Dear Mom:- Letters Home From the War in the Pacific
Navigator
20th Air Force
XXI Bomber Command
313 Bombardment Wing
505th Bombardment Group
483rd Bombardment Squadron
Distinguished
Flying Cross
Air Medal
Purple Heart
Asia-Pacific
Campaign Medal
American
Campaign Medal
World War II
Victory Medal
On December 3, 1942, my father, George O’Laughlin, enlisted in the US Army while a student at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend Indiana. In June 1943, he reported for duty at Camp Grant in Rockford Illinois, to begin his military service ‘for the duration of the war plus 6 months’, which would turn out to be just under 3 years when he was discharged in January 1946.
He was assigned to the Army Air Corps and earned his wings as a navigator of the B-29 Superfortress bomber. In March 1945 he deployed to Tinian and, with his crew, completed 24 bombing missions in the run-up to the end of the war in the Pacific theater.
Through letters home to his widowed mother during the war and in voice recordings made in 2010 when he spoke openly about his wartime experiences for the first time, he reflects on the distant yet still raw memories of his wartime service.
This website is authored by Kevin O’Laughlin (kevolaughlin@gmail.com) and Brian Ronan (BRonan3995@fpsed.org).
©2010-2019 Kevin O’Laughlin. All rights reserved.
Audio recordings of George O’Laughlin are ℗2010-2019 Kevin O’Laughlin.
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
NYT Pearl Harbor
New York Times
Notre Dame
“I was just 17 and technically not old enough to enlist. Most were over 18 and I had friends and acquaintances who finished the semester and didn’t return to school in the winter semester.”
Singapore falls
Singapore falls
Enlisting in the Army
Reporting for Duty
Camp Grant
” I arrived here at Camp Grant about 1 or 1:30. I don’t know what is on the program for tonight but tomorrow I guess we have our physical exams and probably get some equipment.”
Camp Grant – Classification
"...Yesterday morning we took three tests - one on mechanical things, the second a signal corps test and the third and most important an IQ test...I almost had a pass yesterday but missed by the skin of my teeth..."
...well, another 'strenuous' day is well on its way to being over. This morning I took the Air Corps mental test. It took the entire morning and this afternoon when I went back to the Aviation Board I found out that i had passed. I was back here in the barracks at about 2 and from then until now (4:30pm) I've just laid around and slept...
...I need you to send my birth certificate and those three letters as fast as you can...unexpectedly I passed the Air Corps physical and I'll need them...I don't know how I got through eyesight...
On to Truax Field
On to Truax
"...I left Camp Grant at 6 o'c this morning and arrived here at Truax Field at about 9:30. It didn't look so hot as we drove thru this morning. The barracks were covered with tar paper and were not nice looking...This is an aviation reception center and we'll be here for two weeks..."
...we have been having an hour or two of drill the past couple of days. That isn't half bad. We drill out to one side of the airport and we get a chance to see some planes come in and take off...
...this morning I guarded the ordnance buildings from 8 to 12. If I keep on getting different assignments I might get close to the airplance hangars. I'm getting closer every day...
...most of the fellows in my barracks shipped out this morning and almost immediately a new group arrived from Camp Grant...I don't have anything to do this afternoon but hang around the barracks and see that everything is on the up and up...see if you can pick up a map of the U.S. so when I do get moving I'll know where we're going...
Postcard
"Well, we're patiently awaiting our next move..."
ID Badge
Miami bound!
Basic Training
"Tuesday AM...Well, I am now on my way to Miami Beach...we left Truax yesterday afternoon...we are now in Cincinatti...merrily we ride along...we just passed through Knoxville Tennessee...we just passed through Atlanta...we are now in Florida and it won't be long now. Since we are close to the coast there are few lights on...Thurs AM...We arrived in Miami at about 1am... "
Miami Beach
"...By this time I am a little more acquainted with Miami Beach but not a heck of a lot...we are in what is known as quarantine and are not allowed to leave the hotel...we will be here for a month or two...for the first 15 days we are known as miserable gophers... "
Miami Beach
Strolling downtown Miami
Beach Plaza Hotel
On the Beach
Douglas bomber on display
...yesterday we were taken out to the beach and had a chance to try out ocean water...it was very warm and just as salty...some are here for just 2 1/2 weeks but on the other hand some have been around 5 or 6 months, but usually its about a month and a half...after this we go on to college, the length of time varies with [the results] of a series of examinations given here...
...we finally got going today and they really kept us on the jump...at 7am we were taken out to a park a good ways away. There we were given a couple of lectures, one on meteorology and the other on algebra...as far as the lectures are concerned they were a waste of time...at 12pm we were on our way to the rifle range...we were carried there on big open semi-trailers...I had a chance to fire the Thompson sub- machine gun...there are lots of rumors...that we won't be here long...they are really speeding things up...
...we went out to a field about half a mile away...It's a park that has been taken over and it is there that we have lectures in everything under the sun...we're going to be restricted tonight...I hear that there is going to be a shipment of upperclassmen and in order that everything will go off without a hitch everyone stays in...
...we moved yesterday from the Hotel Charles to the Beach Plaza...we were very fortunate to get a corner room...we've been kept on the jump pretty much this week...this morning we went out into the field and listened to two lectures, one on public speaking and the other on company funds...I had to go on guard duty last nite from 12 til 2 so I didn't get much sleep...
