438th AAA AW BN
APO 578 % Postmaster, N.Y.
England
3 April, 1944 1400
Wilma, sweetheart –
Twenty-one months ago today I went into active service. It’s getting to be a long time – and yet I can recall very vividly all that has happened and I can’t make myself believe that almost two years of my life have slipped by, with me in uniform. I’m just looking forward to the day when I can merely look back on it all – which reminds me of the bird called the “Oozle-finch”, which always flies backwards. It doesn’t care where it’s going, it just wants to know where it’s been. Did you ever hear of such a bird, dear? – And you won’t find it in the dictionary –
I got Phil and Florence’s address and I’ll jot them a note. If you say they’d like to hear from me, darling, I’ll be glad to write. You mention a Sylvia as asking for me. Do I know her – or is she one of the children?
I’m glad you like Nancy Rowe. Somehow in the few times I had met her I found her a little more sincere and real than many of her friends seemed. Your description of Abbot is true. There’s something peculiar about him – or he’s hard to know, I’m not sure which. But the truth is I never did get to meet them very often. When I was in Salem, I came into town on a Saturday night – only occasionally. It was after I closed my practice that I started to get around a bit more.
I don’t remember Jay’s name – but I do recall that it wasn’t too fancy, and Wendie needs a rather neat surname it seems to me. Darling, we shouldn’t have too much trouble naming our children.
Yesterday, dear, Sunday – was another quiet, peaceful day and to walk around the streets of this pretty little town – you could almost forget there was a war on – were not so many soldiers on the streets. Charlie and I just hung around the room, read, listened to the radio and generally killed the day. He told me about what he had done in London, how much he had had to drink, etc. etc.
This morning, another new week and the same old routine. Charlie and I are hanging around the Dispensary now. He’s in his usual position of recline – on the stretcher and making me sleepy just to look at him. There was a time when we used to take a p.m. nap – way back in Edwards – but I made myself get out of the habit some time ago because I don’t want to be lazy when I get home. I remember my intern days when we all used to go up to our rooms after the noon meal and assume the intern position. When I opened my office and had 2-3 or 2-4 office hours – I could hardly keep awake.
So Hal – the navigator looked you up, dear? Frankly, I don’t blame him, I would too. And of course, darling, I wasn’t hurt. Everything between us is on the up and up and it was a perfectly natural thing to do. As a matter of fact, Sweetheart, it was comforting to realize that you would feel so indifferent to someone you apparently liked quite well at one time. If you find me more appealing – even when I’m so far away – it’s a good sign – and I can say in return, dear, that you can feel the same sense of assurance as far as I’m concerned. No one that I’ve seen anywhere can possibly interest me – regardless of what Stan may have implied. Your freshness and love are the big magnet, darling, and it will always be so.
It’s getting noisy here. My men are coming in for a scheduled lecture and everyone is milling around. I’ll write again tomorrow, dear, as I will every day I can until war’s end and when I get back – I might even write you when we’re living together – married. It might be fun. For now, dearest, so long – and
Twenty-one months ago today I went into active service. It’s getting to be a long time – and yet I can recall very vividly all that has happened and I can’t make myself believe that almost two years of my life have slipped by, with me in uniform. I’m just looking forward to the day when I can merely look back on it all – which reminds me of the bird called the “Oozle-finch”, which always flies backwards. It doesn’t care where it’s going, it just wants to know where it’s been. Did you ever hear of such a bird, dear? – And you won’t find it in the dictionary –
I got Phil and Florence’s address and I’ll jot them a note. If you say they’d like to hear from me, darling, I’ll be glad to write. You mention a Sylvia as asking for me. Do I know her – or is she one of the children?
I’m glad you like Nancy Rowe. Somehow in the few times I had met her I found her a little more sincere and real than many of her friends seemed. Your description of Abbot is true. There’s something peculiar about him – or he’s hard to know, I’m not sure which. But the truth is I never did get to meet them very often. When I was in Salem, I came into town on a Saturday night – only occasionally. It was after I closed my practice that I started to get around a bit more.
I don’t remember Jay’s name – but I do recall that it wasn’t too fancy, and Wendie needs a rather neat surname it seems to me. Darling, we shouldn’t have too much trouble naming our children.
Yesterday, dear, Sunday – was another quiet, peaceful day and to walk around the streets of this pretty little town – you could almost forget there was a war on – were not so many soldiers on the streets. Charlie and I just hung around the room, read, listened to the radio and generally killed the day. He told me about what he had done in London, how much he had had to drink, etc. etc.
This morning, another new week and the same old routine. Charlie and I are hanging around the Dispensary now. He’s in his usual position of recline – on the stretcher and making me sleepy just to look at him. There was a time when we used to take a p.m. nap – way back in Edwards – but I made myself get out of the habit some time ago because I don’t want to be lazy when I get home. I remember my intern days when we all used to go up to our rooms after the noon meal and assume the intern position. When I opened my office and had 2-3 or 2-4 office hours – I could hardly keep awake.
So Hal – the navigator looked you up, dear? Frankly, I don’t blame him, I would too. And of course, darling, I wasn’t hurt. Everything between us is on the up and up and it was a perfectly natural thing to do. As a matter of fact, Sweetheart, it was comforting to realize that you would feel so indifferent to someone you apparently liked quite well at one time. If you find me more appealing – even when I’m so far away – it’s a good sign – and I can say in return, dear, that you can feel the same sense of assurance as far as I’m concerned. No one that I’ve seen anywhere can possibly interest me – regardless of what Stan may have implied. Your freshness and love are the big magnet, darling, and it will always be so.
