Frederick
L. Steinberg - Letters - Paper Collection
( Submitted
by his niece, Mary )
WORLD WAR II
LETTERS OF FREDERICK L. STEINBERG
82nd Fighter
Group, 96th Fighter Squadron
These letters
were written by Fred to his sister Ruth Steinberg, the younger
of
his two older
sisters. All are on notepad paper in Air Mail envelopes except
for
Nos. 3 & 4
which are V-Mail, letters microfilmed in miniature and mailed
in
small, brown
envelopes.
1. Italy, dated
Oct. 29, 1943. Postmarked Nov. 1, 1943. Addressed to Ruth in
care of their
elder sister Mrs. Louis Hauer in College Station, Texas. Dear
Ruth,
I received
your vmail & was glad to hear you'd given up the long trip. I
was
surprised to
hear it (about the comm.. ??) right after having a vacation &
everything.
I'm sure you'll be much better off there & be able to help just
as
much in any
job you hold in your line of work [nursing and dietetics]. The
food
situation here
is really poor. Our "chow" is terrible at the present, but we
can't
"gripe" much
when we see the little Italian kids getting our "left-overs" from
the garbage
cans. The lower classes haven't the money to buy food with, so
they get very
little. The Germans took everything they could, when they left.
I
got the package
with the candy & cig lighter in it-that the folks sent. I'll be
expecting the
2 Xmas packages-thanks a lot to you all. Wish I could do the
same. I had
2 rolls of film developed here. They're all right but the "developer"
did a poor job.
I can't send any of them home-as yet anyway. Hope Dad gets
his beets in
O.K. after all the work involved [their father was farming in
Iowa]. I
imagine we
all need the sugar. All for now. Take it easy for awhile, Ruth.
Love,
Fred [On the
back of the envelope, Ruth has made notes about her budget:
42.50 for Rent;
8.00 for maid; 1.75 for laundry; 4.50 for ??; 2.00 for carfare;
2.00 for Shows,
etc.; 6.00 for cig.]
2. Italy, dated
Dec. 4, 1943. Postmarked Dec. 23, 1943. Addressed to her in
care of their
father E. R. Steinberg on Route 4 in Mason City, Iowa; readdressed
in care of
the Midway View Apts. on S. Kimbark in Chicago, Ill. The letter
itself is
a short note
on the back of a Christmas card. The card front is drawn in red
and
green, with
a candle in the middle and a bell and holly in each upper corner
with a band
of music notes connecting them. Down one side of the candle is
written "Christmas",
with "Greetings" down the other side. Inside on the left
page is printed:
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year "From the Boys
Overseas!"
Italy 1943 On the right inside page is printed: "May the Christmas
Candle, that
lights the heart with joy, And the New Year's Bells, Ringing songs
of great future,
Burn its brightest, And peel their loudest, FOR YOU!" Signed:
Freddie The
note on the back reads: Hello Ruth, This will be kinda late I
imagine, but
it was the best I could do. I don't have your new address so I'm
sending it
on home. I really hope you have a better Xmas Day than I'm going
to
have. Also
may the new year be a better one for us all. Are you back at your
old job? Love
& Best Wishes, Fred
3. Italy, dated
Dec. 29, 1943. Postmarked Jan. 12, 1944. V-Mail. Fred has her
street address
wrong, and on the front of the envelope is written in pencil
"6017 Kimbark"
where it has been redirected by the Chicago Post Office. Dear
Ruth, This
is just a few lines to let you know that I received your Xmas
package. It
arrived just before Xmas and was in good shape. It was really
a
swell box,
Ruth, & I want you to know that I really appreciate the contributions
& the trouble
that it must have taken to prepare it. Thank you very much!! I
got about 8
or 9 packages this year so it was quite different from last year.
Then too we
had turkey with all the trimmings for dinner. It still wasn't
like
home cooking
though. I hope before the next year is finished we can all be
together again.
