Monday, May 31, 2010

December 2, 1941



Many of my family members served in the armed forces in the 1940's. When Fran and George became engaged, Fran wrote to her brother Bill, who was stationed at Fort Knox, for his blessing. Fran's Father had died many years prior in 1934 so it makes sense that she would then ask for her brother's blessings. I don't know as much about Fran's brothers as I do about her sisters. In the picture above,
I'm not sure which one is "Bill" but I know that Agnes was a WAC during WWII.

Hq. &Hq. Co.
19th Quartermaster Bn.
5th Armored Division
Fort Knox, Kentucky

December 2, 1941

Dear Fran:

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Your letter telling me of the "main event" at the Weaver home came to me yesterday and I dare say that even though the family may suffer the loss of you, someone else will be the gainer of something which all the gold at Fort Knox, could buy, -- Happiness-- So for your sake and his too, I hereby send my consent and best wishes, for I feel that a "George" such as "yours" will be an asset to our family tree. Yes, Fran, I suppose we have room for another "George". And for myself, I suppose that I, too, will have to wait the Governments verdict before I can start to worry about whether I'll be on hand for the "Big Day".

I dare say that the news did not take me completely by surprise since Pud said in one of her letters that you would write, since you had a surprise for me and wanted to tell me yourself. Right then I suspicioned news of this sort, and your letter was a welcome and pleasant verification of my suspicions. Yes, Fran, I think you two will do all right and rest assured that you have my blessing and best wishes.

I have applied for a Christmas furlough to cover the entire Christmas week. It was approved by Lt. Armstrong, and I think by Company Comander, but has to be approved by two more people before it becomes official. So if it is rejected I might only get the four days. However I am quite sure at this time I will spend Xmas at home.

For right now I think I have reviewed the news and with love to the rest of the family, I remain, as ever,
Your loving brother;
Bill




I'm not sure if this is Bill or not but I'm fairly certain that this is Fran and George's first born son Jimmy who also later served in the armed forces.


Bill was later killed in Korea in 1950.

9 comments:

  1. My grandfather on my mother's side celebrated his 93rd birthday this past April. Grandma will be 94 this year. As tough as Grandpa is, he does not like to talk about WW II. He would tell a few stories of fighting in Germany to us as kids, but always he would fall quiet and not say anymore. He is still the toughest/strongest man I have ever known.

    Touchofevil!

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  2. Thanks for sharing these precious memories with all of us. Thanks to your family for the sacrifices made to keep our nation Free.

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  3. Really great post. We just hung up our flag! My Grandfather and his 4 brothers all served in WWII - and all came back! Grandpa was on Iwo Jima, but he would never want to talk about it. I want to do a post on him and his brothers sometime.

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  4. Don't they all look so handsome! I have to admit I am quite addicted to these letters by now!

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  5. I sure enjoy these letters. My late father-in-law was in the 7th Armored Division, 40th Tank Battalion in WWII. That's sad that Bill lived through one war but not the next.

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  6. What amazing family history. You are so lucky to have that :)

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  7. I love that you have so many pictures of your family.

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  8. Great pictures! I do have to make one correction though (as a WWII collector) - the lady pictured isn't a WAC but a Cadet Nurse, part of the Public Health Service. Basically it was an educational program for ladies to get accelerated nurse training and then (hopefully) join the Army or Navy Nurse Corps. Also the guy pictured was an officer in some type of Armored Division, but frankly I can't see well enough (or know enough about Armored Divs) to tell which one. Hope this helps!!!

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  9. Pam B...from what I understand...Agnes started cadet nurse training in Feb. 1945 so I assume she didn't have time to become a WAC? I'll have to ask my cousins about that?? Bill was in the 5th armored Div. stationed at Fort Knox in 1941...that's according to the return address on the letter.

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