I'll Call It Like I See It

by sheila morris

Author: Sheila Morris

  • a man of letters (10) – some of us are lucky


    March, 1945 began as February had ended – with more missions to fly (Reuthingen and Bohlen) – but with an unexpected visit from a friend who had been with him in navigation school in Texas and an equally unexpected promotion. In a letter dated March 06th. he wrote the following:

    “Dear Folks,

    Today I got a letter from you, Mama, and a Valentine box of candy, of which both were appreciated same. I get about as many packages now as I do letters. Well, I have about 10 more missions to go. Really going to town. Tremendous amount of speed.

    Art Montana just came over to see me. I had about a day and a half with him. He has 12 missions in. I told him I had more hours on oxygen than he’s got in his whole stay in the Air Corps. He’s looking good. He says I’m gaining weight. I do weigh about 10 stones now. That’s British for 140 pounds. A stone is equivalent to 14 pounds. I don’t think the scales are right. I know I’m not that heavy. Although my eyelids feel like they weigh tons sometimes. Not so good, huh?

    Mort and Montana are at the same field. They don’t run around together much. Mort drinks quite a bit. Montana takes a drink occasionally, but not excessively.

    I had good news in one way today, but it’ll mean a little more work for me. Oh, well. I guess I can stand anything for a while. Understand I’m not moaning. Silver looks better than gold anyway, doesn’t it?

    Well, folks, I guess you’ve had it for tonight.

    I love you, Glenn Lewis”

    Glenn Lewis wanted to tell his parents about his promotion from second to first lieutenant on March 6th. His insignia changed from a gold bar to a silver one. He had mixed emotions about the change with good reason. The March targets continued at a relentless pace.

    Gelsenkirchen, another industrial center for the Third Reich…Kassel again…Koesfeld…Hamelin, a town in lower Saxony, famous for its medieval tale of The Pied Piper of Hamelin. No fairy tales being told that day as the smoke rose from its ruins.

    Zoesen…Molbes…Berlin again…Dorsten…Recklinghausen…each city and town a dot on a map that became worn with repeated markings. Every day brought more assignments and more waiting for orders to fly.

    On April 1, 1945 the newly promoted 1st. Lieutenant Morris wrote the following letter to his girl back home, Selma, who was in the middle of her second semester at Baylor University in Waco:

    “Dearest Darling,

    Today, Easter Sunday, I went to church. I was very happy to make it. I thought I wouldn’t be able to. (I know, don’t end a sentence with a preposition.) Oh well, some of us are lucky.

    I hope you had a nice service. I’ll enjoy a good church service when I get back.

    I got your beautiful picture, and it doesn’t flatter you contrary to what you said. It is a lot like you, but there are a lot of things I see in you that can never be captured in a picture, if you know what I mean. There’s something about you that would make a good boy leave a good home. Even me.

    I just listened to Jack Benny. How about that? You wouldn’t think I could but that’s combat for you.

    Well, Love of my Life, until soon,

    I love you,

    Glenn”

    Selma

    1st. Lieutenant Glenn Morris

    Finally, on April 07, 1945 the Flying Fortress flew its 35th. and last mission that targeted an air field in Wesendorf, a city in Lower Saxony. Lieutenant Glenn Morris and almost all of his crew had been lucky to survive a second world war which destroyed millions of people around the globe. D-Day was two months away in June, the atomic bombs in Japan would follow in August; but for these men of the Flying Fortress the war was effectively over.

    On April 20, 1945 Lt. Morris wrote to his parents one final time from  Europe.

    “Dear Kids,

    It shouldn’t be too long now. Get the black-eyed peas and fried chicken ready.

    I love you,

    Glenn”

    In a world before the internet with its instantaneous communications via social media, Skype, email, iPhones, iPads, and smart phones – in a world before smart tvs or any tvs for that matter, a young boy became a man while he penned letters to his family and girlfriend back home in a tiny southeast Texas town still divided into black and white by one Main Street with no traffic lights. From the flowery love letters to the letters characterized as much by what they didn’t say as what they did, the idealism of his youth underwent extraordinary trials by fire.

    Stay tuned.

     

     

     

     

     

  • a man of letters (9) – bombs away…and away…and away


    February, 1945 brought new targets for the twenty-year-old Richards, Texas homeboy 2nd. Lieutenant Glenn Morris, navigator for a B-17 bomber called The Fortress in the  365th. bomber squadron of the Eighth Air Force stationed in England during WWII.