Thank you again & bye for now. Your loving bro, Fred
4. Italy, dated
Jan. 19, 1944. Postmarked Feb. 4, 1944. V-Mail. Dear Ruth, I just
got your V-Mail
so I thought I'd better answer it right now while I have the
time. I can
imagine how the folks [in northern Iowa] would be surprised at
finding Tom
[their youngest brother, age 20] home in the morning before
Xmas. Makes
me think of the times I used to go home from Chanute [A.F.B. in
Missouri] &
surprise them the next morning. If I ever get home again I suppose
it will be the
same way. I'm glad you are all settled for a while, Ruth. Routine
sure gets tiresome
at times, doesn't it? Sometimes I think I'll go crazy doing
the same things
all the time. I even get used to excitements etc. Our chow is
good now & we
have good tents with stoves (gas) so we keep pretty warm
most of the
time. If you can send some candy it would really be appreciated,
but please
don't stand short yourself. Guess I'd better turn in now. Love,
Fred
5. Italy, dated
Jan. 30, 1944. Postmarked Jan. 31, 1944. Dear Ruth, I received
your letter
of Jan. 17 last nite. It must have flown all the way for it took
only 12
days. It seems
more like talking to you when they come that fast. I'm sorry
about the picture,
Ruth. I thought I'd sent you one. It may have gotten lost. I
have no more
of them or the negative either, but you could have the folks get
one made from
the print they have-if you care to bother. The coat is warm
alright. It
is a flying jacket & sheepskin lined & is waist length. They are
nice for
moves, riding
around in open trucks, sweating out airplanes [?], etc. But we
usually work
in something less bulky. Thank you for the picture of Linda, [his
niece, age
5; daughter of their elder sister Esther] it is really cute. I
have it up
on my tent
wall. There are five of my buddies in the tent with me & they
said to
be sure & have
you send that Vargo calendar. We get plenty of cig, soap, &
razor blades
(I still have some razor blades I brought from the states). We
don't get but
very little candy so if you can & it's not too much trouble, send
it.
Any kind is
good over here. We often joke about setting up our "pup" tents
on
the lawn when
we get home & carrying our "mess" kits to "chow". But joking is
as far as it
is going to go! I'm sure I'll be able to sleep in a good bed &
under a
roof. Although
I'll probably miss the air raid alarms etc. Oh say, could you
send
me some hair
oil? Fitches is preferable. It would have to be wrapped good so
it
won't break.
I have one roll of film left. If you could get me some more (even
1
or 2) it would
be swell. It take #616 film. I haven't run into any M.C. [Mason
City, Iowa,
their hometown] boys except Ralph Thomas back in Tunisia. It's
hard to find
out where they are at. Don Sims [Simes?] is in New Guinea now.
He
seems to be
getting along alright. He says it's lonely there. (I can imagine!)
I
really hope
you can get home to see John & Tom [2 of their brothers] when
they come home.
I wish I could be there also. Maybe some day if my luck holds
out. This pen
isn't worth a dam. It keeps catching all the time. A few came
in
the P.X. stuff,
but it's really hard to be first in line. Otherwise you don't
get one.
Is the name
of your street Kirnback or Kimback? I hope I got it right. Our
tents
are warm for
we have gas stoves, so we manage to keep warm. I'd better to
bed now so bye
for now. Love, Fred P.S. How did Rich [their oldest brother] get
into the Navy?
6. Italy, dated
Feb. 14, 1944. Postmarked Feb. 15, 1944. Dear Ruth, The last
letter I wrote
to you was Jan. 30--so guess it's about time for another. I got
a
letter of yours
the other day that was written Xmas eve. It took quite awhile
getting here.
Also got a Valentine from Linda Sue [his niece in Texas, age 5]-so
I wrote her
a little letter this morning. I imagine I'll be going to rest
camp
before very
long-for a lot of the boys are going. It's just for a few days
along
the coast someplace.
It's a change though & I guess that's what matters-huh?
Also got a
card from Rich [oldest brother] a while back. He's doing his "boot
training".
By now I imagine he's done. He said he couldn't be sent overseas
so
I guess he
got a good deal out of it. He can probably get home to see his
family
[wife and son
in Maryland] once in a while. This pen is a "Victory model" that
I
got in my rations
the other day. It's not so "hot" but better than my old one. I
haven't the
slightest idea what I'm going to do after the war. I'm thinking
strongly of
going back to Calif. & start. Mostly because of the nice climate.
After this
is over, I don't intend to put up with cold etc.-if I don't have
to. I've
saved around
$1000 since I've been overseas-guess that isn't so bad for me
to
do. I'd better
go for now, Ruth. Hope I get some more mail soon. Bye for now.
Love as ever,
Fred
7. Italy, dated
Aug. 13, 1944. Postmarked Aug. 14, 1944. Addressed to a new
address on S.
Drexel in Chicago. Dear Ruth, I really am ashamed for not writing
for so long.
