March 1944. Flying. Golf. A Birthday

Ang & Betty on the steps of their house.

     Ang and Betty must have known that time was running out on them even while they might have wondered if Ang would ever really be sent overseas. We don’t get many hints about how they felt although Betty mentions how she misses Ang while he’s on overnight flights and she is clearly worried when she can’t reach him.
   Ang had a pretty busy month with 11 training flights for more than 60 hours of flying time as bombardier or navigator. As usual there were movies, shows, and dinners at the base. Betty continues her sewing and letter writing. Where are those letters now?? She also mentions the "boys" go golfing on a day off. Now, I know Ang golfed at various times in his life, but it always strikes me a something so out-of-character. Wish I had photos of that! On the 16th, there is a 309th lunch. Luncheons for the wives were regular events on most bases. Funny that she doesn't mention Ang's birthday on the 17th, although she spends the day cleaning house and they host their friends, the Bylunds, for dinner. Arne Bylund is the pilot on Ang's "original crew" that flies overseas. She wears the green dress she has previously mentioned she was sewing. Ang was Greek, not Irish, but having his birthday on March 17 always provided him with an opportunity for a good Irish joke. Betty does have some Irish ancestry and perhaps she made her green dress just for this occasion!
     On the 23rd she mentions that Killibrew's crew had an accident. The fact that she mentions this indicates how unsettling it was. I haven't found any information on this accident, but I know of several accidents during this time in Columbia. Killibrew is mentioned in Betty's 1943 diary, so I think they knew him from Hondo TX.
     Betty’s aunt, Ann Goodwin and her husband Bill visited overnight on the 20th. Bill was in training with the Army paratroopers and apparently on his way to Florida. Ann was the youngest sister of Betty’s mother Margaret and the two of them were very close as they were only a year apart in age. The photo I’ve included is of Ann and Bill with Betty’s sister Peg and her husband Joe Fairchild. Joe was in the Navy.
​     As March ends, Ang is “on alert” for April 3, so they know their quiet life in Columbia, South Carolina is coming to an end.

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Betty in her green dress.

​Wednesday, March 1. Up about ten. To town and to Club. Ang didn’t show up so we came on home. He came home at 9:00. Bed 10:30
  Form 5. March 1. Training flight as bombardier, B25-C, 1:30h
March 2. Had hair done. Shopped and home. Cleaned house a little. To base for dinner & show. Wrote letters. Ang had to fly.
  Form 5. March 2. Training flight as bombardier, B25-D, 2:00h
  Form 5. March 2. Training flight as bombardier, B25-G, 3:25h, night
March 3. Warmer. Washed & mopped kitchen & bath. Ang got home at 1:00 A.M. Had late dinner. Bath & to bed. Ang dead tired.
  Form 5. March 3. Training flight as bombardier, B25-H, 2:15h
March 4. Downtown early to bank. Did some shopping. Ang home in P.M. Had dinner & out to Base. Saw show. Bed late. 
March 5. Boys off all day - played golf and then a late dinner. Sat in sun for awhile - beauty of a day. Read in evening. Bed - 10:30 
March 6. Rainy all day. To bank in morning. Read in afternoon. To Base for dinner & to movie. Home and bed early. Very dreary day. 
March 7. Did some sewing and other odd jobs. Ang home for dinner. Wrote some letters and to bed early.
  Form 5. March 7. Training flight as bombardier, B25-G, 4:00h
March 8. Finished sweater and sewed on green dress in afternoon. Ang not home for dinner - about midnite. very tired.
  Form 5. March 8. Training flight as navigator, B25-G, 4:00h, night
March 9. Ang didn’t have to go out to Base until noon. Read all afternoon, cleaned up & to Base for dinner & show. Home & bed by 11:00
  Form 5. March 9. Training flight as navigator, B25-G, 3:30h 
March 10. Up early. Straightened up house. Wrote letters all day. Ang not home for dinner. Wrote some more letters in evening.
  Form 5. March 10. Training flight as navigator, B25-D, 3:45h
  Form 5. March 10. Training flight as 3:30 navigator, B25-H, 3:30
March 11. Ang on RON [Remain OverNight] to Boston. Rainy all day. Spent afternoon with Mrs. Bylund. Read and wrote letters in evening. Bed 11:30
  Form 5. March 11. Training flight as navigator, B25-H, 4:25h
March 12. To late Mass and then to Bylunds for afternoon. To Base for dinner & show. Cloudy but cleared up. Bed about 10:30 
March 13. Washed and scrubbed. Took nap in PM - had headache. Surely do miss Ang. Early dinner & to show. Read & bed by 11:00
  Form 5. March 13. Training flight as navigator, B25-H, 4:30h, night
March 14. Ang home early - 3:00 A.M. He got home around noon again. Ironed & some sewing. Mrs Goldsworthy in P.M. Bed about nine - dead tired 
March 15. Ang went out late today. Downtown to bank and shopped. Had hair done - ate dinner out. Wrote letters. Bed early
  Form 5. March 15. Training flight as navigator, B25-G, 2:30h