    Ludwigshafen, a city on the Rhine opposite Mannheim, on February 1st…tons of bombs dropped on two chemical plants supplying vital chemicals to the German military efforts…two days later (February 03) The Fortress finally made it to Berlin, the capitol of Hitler’s Third Reich…six days later on the 9th. the mission was a smaller town called Lutzendorf…

    Flying at altitudes of 20,000 feet for most bombing runs meant long hours of very cold temperatures in confined cramped spaces where the oxygen was “scarce,” to quote Glenn’s description of the experience during training exercises. Smoke from the fires below and the gunfire surrounding The Fortress during its missions made his eyes burn and breathing even more difficult. The sounds of machine guns reverberated in his sleep at night. The sights of cities burning beneath him seared into his memory forever. Death and destruction. The call of bombs away and away and away couldn’t be tuned out at night when he waited for sleep to come.

    After the Lutzendorf mission, the crew had a break for several days. On February 12th, Lt. Morris wrote the following letter to his parents – it’s the only correspondence preserved from that month. He was so happy getting his letters from home – even his daddy wrote to his son. I would love to have that letter.

    “Dear Folks,

    Just a line to let you know I’m O.K. I’m doing better about the writing, am I not? I will write when I have time. You know I will, cause I’m supposed to.

    I got my haircut today. I’m looking very sharp in my leather jacket. You didn’t know I had one, did you?

    Yesterday I went to church. It was the first time I’ve been in England. It was the first time I’ve had a chance. I can remember when I seldom missed a Sunday. Do you remember, too?

    I got 3 letters from you, Mama, and one from you, Daddy. The latest one was the 23rd. of January. I get your letters very quickly. Keep writing direct mail. I like them better. Well, kids, you’ve had it. I love you,

    Glenn”

    George Morris with his son Glenn in Richards, Texas

    Lt. Glenn Morris the navigator

     list of missions flown by Lt. Morris

    in his own handwriting on personal stationery

    An even dozen bombing runs were made in February, 1945…Dresden, Bdadnnitz, Nuremberg (twice), Wittenberg, Hamburg (the second largest city in Germany where the new U-boats were under construction, but the mission failed due to cloud cover), Munich (the third largest city in Germany, located in Bavaria at the northern edge of the Alps near Austria, near Hitler’s infamous Eagle’s Nest where Nazi leaders gathered for strategic planning), Berlin again and Saist, a much smaller town.

    Tail Gunner Pfc. Klepps killed in action

    during mission in February, 1945

    Twenty-three bombing runs completed by the end of February, and one member of the crew of The Fortress had gone home without his buddies.

    (image from Wikipedia)

    Stay tuned.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • a man of letters (8) – combat! January, 1945


    Three days after Christmas in 1944,  2nd. Lt. Glenn Morris flew the first of his 35 bombing missions over Germany with his crew of The Fortress. Their first target was Siegburg, a town near Bonn in the North Rhine – Westphalia region. That night he wrote Selma another letter, but the mission clearly shook him. This letter’s tone introduced a note of uncertainty about their relationship that he hadn’t expressed in his previous ones.

    (the only letter with blue markings)

    censorship or Selma?

    “Dearest Darling,

    I’ve often wondered if you couldn’t guess just how much I miss you at different times. You know, sometimes you are the only thing that makes me want to be back there. I could go on forever telling you that I see you everywhere I go & etc., but you’d enjoy that too much.

    In not so long a time I’ll be back with you. It already seems like ages to me. Do you ever sorta forget about me, unconsciously, I mean, just forget. That is one of the most horrible things I can think of. Well, enough of that.

    Tonight some of the guys wanted me to play on the Field team, but I had a rather hard day so, for once, I refused a basketball game.

    Well, Baby, I must go to sleep, for I am very tired, but not too tired to say goodnight to the one I love.

    Yours forever,

    Glenn”

    Selma, the girl back home

    On New Year’s Eve, their target was Kassel…then Magdeburg on New Year’s Day, 1945…next up was Modrath near Cologne on January 3rd…Cablenz on the 5th. – names of places he probably had a hard time spelling – much less pronouncing – but places he had to locate as the navigator for his crew of The Fortress.

    He had a break for eight days and wrote to his parents at home in Richards, Texas on January 8, 1945. His older brother Ray was also in England with the 8th. Air Corps. Ray worked on the ground crew for airplane maintenance and loaded the bombs for the flyboys.

