Reckon it did look kinda complicated. It’s surprising though, how simple most of that stuff becomes after you’ve been around it for a while. I don’t know why you didn’t ask more questions about it Dad. You probably would have had things explained to you that I’ll likely mention some day & you won’t have the slightest idea what I mean. The chances are, your questions wouldn’t have been much stupider than mine,or on my first visit in one.
That was quite a load you had in the car coming back from Selfridge. It’s a darn wonder that, that wasn’t about the time one of the tires would decide to go flat on the bottom.
No, I’ve never seen the picture that Mary Margaret sent you. You see, they were taken on Templehoff Airdrome there in Berlin, just before we took off. Of course they weren’t developed immediately, so I didn’t get to see how they came out. Just leave it hanging there, I’ll get a glance at it one of these days.
I thought I told you what the name of the plane was. If you’ll look you’ll see “c” also has a camera on her besides that bomb. (side margin: The crew chief painted it.) She was painted on, just about the time we started taking pictures, so we wanted to call her “photo-Jeannie”, but it’s the majors ship that I flew most of the time, so he named it half pint after his wife I guess.
Theres no use in writing about thinking about staying in. I think I’ve made it more than clear as to what my feelings are____along that line. Just signed a statement yesterday, which said quote” I desire to be released from the service as quickly as possible,” end of quote. I do intend to try to keep a reserve commission though. Will explain all I know along that line when I get home & likely will know more about it by then than I do now anyway.
Thank you for the pictures. Would like you to send me a good picture of “Muggs.” I don’t know whether I’ve mentioned or not, but I have a lot of pictures, I’ve taken or picked up since I’ve been over here, that I’ll bring back with me. Such ones as aerial shots of Chelveston, St. Trond & this field here. Also one of Paris, all little odds and ends like that. Theres no sense in my sending them home, for I’ll have to explain what they’re all about for you to get much good out of them.
We have two areas more of pictures to take now, so we’ll be here for quite some time likely. Don’t hesitate on sending anything to me you want to at this apo.
I’ve come to the conclusion Mom that you’re taking some of my ups & downs a little too seriously, just by some of the answers I get back. Its been largely my fault for I’ve written just as I felt at the moment. Theres one thing you’ve got to understand about these gripes or “bitches.” As we call them in the Army. They’re just things that come up that go against your “grain”, some unjust too, but actually all they do is make you mad for the time being & give you something to think about, where other wise, you’d likely only have your thumbs to twiddle spending that time. When you come down to the fine points of it all I’m actually happier because I’ve got something to be mad about, than I would be if there was nothing on my mind, which then wouldn’t be otherwise. Theres an old saying in the Army. “A “ bitching” Army is a happy one, but when theres none, theres trouble coming.” My troubles aren’t half as bad as I make them sound.
Don’t worry about me getting involved in any black market dealings. These currency control books have us hog-tied along that line. All we can possibly send home is what we make. As for my sending home all I make. All there is to buy 99% of the time over here, is your rations, which cost about $5 a month. I have enough back money on my currency control book to take care of that, so that actually I can send home as much as I make. I’m not going to be able to do that down here. These hamburgers, malted milk & occasional beer, along with souveniers cost me a little extra. I’ll get paid 38,037 mal the 31st $319 & some cents to put it in English. Will likely send about $225 of that home for now.
I’m sure I’ve mentioned “Mout.” He’s my closed friend & companion. Hes a navigtor on another crew & hails from Arkansas. Really a swell guy from all angles. We lived together at St. Frond & Lechfeld, but are separated here. Hes even gotten me to go to church occasionally. I think hes 27 & married. Unfortunately, not happily. His wife has cancer of the breast which makes it so that he doesn’t want to ask for a divorce. He gets pretty down hearted at the situation at times.
I’m saying nothing on this matter until something happens, but there seems to be fair possibilities that I’ll be home before the cards say I will at present.
Think I’ll ring off for this afternoon & get this in the mail.
Worlds of love,
Dick
P.S. I’m doing to to my gal friends, what happened (side margin: I mean they’re rapidly disappearing)to the 10 little Indians. Only have one left now.
over
DadOn my saying that you wrote sneeringly of the hunt on the Island, I’m sure you took me wrong. What I meant was that the way you wrote it, it seemed to me like you were just standing by waiting to put that sneak punch in, that you did get two deer. After I’d laughed so much at your missing that one & figuring you didn’t do so well after all. Still don’t know if I made it very clear?
Envelope:
Lt. R. W. Warren 0-833275
365th sqdn., 305 Bomb Gr.
apo#498 c/o p.m.
New York, N.Y.
I am writing because I believe the "Pink Lady" formerly "Half Pint" was the plane my father flew after the war in Tripoli. Below is his letter transcribed. I also have scanned the letter itself but I don't think I can send it in this format. I was hoping you would give me permission to use the photos of "Half Pint" on my web site and also link my site with yours.
My website: ww2biplanestob17s.com is a blog that will have all the letters written by my father to his parents during WWII. I asked my father to write his war stories also and sometime in the 1990s he wrote over 80 pages of stories. The stories will be in with the letters.
There are only two members left of my father's flight crew, the pilot Lyle Wade, and the ball turret gunner, Bill Weibel. I have been in contact with both of them.