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Bill & Ann Goodwin. Peg & Joe Fairchild.

March 17. Up early again today. Cleaned house thoroughly. Bylunds here for dinner & evening. Drove them to town. Wore green dress. Late.
 Form 5. March 17. Training flight as navigator, B25-G, 1:35h
March 18. Up late and did nothing all day but write letters. Had dinner in. Ang home late & joined kids at Chatterbox. What a time. Late.
 Form 5. March 18. Training flight as navigator, B25-G, 3:45h
 Form 5. March 18. Training flight as navigator, B25-G, :45h
March 19. To late Mass - rained all day. Ugh. Everyone napped all day. Had dinner out & then to Ramsh....[?] for evening. Bed late. 
March 20. Coolish today. Downtown early & bought few things. To Club for dinner & movie. Ann & Bill here for night. Ang late.
 Form 5. March 20. Training flight as navigator, B25-G, :55h 
 Form 5. March 20. Training flight as navigator, B25-G, 3:40h, night
March 21. Ann & Bill left early for Fla. Downtown & to movie. Ang home for late dinner. Bathed and bed about 10:30 Cold still.
 Form 5. March 21. Training flight as navigator, B25-G, 3:05h
March 22. Dark all day. Washed a few things. To Mrs. Goldsworthy in P.M. To Base for dinner & show. Rained all evening. Bed early.
 Form 5. March 22. Training flight as navigator, B25-H, 1:55h
 Form 5. March 22. Training flight as navigator, B25-H, 1:35h
 Form 5. March 22. Training flight, B25-H, :40h coded “W"

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 March 23. Downtown early and then read all P.M. Ang home about 8:00 and dinner alone. Killibrews crew had accident! 
 March 24. Washed and thought it was going to rain. Turned quite warm. Mr A called. Ang home about eleven. To bed then.
   Form 5. March 24. Training flight as navigator, B25-G, 2:00h, night
 March 25. [?unable to read] half way today. downtown & shopped. Worked on Ang’s clothes. Dinner, show & dance at Base. Very late to bed. Dead tired.
March 26. Sick. To late Mass and home & rested - feel a cold coming on. Ang on RON to Memphis. Hills for late dinner. Bed about 11:30
March 27. Sewed on black dress all day. Downtown & shopped. No news from Ang -- storms between here & Memphis. Bed late
March 28. Ang alerted for 3rd & he’s still in Memphis. Surely do feel low. Just loafed all day. To show in evening. Wrote letters. bed late.
March 29. Rainy & cloudy all day. Still no word from or of Ang. Tried to call him but no luck. At Base all P.M. & home in evening. Late.
March 30. Still no word from Ang - weather cleared up. Stayed in all day. R…[?] in for evening. Bed quite late.
March 31. Clear day. Ang got home about four P.M. Sure glad to see him. Now the rush starts. Bed early - did a few odd jobs.
  [Form 5 for April shows a March 31 flight as navigator, B25-H, 3:00h.]

Form 5. Individual Flight Record. March 1944.