    Glenn (l.) and Ray with their mother before the war

    Ray

    Ray (l.) and buddies on leave

    “Dear Folks,

    It shouldn’t be too long before I get a letter from you now. Klepps, the tail gunner, got 2 letters addressed to this APO, so if you’re not falling down on the job, I should be hearing from you very soon. I might say that I’ve missed those letters quite a bit. Tell Selma she’d better write every day or I’ll divorce her. That would be a low blow, wouldn’t it?

    Now Mama, don’t get alarmed, but I have a slight cold again. It’s the first one I’ve had in a long time. I take sulfa diazine tablets every day. That probably explains it. Other than the slight cold, I am O.K. I know there’s no use to tell you not to worry about me cause you’ve been doing that so long it’s got to be habit. There’s no use in your quitting now. Ha.

    I’m to see Ray once and for all next Sunday and Monday. Every 3 weeks we get 48 hour passes, and finally my turn is coming up. Here is part of our conversation.

    “Glenn! Glenn! Is that you?”

    “Yes, it’s me, Ray.”

    “Well, where have you been? You little devil what happened to you? I’ve been worried about you. How many missions have you flown? Etc.”

    He’s still the same old boy. Have you heard anything about Dick Merrill {a friend from Richards}? He’s probably a P.W. There’s a better than even chance he is.

    A mobile PX came here the other day. I bought 15 pounds worth of stuff. That’s about $60. I bought another blouse that I’m gonna have made into a battle jacket. They are sharp.

    Hoping to hear from you soon,

    Your oldest son,

    Glenn

    Tell Lucy to write to me.”

    Lucy

    Lucy (r.) and friend Maureen

    Glenn’s sister Lucy and Selma’s brother Charlie

    (good friends – Richards was a very small town)

    Charlie joined the Navy…

    ( along with Selma’s oldest brother Marion and cousin C.H.)

    Selma’s mother and oldest brother Marion in Richards

    Missions continued through January…Karlsruhe, a city near the French border where a large Jewish population had been deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp before the strike…then Paderborn… followed by Aschaffenberg in Bavaria…the largest target in January was Cologne which was a Military Area Command Headquarters for the German army and the fourth largest city in Germany…January ended with a second run over Coblenz.

    On January 22, 1945 in the midst of these military activities, Glenn took time to write to Selma who was back at Baylor University in Waco after her Christmas break.

    “Dearest Selma,

    I’m sorry again that I haven’t written you within the last few minutes. Are you getting my letters? I suppose you are. Very dull, isn’t it? I could tell you a lot, Baby, but better not. Will you settle for something new like, ‘I love you’? I know you get tired of that. It is so trite, yet so true.

    I got the scarf yesterday, and how did you know it was cold over here? It will really make old Ray’s eyes widen the next time I see him, which will be soon, I hope. He’s on pass now, I suppose. Funny thing, he can’t some to see me, but I can go to see him. He can, but he won’t. That girl in Doncaster takes up his time.

    Very peaceful scene tonite. Three of us around the stove writing letters and the radio going full tilt. I never had it so good. Still there is something missing. You, no doubt.

    Write to me often now, little girl. I love you,

    Glenn”

    Glenn

    The air strikes came fast and furious for the airmen in January of 1945 while all of their families and friends back home fretted about their safety. How many would come home, they wondered…we’ll wait with them for now.

    Stay tuned.

  • a man of letters (7) – absence makes the heart…


    Glenn at home in Richards, Texas before the war

    Remember the slightly underweight 18-year-old rural Texas boy who enlisted in the Army Air Corps in June, 1943 and wrote to his parents that he had to do “what I feel is right for me” following his enlistment? Eighteen months later, this 20-year-old young man horsed around with his Air Force buddies at a base near London, England – waiting for their first combat assignment. Thanksgiving had come and gone; now Christmas loomed large in their minds. They would be an ocean away from home during the holidays in 1944.