I just kept putting it off & pretty soon it's a long time. Guess
you've
done it too-so
know how it feels. I was glad to get your 4th July V-Mail. I just
worked on my
birthday [July 8] so it was just like any other day. It doesn't
seem like I'm
25 yrs. After 20 years the years seem to fly bye. I imagine you
know about Rich
[oldest brother] being out to sea now on convoy duty of some
kind. He told
me once that he was on the inactive list & couldn't go to sea.
I'll
bet you a $
he volunteered for it. With a baby in the family [son Dick, born
April
1942] I don't
think he should have done it. I guess everybody gets eager at
first. We have
been getting beer in our rations lately. Last week we got 6
bottles & 2
of Coke. It's a light beer but really good after 2 years without
any. I
just got back
from the show. It was the worst one I've seen in a long time.
Most of the
ones we get have a lot of flag waving in them. Some of the movies
they make are
really stupid. Linda sure has grown fast but then as you say,
I
haven't seen
her since she was a baby [she was born in October 1938]. I'll
bet
she's a smart
little girl in school. Yes, I got the card you sent from N.F.
[Niagara Falls].
I'm glad you had a good time. I'd like to go there some day.
Maybe by the
time I'm forty I'll get married & visit it! Did I ever tell you
my girl
got married?
A year ago last July. She was a sweet blond so I guess it was
to
be expected!
I'm a free man now anyway! I visited Naples & Pompeii a while
back. Naples
is like any other Italian city only bigger. Pompeii as you'll
remember is
where the old Roman ruins of Pompeii were. The new Pompeii is
a
pretty little
city with many cameos. I guess it's the cameo center of the world.
I got a ring
set (a Roman warrior head) that I'm going to have put in a ring-if
I
ever get back
home. You can't get any good rings here for the metal is no
good. The Pompeii
ruins were all dug up from the volcanic ashes of Mt.
Vesuvius. Some
of them are still under the ashes. It was really interesting to
see their customs
& art & paintings etc. There is painting of Roman figures still
on the walls
after over 2 thousand years. They have never been able to
produce a paint
(that is permanent) like it. Guess I'll go now for I should write
to John [one
of their brothers] yet. Write again soon, Ruth, & hope to see
you
by Xmas. (I
won't say which year.) Love, Freddie P.S. We have 548 enemy vic.
in the air.
A record.
8. Italy, dated
Sept. 23, 1944. Postmarked Sept. 24, 1944. Dear Ruth, I've just
finished writing
to Tom [youngest brother] & Esther [older sister] so I thought
while I was
at it & in the mood, I'd drop you a few lines. I just got a letter
from
Esther today.
She seems happy now that they've got things pretty well settled
in the new house.
[in Bryan, Texas, where they went from a rental to a house
they were buying]
Linda has started to school now so I suppose Esther will
have more time
to herself at least in the daytime. In his last letter I think
Tom
said he had
visited you in Chicago. I imagine you had a good visit. How does
he
look now? I'll
bet the army life agrees with him. I think I told you about meeting
Rich [oldest
brother] in Naples. He's probably back to the States by now. We
had a swell
visit after 5 years of not seeing each other. He looks & acts
about
the same only
he has a long beard so it was kinda hard to tell about looks.
(Makes him
look rugged.) He didn't know me until I grinned so I guess I've
changed some
in the last 5 years. The time sure flys doesn't it? The 27th we
celebrate 2
years overseas. I imagine there will be a lot of drunks that day.
We're having
some kind of party. We got another citation the other day. That
makes 3 now.
One ribbon & 2 oak leaf clusters. A cluster means the same as
another ribbon.
I don't believe very many outfits have 3 of them. We got this
for a successful
dive bomb attack on some Ploesti oil refineries that the heavy
bombers couldn't
hit, because of a smoke screen the enemy always laid down.
We came in low
& took them by surprise. We have 550 air victories now.
Probably won't
get anymore for the enemy don't seem to have any move to
send up. Several
of our G.I.s have gone home on rotation. Most of them have
been men over
30 years old. Maybe I'll get to go back when I'm 30. Just 5 more
years! Well,
Ruth, I suppose I'd better stop for now & go to bed. I think it's
a
maintenance
(repair) day tomorrow (repair day & usually no flying). Bye for
now. Love, Fred
P.S. Write soon!
(Transcribed
from the original letters by Fred's niece, Mary , June 2006).
Page 2
'CLICK' Page
Number
1,
>BACK<
*******************************************************************
Feel free to e-mail
if you have any questions or comments.
If you have any information, photos, stories,
etc. please get in contact with us.