Please let me know if using the photographs would be possible. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Kristine Sellers daughter of Richard Warren co-pilot
Jan. 26, 1946
Tripoli
Dear Mom & Dad,
I’ve meant to write for the last two days , but its seemed as though every time I’ve gotten started, something has come up. It wasn’t any lack of things to write about especially since that last plane brought in your letters of Dec. 20th, 22nd, 2 for the 28th, 31st & Jan. 2 & 4th. That was a mail call deluxe. Received nine letters, seven of which were from you.
The weather has been bad in the area that were supposed to take pictures, so I’ve been taking advantage of the free time by playing soft ball & tennis & just generally soaking up the sun here. Course those malted milks & hamburgers also come under the heading of pleasure. This place has been so darn good so far, we can’t help but wonder if maybe they might take this time off of our leave time. Ha Ha
I think I’ll spend the next few paragraphs answering what ever questions you asked.
Evidently the kids thoroughly enjoyed being shown through a B-17. Reckon it did look kinda complicated. It’s surprising though, how simple most of that stuff becomes after you’ve been around it for a while. I don’t know why you didn’t ask more questions about it Dad. You probably would have had things explained to you that I’ll likely mention some day & you won’t have the slightest idea what I mean. The chances are, your questions wouldn’t have been much stupider than mine,or on my first visit in one.
That was quite a load you had in the car coming back from Selfridge. It’s a darn wonder that, that wasn’t about the time one of the tires would decide to go flat on the bottom.
No, I’ve never seen the picture that Mary Margaret sent you. You see, they were taken on Templehoff Airdrome there in Berlin, just before we took off. Of course they weren’t developed immediately, so I didn’t get to see how they came out. Just leave it hanging there, I’ll get a glance at it one of these days.
I thought I told you what the name of the plane was. If you’ll look you’ll see “c” also has a camera on her besides that bomb. (side margin: The crew chief painted it.) She was painted on, just about the time we started taking pictures, so we wanted to call her “photo-Jeannie”, but it’s the majors ship that I flew most of the time, so he named it half pint after his wife I guess.
Theres no use in writing about thinking about staying in. I think I’ve made it more than clear as to what my feelings are____along that line. Just signed a statement yesterday, which said quote” I desire to be released from the service as quickly as possible,” end of quote. I do intend to try to keep a reserve commission though. Will explain all I know along that line when I get home & likely will know more about it by then than I do now anyway.
Thank you for the pictures. Would like you to send me a good picture of “Muggs.” I don’t know whether I’ve mentioned or not, but I have a lot of pictures, I’ve taken or picked up since I’ve been over here, that I’ll bring back with me. Such ones as aerial shots of Chelveston, St. Trond & this field here. Also one of Paris, all little odds and ends like that. Theres no sense in my sending them home, for I’ll have to explain what they’re all about for you to get much good out of them.
We have two areas more of pictures to take now, so we’ll be here for quite some time likely. Don’t hesitate on sending anything to me you want to at this apo.
I’ve come to the conclusion Mom that you’re taking some of my ups & downs a little too seriously, just by some of the answers I get back. Its been largely my fault for I’ve written just as I felt at the moment. Theres one thing you’ve got to understand about these gripes or “bitches.” As we call them in the Army. They’re just things that come up that go against your “grain”, some unjust too, but actually all they do is make you mad for the time being & give you something to think about, where other wise, you’d likely only have your thumbs to twiddle spending that time. When you come down to the fine points of it all I’m actually happier because I’ve got something to be mad about, than I would be if there was nothing on my mind, which then wouldn’t be otherwise. Theres an old saying in the Army. “A “ bitching” Army is a happy one, but when theres none, theres trouble coming.” My troubles aren’t half as bad as I make them sound.
Don’t worry about me getting involved in any black market dealings. These currency control books have us hog-tied along that line. All we can possibly send home is what we make. As for my sending home all I make. All there is to buy 99% of the time over here, is your rations, which cost about $5 a month. I have enough back money on my currency control book to take care of that, so that actually I can send home as much as I make. I’m not going to be able to do that down here. These hamburgers, malted milk & occasional beer, along with souveniers cost me a little extra. I’ll get paid 38,037 mal the 31st $319 & some cents to put it in English. Will likely send about $225 of that home for now.
I’m sure I’ve mentioned “Mout.” He’s my closed friend & companion. Hes a navigtor on another crew & hails from Arkansas. Really a swell guy from all angles. We lived together at St. Frond & Lechfeld, but are separated here. Hes even gotten me to go to church occasionally. I think hes 27 & married. Unfortunately, not happily. His wife has cancer of the breast which makes it so that he doesn’t want to ask for a divorce. He gets pretty down hearted at the situation at times.
I’m saying nothing on this matter until something happens, but there seems to be fair possibilities that I’ll be home before the cards say I will at present.
Think I’ll ring off for this afternoon & get this in the mail.
Worlds of love,
Dick
P.S. I’m doing to to my gal friends, what happened (side margin: I mean they’re rapidly disappearing)to the 10 little Indians. Only have one left now.
over
DadOn my saying that you wrote sneeringly of the hunt on the Island, I’m sure you took me wrong. What I meant was that the way you wrote it, it seemed to me like you were just standing by waiting to put that sneak punch in, that you did get two deer. After I’d laughed so much at your missing that one & figuring you didn’t do so well after all. Still don’t know if I made it very clear?
Envelope:
Lt. R. W. Warren 0-833275
365th sqdn., 305 Bomb Gr.
apo#498 c/o p.m.
New York, N.Y.