It’s getting noisy here. My men are coming in for a scheduled lecture and everyone is milling around. I’ll write again tomorrow, dear, as I will every day I can until war’s end and when I get back – I might even write you when we’re living together – married. It might be fun. For now, dearest, so long – and
All my deepest love
Greg
Best regards to the family
Love
G.
* TIDBIT *
about the OozleFinch
The original Oozlefinch model
about the OozleFinch
The original Oozlefinch model
Greg was looking forward to look backwards on his war experience, comparing himself to the "oozle-finch." He said its definition could not be found in the dictionary. Maybe not. But it can be found on the internet...
During World War II, antiaircraft artillerymen, once considered part of the Coastal Artillery Corps, remembered the existence of the Oozlefinch and many of them took his likeness with them when they went overseas. His spirit is said to have led those men who fought in both the European and Pacific Theaters to greater successes. But the story of the oozlefinch began long before WWII.
There are many legends about the origins of the oozlefinch but most seem to agree that the story of this lovable Air Defense mascot began in 1905 at Ft. Monroe, Virginia, then the home of the Coastal Artillery Corps. A Captain H.M. Merriam, no doubt under the effects of alcohol, first reported seeing a large-eyed, flight challenged bird outside the Officers Club. Soon more people would report seeing this bird and sketches began to be made.
The depiction that witnesses of the oozlefinch gave of this strange bird centered on its large eyes that never seemed to close and liked to watch out over the beach just like the coastal artillerymen it came to represent. These eyes are large and all-seeing, unshaded by eyelids or eyebrows, and rather seriously blood-shot. Just why the eyes are so prominent, and red, no one seems sure. But being all-seeing, the bird can gather more information in a shorter period of time than mere mortals who have conventional sight. Because his eyes have no eyelids or eyebrows, the bird is forced to fly backwards to protect his powers of observation from dirt and debris. It is said he can turn them 180 degrees to gaze inward when he desires the maximum value from self-contemplation, a necessary trait in a good leader. The bird also had over sized feet that could be used to snatch and grab anything that came at it, just like its coastal artillerymen brethren were able to reach out and attack any enemy ships approaching defended shores.
In December of 1906, the wife of Col. E. R. Tilton, while shopping in Hampton, Va., purchased a model of the bird Merriam described to her. At her husband’s request, the bird was housed at the Fort Monroe Officers’ Club, where he remained for two years. During World War I, after he was moved to the Casemate Club, Oozle Finch received a crest in honor of his protection of the artillerymen at war.
Latin translation: "What the hell do we care?"
World War II would see the greatest numbers of depictions of the oozlefinch as air defenders spread across the globe to provide air defense against the German Luftwaffe and the aircraft of the Imperial Japanese. With one of the greatest innovations of Air Defense, the development of the radar, the depiction of the oozlefinch changed as its eyes became larger and in some cases radar shaped.
The oozlefinch remains the guardian of all missile men and now carries a missle in its left leg.
Representing the Air Defense Artillery Corps, its motto is: "If it flies, it dies. Blazing skies." Yet it is still said that while flying backwards this bird doesn't care where it's going, it just wants to know where it's been.
During World War II, antiaircraft artillerymen, once considered part of the Coastal Artillery Corps, remembered the existence of the Oozlefinch and many of them took his likeness with them when they went overseas. His spirit is said to have led those men who fought in both the European and Pacific Theaters to greater successes. But the story of the oozlefinch began long before WWII.
There are many legends about the origins of the oozlefinch but most seem to agree that the story of this lovable Air Defense mascot began in 1905 at Ft. Monroe, Virginia, then the home of the Coastal Artillery Corps. A Captain H.M. Merriam, no doubt under the effects of alcohol, first reported seeing a large-eyed, flight challenged bird outside the Officers Club. Soon more people would report seeing this bird and sketches began to be made.
The depiction that witnesses of the oozlefinch gave of this strange bird centered on its large eyes that never seemed to close and liked to watch out over the beach just like the coastal artillerymen it came to represent. These eyes are large and all-seeing, unshaded by eyelids or eyebrows, and rather seriously blood-shot. Just why the eyes are so prominent, and red, no one seems sure. But being all-seeing, the bird can gather more information in a shorter period of time than mere mortals who have conventional sight. Because his eyes have no eyelids or eyebrows, the bird is forced to fly backwards to protect his powers of observation from dirt and debris. It is said he can turn them 180 degrees to gaze inward when he desires the maximum value from self-contemplation, a necessary trait in a good leader. The bird also had over sized feet that could be used to snatch and grab anything that came at it, just like its coastal artillerymen brethren were able to reach out and attack any enemy ships approaching defended shores.
In December of 1906, the wife of Col. E. R. Tilton, while shopping in Hampton, Va., purchased a model of the bird Merriam described to her. At her husband’s request, the bird was housed at the Fort Monroe Officers’ Club, where he remained for two years. During World War I, after he was moved to the Casemate Club, Oozle Finch received a crest in honor of his protection of the artillerymen at war.
Latin translation: "What the hell do we care?"
World War II would see the greatest numbers of depictions of the oozlefinch as air defenders spread across the globe to provide air defense against the German Luftwaffe and the aircraft of the Imperial Japanese. With one of the greatest innovations of Air Defense, the development of the radar, the depiction of the oozlefinch changed as its eyes became larger and in some cases radar shaped.
The oozlefinch remains the guardian of all missile men and now carries a missle in its left leg.
Representing the Air Defense Artillery Corps, its motto is: "If it flies, it dies. Blazing skies." Yet it is still said that while flying backwards this bird doesn't care where it's going, it just wants to know where it's been.
