This archive includes 54 letters and 5 photographs from 5 different soldiers to Miss Joan Burns. This archive includes 54 letters and photographs from 5 different soldiers to Miss Joan Burns. All of these soldiers were attending aircrew training at the 25th College Training Detachment at Marietta College in early 1943 and that is where Joan became acquainted with them. From March in 1943, the 25th College Training Detachment (Air Crews) of the U.S. Army Air Corps trained 250 officers and cadets who were housed on campus at Fayerweather and Dorothy Webster residence halls. The training airfields for the cadets were located near Parkersburg, near the present site of the Grand Central Mall and at Wilson Field, near Williamstown. The contract with the college was for only one year and ended in March of 1944. One of the earlier letters in this group is written on the illustrated letterhead from this training detachment. There are 2 photographs from a U.S. Army sergeant named Ralph, from Europe/ Belgium. Two colored photos of a sergeant from the 3rd Service Command, and one photo of an identified on reverse, he is a corporal in the infantry named Bill Van Housce. Twenty two letters from Jack W. Mullin, of California origin now in Group H Squadron 73. S.A.A.C.C. San Antonio, Texas. Jack is clearly vying for her heart, he has become a pilot in his squadron, the 110 and played quarterback for the squadron team, until a back injury from a tackle while playing the 112 squadron landed him in the hospital. Jack does not like Texas or San Antonio; he writes ‘Been to town twice and now quite certain that if I never see the place again, I’m ahead. It’s a crowded, filthy hole full of soldiers and Mexicans.’ On Nov. 8, 1943 he wrote her ‘Let us return to your letter, in part referring to wearing apparel come bed-time. It is essential, at times, to be practical and go in for those that give a warm feeling. However in my mind’s eye I’d prefer you in a little satin, smooth article, preferably white. I could even stand black, if made with the proper materials, or should we say ingredients?... Why I let (allow) myself to drift off that way, I’ll never know. But it’s fun!’ His letter of Dec. 12 tells her he has been made Squadron Commander and writes of this as ‘My charges are an irresponsible lot of rough-necks, that keep this weary soul on edge constantly.’ In the same letter he writes her a note in Morse Code that is translatable, but it might be better not to tell. He also ends this letter in code. He was in Garden city, Kansas for a time flying different planes before being sent back to Brooks Field in Texas in July of 1944. On July 10 he writes ‘I thought I was busy at some of those other snake pits, but this takes the cake. There hasn’t been a single evening pass that I haven’t had a class starting at 8:15 P.M. Tonight it’s navigation. When we fly, we fly four hrs. at a crack. However the B-25 is a wonderful ship and it’s a pleasure to handle.’ Jack eventually became a Lt. and instructor on B-25 bombers, mentions FDR often calling him ‘Uncle Frank’ Jack & Joan are Republicans). In one letter he writes ‘Read up on the G.O.P. convention in Time Magazine and it sounds pretty good. The ticket should go places. I know our boys could handle the job efficiently once they overcome Uncle Frank’s well oiled machine and get into the saddle. I’d hate to bet all my worldly possessions that it can be done however. He’s a smooth character.’ A letter dated Sept. 4, 1944 talks of the war ending in Europe soon and German V1 & V2 rockets or as he calls them ‘skies full of robots’ Later talks of death of FDR, and his hopes that ‘Harry S.’ lives up to the newspaper reports. Talks of teaching a ‘Bunch of Knuckleheads’ to fly B-25 bombers, which he distinguishes from fighter plane by calling them ‘four-wheels’ instead of two. Tells her that the army keeps saying they are going to send him to the Pacific theater, which he is none to happy about, having spent time in Japan before the war and having no desire to return, says that he is risking his life enough teaching men to fly and clearly has no wish to see active combat duty in the Pacific. In Dec. 44 writes to her about his friend ‘Oats’ Thomas in an armor division in Belgium, who had just fought in the battle of Aachen, on the Siegfried Line and the 1st major German city to fall to the Allies. Talks of ‘Oats’ in several of his letters, including just after D-Day, when he said he is now ‘on the beach’ and Sept. 4 when he writes ‘You mentioned Oats. At this writing he is occupying space in an English hospital. Tried to capture Paris single handed. His tank was shot up and he was burned about the arms. Nice friendly game. Wish he’d be more careful.’ There is also a photograph, from ‘Oats’ showing the war damaged city of Aachen, Germany. Tells her that he is now in the ‘Panhandle of Texas a sleepy little town, Pampa, What a dump! The powers that be felt the morale of this area was a bit too high so they sent me here. Things are again SNAFU.’ (military slang for Situation Normal, all F**ked Up) After the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan his first letter to jo begins with ‘Heil Truman!’ Seven letters from Captain C.B. Dollison Army Air Corps Material Command, 21 letters from Edward Sullivan, Army Air Corps from Grosse Point, Mich., who was with the 581 Materials Squadron, 75th Service Group, stationed in Robin Field, Ga. And later in San Antonio, Texas. The last two letters are from a war worker named Deanie at the Curtiss Airplane Division, Curtiss-Wright Corp. in Columbus, Ohio, who appears to be a female friend. Air Material command was headquartered at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio. The Air Corps Materiel Command which was established in 1926 was designated Air Materiel Command on 9 March 1942, and served as the aeronautical Research and Development Center for the AAF. It was responsible for procurement, and contracting for purchase of all aircraft and related equipment used by the War Department, Columbus, Ohio. Capt. Dollison letters have some very interesting content, as he was being sent around the world. He was in the South Pacific, Russia, France, and at the end of the war in Europe was in Germany and Berlin and gives some very interesting details of the destruction there, as well as in France. Other letters have interesting hand colored drawings of Red Cross evens for soldiers, many are on illustrated Unit stationary and much more. Joan or Jo as several of these guys knew her appears to have been a popular gal with the fly boys of WWII. Joan did not marry any of the flyboys from this group of letters, she instead married Dr. Thomas John Hancock, M.D. a childhood friend who also grew up in Marietta and served as a Captain with the U.S. Army Medical Corps in Europe during WWII. So while Hancock was off to war she was doing a bit of flirting at least.

With normal folds, else Very Good.