Family Letters

While packing, I found a collection of letters to my grandparents that I saved. This blog will simply be the gradual and random recording of those letters received by Carl "Charlie" and Frances Corridino Carbone. [?] indicates I'm not sure of a word or spelling; [with a word in it] means I inserted a word that seemed to be needed; I also use [brackets] to set off annotations.

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

March 17, 1944: From Angelo to Charlie

Cpl. Angelo Biase
Teheran, Iran
March 17, 1944


Dear Charlie -- and Fran!

It would be kind of thoughtless for to overlook you Frances when you've been writing so we'll drag Charlie in also. It was a treat hearing from you and it's just those little intimate things that make hearing from home such a treat. Fran, I don't know whether to envy you or feel sorry for you with that combination Lorenzo Jones - Don Juan husband of yours. I'm afraid if you give him free play with these little inventions of his, he'll run you out of the house one of these days with his unctions, ointments, elixers, mechanical men. Maybe he'll even take to experimenting with live animals and conduct a miniature zoo and cross breed some lulus. Then he can be as meek as a lamb, so generous, say yes to everything to make you feel you're the luckiest girl in the world. But I am glad to hear that he did finally succeed in getting a few ideas completed. Did you ever read the story of Leonardo, who had so many things started, a multitude of plans, volumes of notes for future inventions, paintings sketched in outline, his mind a whirlpool of conflicting theories? Well, that's the way I thought Charlie would wind up and still be looked up to and respected.

So the two Tonys are headed for the big show. The more of us the merrier. I'm glad you've got sense enough to see things as they are and are determined to make up in taking his place rather just mooning about it. I'm sure Billie will get used to it and be all the better as a result. People thrive on adversity.

I'm surprised when you say you didn't recognize the part of Iran in the war. You've heard of Russia and the flood of help the U.S. as contributed to Russsia. Well Iran is the road to Russia and amounts for the tremendous pressure behind this push just as surely as the merchant marine and the factories back there.

This is ancient Persia and a hotbed of all Eastern civilization with its political, religious and social ramifications. It would take hours to give you a faint idea of the people, customs and places here. The people are mostly Moslems, but a scattering of every imaginable sect in the book. What's more each one takes his [religion? -- missing word here] seriously and they often resent any practices inconsistent with their own way of being. Of course the Moslems wear veils -- thank God, don't care if they ever wash . . . that's the least important ritual of all. Washing is done in the street in the gutter, no running water . . . that is no piped system. No sewage disposal, no refrigeration, and a lack of a million other things. Meat travels from the slaughter hous to the stores in open wagons, slung over mules, dragged home over the handle bars of a bicycle, etc. Some of the darndest holes in the wall serve as stores, fly-ridden, dust ridden and filthy.

Well some day I'll try to give you more of it.

That was quite an accomplishment of Bruno's and it must have made you all happy. Just what type of craft is Tommy on. Too bad that he couldn't get in touch with Bruno. Wish he'd known my brother was in Scotland.

Well don't forget to remember me to all; Billie and Tony, John etc.. Glad to hear everything in the place is going fine. If you ever write Herman, tell him I was asking for him. Poor guy -- should be getting home soon.

So long and best of luck to both of you.

Angelo

Sunday, September 12, 2004

Aug. 6, 1944: From Ang to Fran

S/Sgt A M D'Ambrosio 31048611
319 Fighter Squadron
325 Fighter Group
APO 52 c/o Pm NYC NY*


Dear Fran,

How are you all? I do hope all is well. All is pretty bright out here the past few days. The war is going along swell & will soon be "finito". Rotation of troops finally hit our outfit the last day of last month. We sent home 3 fellows & this month it is suppose to be increased. All the air echelon goes home first. I happen to have come over by air so I can say I'm mighty fortunate. The last, & latest rumor, is that they think all the air echelon will be home by Sept. If my name comes up before the war is over I don't know whether or not I'll take it, unless it is just a furlough & I come back to the same outfit. My birthday is in Sept. & I believe it would be a swell birthday present to me. No kidding Fran, ever since about a week ago the morale in this outfit is as high as it will ever be. We all feel great ever since all of this started. I have a beer sitting in front of me so I'll drink a toast to our quick & happy departure from this neck of the woods. We get 4 cans of beer a week now. It took 19 months overseas to get it though.

I've heard from Bruno since I've written you & he tells me all is well in Eng. [Bruno is Fran's brother, an Air Force pilot stationed in England.] & he only has a couple more missions to go. I sure wish we could get home together so as we'd have a little company to celebrate with. I hear it's dead all around there. Guess when we finally all do get home we'll rent the Plantation out for the night & have a regular welcoming home party.

You sure heard right when you heard Fran joined the WACs. I don't know what's happened to that kid but it sure is no good. I believe the only reason she joined is because she is disgusted with everything & wanted something different for a change [?]. I've always been against it & always will. Especially now that I've seen what they are up to out here. It's really a same, Fran. They should keep them all home where they can't get into trouble. I believe you know what I mean. I know if my sister ever got the slightest idea of joining, I'd make sure it only was an idea, period. There just is really no place overseas for them & all the G.I.'s over here are sore about the whole think but what can a G.I. do about it.

I don't know what's gotten into Tommy [Fran and Bruno's brother] but I haven't heard from him in a long while & I'm sweating a letter from him. I sure would like to get one. In Connie's [Tommy's wife; don't know if they were married at this time.] last letter, she said he was home & is looking as good as ever.

It sure costs the govt. a bit of dough when they start picking guys like Tony. They aren't as hard up as they claim to be. If they'd only get some of those fixed-base operations replaced by WAC's it would make the biggest difference on that draft. Tony's vocabulary isn't the only one that has an increase in slang & cuss words since joining the service. Out here, every other word is like that, & so thanks to the Army.

Congratulations on your anniversary, Fran. Time sure does fly. I can't believe you're married 9 years.

How's big Nick doing these days? I mean your brother. Does he still groan about everything? I sure had to laugh at him when I was home. Give him my regards when you see him.

This is all for tonight, Fran, so in closing, give my regards to the husband, Tony, & the rest of the clique. Hope to see you all in the near future.

Ang


*All this info is from the envelope, and it first glance it might look as if Ang were writing from NY. However, in August 1944, the 325th Fighter Group was in Italy, and so the NY references in the address appear to be for purposes of military postal operations (though that's a guess on my part). 9 days after Ang sent this letter, "on 15 August 1944, the group’s planes took off from Tarquina Airdrome, Italy, to take part in the invasion of Southern France."