    Glenn (on shoulders) and his buddies

    On December 19, 1944, 2nd. Lt. Glenn L. Morris wrote this letter to his girlfriend Selma who was finishing her first semester at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

    “Dearest Darling,

    I promised myself that I’d write every day to you once I got overseas. Do I do that? Not quite. We do have a pretty heavy schedule right at the present. That should be over with fairly soon. Then I’ll try to write every 2 days anyway. It’s just twice as hard to write now since you can’t say anything that might endanger our security here. Oh well, I’ll have a lot to tell you when I get back. I probably won’t tell you much then, cause we’ll have more important things to talk about. Me & you, for example. Selma, do you want a ring. I mean, you told me all the time you didn’t, so I naturally believed you so sincerely that it made me quite unhappy, if you remember. Anyway, I wouldn’t give you one unless I was there in person.

    There isn’t much entertainment for officers here. The food is good, I think. They don’t have much candy, however. That wasn’t so subtle, was it? If you can get any old beat up candy bars, ship them to your old daddy. Be a good baby cause I love you,

    Glenn”

    Meanwhile, back in Waco at Baylor University…

    Selma made new friends

    Glenn wrote another letter to Selma on December 22, 1944. He had marriage on his mind.

    “Dearest Darling,

    As the fog comes on little cats’ feet. (Where have I heard that before, oh yes ‘Fog’; Carl Sandberg). I’ve forgotten what romantic stuff I was about to give you. You’d be surprised at the sentimental thoughts I’ve been thinking anyway. By the way, will you marry me?

    Last night Dan and I played basketball. We played two games and won both. Some sort of league. All I know is I can hardly walk I’m so sore. Honey, do you think I’m getting old. I’ve told you about my mustache, haven’t I? If I haven’t, it’s really sharp. Of course, it is a shade blonde. I think you would like it. Most of my public does.

    Saw a show tonight, ‘Road to Frisco.’ It was pretty good. The title was ‘They Drive by Night’ when I saw it before.

    Well, Baby, outa space again.

    I love you,

    Glenn”

    On Christmas Eve, December 24, 1944 the Army Air Corps lieutenant wrote again to Selma.

    “Dearest Darling,

    As I think of all the Christmases past, my thoughts naturally are of you. You will always be associated with my pleasant memories. I have no memories other than good ones of you. In fact, I think of you as everything good. I’m not as good as you are, honey, in thousands of ways, but I do love you, if that makes up for any of my faults.

    Would you like to know how I’m spending Xmas eve? Well, the whole crew got together a little while ago & played poker. I never played poker you know before getting into the Army. I think I’m weaker in many ways than I used to be. Well, we sent the boys (enlisted men) after some little pies they can buy at their club. They should be back shortly. We have a pretty good time together.

    Darling, I’m anxiously awaiting your first letter. I’m sure you are writing and will never quit as I’ll never quit loving you.

    Merry Xmas, Glenn”

    Hm. Does absence make the heart grow fonder…or wander…

    Selma and a boy named Tommy at Baylor

    We’ll leave Glenn waiting for his first letter from Selma at Christmas with combat waiting for him just around the corner. His mother, father and sister Lucy celebrated Christmas in Texas, but both sons were worlds away so the mood was somber.

    Glenn and Ray’s sister Lucy (far l. and far r.)

    with their parents George and Betha

    Stay tuned.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • a man of letters (6) – love letters, that is


    While Glenn was in combat training in the Midwest, Selma was busy getting settled into her new life in Waco at Baylor University. Since her mother didn’t have a car and wouldn’t  even know how to drive one if she had it, Glenn’s parents volunteered to transport Selma and  her suitcases to college for the fall semester, 1944. Selma was seventeen years old at the time.

    Glenn’s daddy loaded Selma’s suitcases…

    …while both mothers hovered

    Louise (Selma’s mother) in the middle and Betha (Glenn’s mother)

    Selma and a friend check out local sandwich shop in Waco

    Glenn sent this Western Union telegram to his parents on November 15, 1944. He had planned to return to Texas for his 20th. birthday on October 06 (and his mother’s birthday two weeks later) – but didn’t make it home.

    “Am sorry couldn’t come home but only got four days. Don’t write to old address after Friday. Will write later. Love, Glenn”

    The two months of combat training concluded in November of that year, and The Crew shipped out to join the 8th. Air Corps in England. They made a brief detour for more maneuvers in Iceland before reaching their European destination near London. This was Glenn’s last letter before crossing the Pond. He wrote to Selma at the last minute, November 28, 1944.

    “Dearest Darling,

    As the snow lingeringly falls upon our unattractive barracks, I pause for a moment in my menial tasks to give my love to the only one in my life. There are times when you can’t help but be a little disgusted with me, because I am so unthinking and negligent.

