SERVICEMEN WRITE (to Joy Hanson, Editor of the Ellsworth News)
From Merlyn Ostebee
Milwaukee, Wis.
May 11, 1943
Dear Joy:
I am reading the published letters in The News of our scattered servicemen, many former schoolmates, with such impression, I surely owe an expression.
We are now officially designated as the 351st College Training Detachment of the Army Air Forces. This type of schooling began here April 1. The purpose is to correct educational deficiencies, putting all on a more common level. This should speed flight training and lesson chances for failures in training.
We are all air crew candidates here. Our discipline is on a cadet basis, the merit system with its demerits and punishment tours! Our academic load is in excess of the usual college expectancy.
We do get a little dual instruction on a light type of aircraft. It is a slow ship but there is much to be learned concerning the fundamentals of flying. This is designed as an indoctrination course.
I have been impressed with the relatively low temperatures prevailing here; only a few days have we had “shirt sleeve” weather, and that was preceding a rain. We are within a few blocks of a large mass of cold water, however, and I’ve been told flowers bloom considerably later here than in the western-most portion of this city.
I wish more boys would write you, Joy, ‘cause then I might hear from more of them.
Sincerely,
Pvt. Merlyn C. Ostebee, A. A. F. C. T. D., State Teachers College, Milwaukee, Wisc.
Source: Ellsworth News, May 19, 1943
SERVICEMEN WRITE (to Joy Hanson, Editor of the Ellsworth News)
From Merlyn Ostebee
Milwaukee, Wis.
June 18, 1943
Dear Joy:
Do not send any more copies of The News to this address. I will give you a new and more distant address quite soon, for I do not wish unnecessary delay in getting the next issue.
It certainly has been fine to keep in contact with home through your paper. The service has been rapid. I received this week’s issue on Thursday afternoon.
The weather has been fine this week. Several cases of sunburn have occurred. Sometimes drilling has been done in shorts, consequently an hour of the mid-day sun has been too much.
My flight graduates this week so we’ve been feeling at ease now that the academic exams are over. We’ve been sunning ourselves and catching up on our correspondence in lieu of studying. We had a banquet downtown last night.
A new flight arrived this morning. Many hold several stripes, being men transferring to air crew training from other service activities.
Sincerely,
Merlyn Ostebee
Aviation Student
Source: Ellsworth News, June 23, 1943
SERVICEMEN WRITE (to Joy Hanson, Editor of the Ellsworth News)
From Merlyn Ostebee
Santa Ana, Calif.
June 23, 1943
Dear Joy:
You may now resume sending me your very welcome News.
The sun was bright across the deserts, consequently we were quite warm during the longest days of the year in the open window tourist car that we traveled in. Our flight of aviation students were wearing their woolen uniforms, having been at Superior, Wis.; they certainly made a transition.
We are here at the reception center for classification and resultant assignment to duties. Abilities, traits and skills are measured by a series of psychological tests. Physical qualifications and person preferences also are factors entering into the classification procedure. As a result, I will be sending another address in a few weeks.
Sincerely,
Merlyn Ostebee, A-S
Squadron 8, Army Air Base, Santa Ana, Calif.
Source: Ellsworth News, June 30, 1943
SERVICEMEN WRITE (to Joy Hanson, Editor of the Ellsworth News)
Dear Joy:
I am out here at altitude of nearly 3,000 feet—so close to the sun that it burns me even when it’s so cold that I wear a leather fur-lined jacket!
A number of us who were instructors in the fighter mechanics school at Lincoln Nebr., were sent out here as part of a new squadron. We are working on planes now, with our hands in lieu of with our jaws.
Pfc. M. C. Ostebee
523 Bomb Tng. Sq., VAAF, Victorville, Calif.
Source: Ellsworth News, April 5, 1944
SERVICEMEN WRITE (to Joy Hanson, Editor of the Ellsworth News)
From Merlyn Ostebee
Dear Joy:
A change in address again necessitates a word to you. It does not mean that I have changed location or that our duties as a squadron is any different; it’s just that some reorganization has occurred.
I think I ought to get into Udell Evans’ outfit; it would cut my working hours in half. Perhaps they couldn’t use me at Pomona, though.
I had the opportunity to visit Mrs. Wm. Plash (Ethel Lindebak) at San Bernardino. I guess there are numerous people from Ellsworth in this section of California.
In spite of a cool and infrequent rain last Thursday, we’ve had a few days to remind us that the heat of a desert summer is coming, at least we see no damp and foggy mornings here.
In case you’re not familiar with Air Force abbreviations my address in full reads 3035th Army Air Force Base Unit Section C, Sub-Section C-3.
I look forward to each copy of your “News”; at present I am sweating out the arrival of last week’s issue, now two days overdue. Your friend,
Pfc. M. C. Ostebee
3035th A. A. F. Base Unit, Sec. C, Sub. Sec. C-3, Victorville, Calif.
Source: Ellsworth News, May 14, 1944
Merlyn Curtis Ostebee was born Jan. 25, 1920 to Sam Melling and Thea Olava Danielson Ostebee. He died May 28, 1998 and is buried in Homewood Cemetery, Ellsworth, IA.
Pvt. Ostebee served with the U.S. Air Force in World War II.
Source: ancestry.com