...we were taken off of quarantine last nite which was entirely ok by us...last nite 3 of us went down to the Servicemen's Pier and explored that. It's a pier built out into the ocean for a short ways. On it are all kinds of recreation halls including a dance floor...
...this card seems fairly appropriate...we were out on the gas range and familiarized with the use of the gas mask...we all get a real dose of tear gas...that stuff really smarts...
...the whole training group I'm in - that is the 422nd - plus a couple of others...have vacated the downtown hotels and have gone to the outskirts of town...we're in a two story apartment building...we are in a civilian area...there is a cottage right below us and the woman next door just got through asking us to make less noise so that we wouldn't wake up the baby...I wonder what she's going to say at 5am tomorrow morning...
The Sticks
...we got paid this afternoon...but we're so far out in the sticks that it's hard telling what a fellow can do...
Awaiting Shipment
"...We are awaiting further news in regard to shipment...very few have shipped from the Beach of late and that indicates that there will be a big shipment soon...i've found out that a lot of the fellows who have had advanced courses in physics and math are shoved into navigator's training. I wouldn't mind that so bad. I imagine you could learn something there..."
NYT August 23, 1943
New York Times
...we were made upperclassmen yesterday and what is more important got our Class B passes so we immediately took off for Miami...I'm beginning to believe that there is more doing over here (the Beach) though...we are awaiting news on shipping out...
...today was just another day - drill, lectures in the morning and in the afternoon more lectures, physical training and retreat...some of the fellows - just 5 or 6 - left today. One bunch went to the U of Alabama and another went somewhere in North Carolina...I hope I will get a good deal further north than that...
...there's a rumor with pretty good foundation that we will be made regular cadets at pre-flight. That means more pay, higher rank, and insurance paid for us. By higher rank I mean that we will be real aviation cadets. Down here we are really QAC or Qualified Air Cadets...
Keeling over
"...Today we had something new and different, that being a review staged for a new colonel coming to take charge of part of the outfit...this morning we spent a couple of hours drilling for the event and this afternoon...the review was performed... and it was as sultry as ever. Part of the review consists of standing at attention long stretches of time and, as is usually the case, a couple of guys keeled over... "
...I got lucky today - a lot of fellows in my squadron were pulled out unexpectedly early this morning for K.P but not me...my luck still holds fast...we've finished our regular course, at least we were told we had, yesterday and tomorrow we start over and have to listen to the very same dull lectures all over again. Let's hope it won't last long...
...did I tell you that I'm in my 3rd day of training now? You see we started over on Monday and are repeating the same darn thing out in the field...needless to say it's darn tiresome...more and more fellows are shipping out...the best part of the squadron by far is still here but the rate of departures is increasing...the fellows that have left are now spread out all over the country: California, Texas, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Georgia, Wisconsin - these pre-flight schools are throughout the U.S...
...last night this squadron broke ranks in front of the mess hall and were seen doing it...tonight we found out that we're restricted to our hotel during all of our free time through till Monday morning...naturally that announcement pleased everyone...yesterday a cadet lieutenant got 'washed out' - the first one - in general they are no better than the rest of us...things seem pretty disorganized...
Sept 7 to be uploaded
Sep 9, 1943 to be uploaded
...we finally were placed on shipping (Fri night) and since then we've been getting ready to move...when we'll move on or where we don't know, that is the main topic of conversation now...Friday afternoon we had an inspection and retreat for one of the leading officers down here and it was really something...most of the time was spent standing at attention facing a terrific sun...a lot of the fellows went under but I didn't...
...during the study period us newcomers catch up on these letters while the older fellows supposedly study...
Next stop: University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa
"...Once again I'm on the move. By the time you get this I'll be in Tuscaloosa...we didn't have much luck as far as getting out of the south is concerned..."
On to Pre-Flight School
Pre-flight school
Airfield Tuscaloosa
Dormitory life in Tuscaloosa
Studying hard
On parade.
Practicing formations
Practicing formation
Pre-flight school
"...I suppose you're wanting to know how Alabama is...so far it looks pretty darn good...we live in a fraternity house and the rooms are similar to the ones we had at school. One of the first things we found out was that it's a dry town - not even a drop of beer. We'll be here 4 or 5 months so its going to be quite awhile... "
Sept 21 to be uploaded
Sept 23, 1943
Sep 27 to be uploaded
Sep 29 to be uploaded
Oct 1 to be uploaded
Oct 3 to be uploaded
Oct 9 to be uploaded
Oct 11 to be uploaded
October 15 to be uploaded
Oct 18 to be uploaded
Oct 21 to be uploaded
Oct 29 to be uploaded
Nov 1 to be updated
Nov 8 to be uploaded
Nov 10 to be uploaded
Nov 15 to be uploaded
Nov 17 to be uploaded
Dec 10 to be uploaded
Tuscaloosa, 1943
Dec 11 to be uploaded
Dec 13 to be uploaded
December 15 to be uploaded
Dec 21 to be uploaded
Dec 21 to be uploaded
Dec 23 to be uploaded
Recruitment Posters
Propoganda Posters