    I am lucky to have someone waiting for me who is forgiving and understanding. I do appreciate it. That is one thing I have to look forward to, your waiting for me when I get back.

    Well, a little of what I’m doing. I’m expecting to leave as soon as the weather clears. I’ll probably go to the European theater of action. I’ll probably even get to see Ray. That’s just my idea. But my ideas are generally pretty good.

    We were to fly a mission today, but it started snowing this morning and hasn’t quit. We have to fly that mission before we leave. Oh well, the sooner, the quicker. I’ve already shipped my clothes over and part of them home.

    We were lucky enough to get a ship. Only 1/2 of the crews got ships.

    Dan insists I go with him to the PX. PX – PT what’s the difference?

    Be good, Darling.

    I love you,

    Glenn”

    The month of December was a long one for Glenn and The Crew who were now on a temporary layover in Iceland waiting for their first assignments. Glenn wrote letters to Selma who was finishing her first semester at Baylor. This one is dated December 07, 1944.

    “Dearest Darling,

    You’ve probably been thinking nasty things about me again, but I have a legitimate excuse this time. You won’t chastise me, will you? You’re a pretty good kid. I guess that’s why I love you. I know it’s not because you’re so pretty and sweet. Imagine your being sweet.

    Of course, I’m sorry. You wanted to know where I am. I’m in Iceland. Beautiful place. You’d love it, I’m sure. This is only temporary, however. Lucky me…You wouldn’t believe it, I’m sure, but I saw a good show today, Mrs. Parkington.

    Montana and Mort are no longer with me. Maybe they’ll get here soon. I miss them.

    I expect to be able to see Ray soon. I’d sure like to see the old fat boy. You know, it’s been a long time. Then, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.

    I’m sorry about Christmas, but you know how it is. I told Mama to get you something. All my love goes with whatever it is. Mama was laboring under the assumption that you wanted a ring. Set her straight, will you.

    Be a good kid and write often. More than usual.

    I love you,

    Glenn”

    “fat boy” Ray (l.) and Glenn in Richards before war

    Four days later, on December 11th. he wrote from England.

    “Dearest Darling,

    I am in England now. Enough said. Or that’s all I can say anyway.  I think I like it here all right. The food’s o.k. I see a cinema every day. I hadn’t seen “Cobra Woman” until  today. It wasn’t so good. I suppose you’ve seen it.

    I’ve seen several fellows I knew at Oklahoma A & M, Laredo, & San Marcos. Glad to see the old boys, renew acquaintances & what not.

    I haven’t seen much of England yet but really intend to when I get away from here. Too bad you are not here to see it with me. Some day we’ll be together again, just you and me. Can you think of anything more wonderful? Sorry – I can’t either.

    As I said in one of my previous letters, I’m sorry I can’t be there for Xmas. This will probably reach you about Xmas so here’s wishing you a Merry Xmas and sending all my love.

    Glenn”

    Waiting, waiting, waiting for that first assignment…

    Meanwhile, Selma made new friends at Baylor.

    Selma (l.) and girlfriends outside dorm

    Selma (2nd from left) on campus

    The Richards 2nd. Lt. was a long, long way from home like too many other soldiers were in the holiday season during World War II. He wrote four more letters to Selma in December including one on the 28th., a few days before his first bombing mission which was on New Year’s Eve over Germany in a city called Kassel where a subcamp of the Dachau concentration camp was located.

    We’ll save those for next time. Thanks for staying tuned.

    ***********************************

    Congratulations to the Charleston City Council for their apology on “Juneteenth” this week for the city’s participation in the institution of slavery. According to AP reporter Tom Foreman, Jr. the Council approved a resolution that is a “denouncement of slavery, a promise of tolerance in the future and a proposal for an office of racial reconciliation.” This is a positive step toward a healing process which I hope all cities will embrace. Bravo. I couldn’t be more pleased.

    The AP report quotes Councilman Gregorie: “It was wrong to enslave people, to treat them as chattel and sell their children and break up their families. Sound familiar? It’s happening today, folks.”

    Yes, sadly. Too sadly. People of good will must continue to press for a plan to reunite the families who have been severely damaged by those who have no regard for the worth of a human life or real respect for the “family values” they have campaigned on for years.

    As for the Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, I am trying to understand how you don’t know where infants and toddlers separated from their parents who are seeking asylum in our country are located. Seriously?