Regrouping in Oakland
 |
| Jack loved fishing, but Alice was more likely to eat his catch. |
Jack: Well, after
being in Santa Rosa for six weeks, we were transferred to the Army Air Base in Oakland [8 October 1943]. I still had a married man’s pass, so I got off the base down there and came home several times.[1]
During the few weeks
the 380th Squadron was in Oakland, intense training continued, and it
lost more planes and, now, three pilots. On 21 October, two planes collided,
killing one pilot and leaving the other with a broken back. On 6 November, a
pilot was killed when his motor failed, and he plunged into about 150 feet of
water in San Francisco Bay.[3] These fatal accidents bear testimony to Jack’s
description of the P-39’s vulnerabilities and to the inexperience of the
men who flew and worked on them.
The Rumors
After a short time in Oakland, we were told to turn in all
our tools. We knew that the time had come for us to be leaving. We were getting
ready to go overseas. The rumors spread: We were going to the Pacific. The
rumors spread: We were going to Europe. The rumors spread. Every day there was
new rumors out, where we were going to go.[4]
We didn’t know where. We had no idea. We were issued new
clothes, warm clothing, so we knew we weren’t going to the Pacific. We were
probably going to Europe.[5] We
were very busy getting all of our overseas gear together: new tools, new
clothes, new equipment of all kinds. We had to get ready. Also, everything had to be Cosmolined, weather-proofed,
because lots of it was set on the decks of ships, going overseas.[6]
 |
| Jack and Alice, Thanksgiving Day 1943 |
One weekend after Thanksgiving, I was ready to come home to
see Alice, and I couldn’t get off the base.[7] They
would not give us any more passes. They canceled all passes, all the leaves,
all the furloughs. Everything was canceled because we were in readiness to go.
So I had to call Alice and say goodbye to her over the phone.[8]
Desperate to let Alice
know where he would be, Jack came up with a clever plan to get around the
censorship that held his location secure from the time they left Oakland.
Alice’s father was a dairy farmer, and he raised Jersey cows. So Jack drafted a
telegram, “How are your father’s new Jersey cows?” The censor saw right through
his ruse, and Jack’s whereabouts remained a secret.[9]
Crossing the U.S. to
Destiny
Very shortly after saying good-bye [2 December 1943] we
boarded a train and went across country to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. Now, this
took about seven days and seven nights on this old coal-burning train. It was
an old engine. If you lifted the window up the smoke from the engine would come
in the cars, and it was hot and sweaty. Naturally there was no place to shower
or get cleaned up. That was quite a ride.[10]
 |
| A coal-burning engine. Courtesy of Chris Guenzler[11] |
Jack held out hope
that Alice would be able to join him, as she had in Dallas, Indianapolis, and
Fresno.
3 December, Enroute
Dearest Alice
We are on our way. I sure wish you were with me. It seems
so different this time not having you along. It is quite cold & some snow
on the ground here. Derrick & I are in the same seat. Derrick has a bad
cold. I sure got cold last night & could not sleep very good. I got up at
seven this morning & put my socks on and went back to bed then I slept
pretty good. As soon as I know how long we will be at the next place I will let
you know and we can decide if you should come or not. If it will only be for a
short time, it won’t be worth the trip. I’m sorry I can’t tell you more but I
am not allowed to until later.[12]
5 December
Today is Sunday. Just a week ago today we were together. I
haven’t heard how long we will be at our next place. From all rumors it won’t
be very long so I don’t know if it will be possible for you to be with me or
not. I need you very much.[13]
Camp Kilmer, New
Jersey
We again went through a lot of training there, getting ready
to go overseas.[14]
You know, the ones I really felt sorry for is the guys on the East Coast, those
fellas who lived back in New York or New Jersey, around there. They wanted to
go home. Nothin’ doin’, Buddy. Once you were attached to the base, you couldn’t
go anywhere. It was a rotten deal.[15]
Jack wrote to Alice
from “Somewhere on the East Coast,” 7 December 1943:
Dearest Alice
Well here we are on the East Coast. I can’t say just
where. I sure wish you were here with me but it looks pretty doubtful from all
reports. I’ll let you know more as soon as I find out any more. Don’t plan on
it very much tho. Well 2 years ago today the japs bombed Pearl Harbor. Who
would have thought then, that we would be so far apart today?[16]
The East Coast was
just the beginning of the distance that would separate them.
[1]
Jack J. Kellar, interview about his first years
after high school by Judy Kellar Fox, 12 April 1993; cassette tape recording
and transcription held by the author.
[2]
Alice Kellar (Santa Rosa, California), letter to
“Dearest Jack” (Cpl. Jack J. Kellar, Oakland, California), 14 October 1943.
[3]
Kent D. Miller, Seven Months Over Europe: The 363rd
Fighter Group in World War Two (Hicksville, Ohio: Kent D. Miller, 1989), 2.
Also, “Two Bay Plane Crashes Reported,” Oakland Tribune
(Oakland, California), 7 November 1943, p. 1, col. 7.
[6]
Ibid. Cosmoline, a petroleum-based grease-like substance, protected weapons and tools from corrosion. See “Cosmoline,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmoline : accessed 4 February 2018) > Use.
[7]
Jack J. Kellar and Alice (Streeter) Kellar,
interview by Judy Kellar Fox, December 1993; cassette tape recording and
transcription held by the author.
[8]
Jack J. Kellar, “Autobiography,” 1998; two
ninety-minute cassette tape recordings; held and partially transcribed by the
author.
[10]
Jack J. Kellar, “Autobiography,” 1998.
[11]
Chris Guenzler, “Union Pacific 3985,”
photograph, digital image, Chris Guenzler, “Coal Burning Union Pacific 3985
Idaho and Utah visit in June 1982,” Ride
the Rails with Chris Guenzler (http://www.trainweb.org/chris/Poco100.html
: accessed 23 March 2018).
[12]
Jack J. Kellar (En route via train from
Sacramento to the East Coast), letter to “Dearest Alice” (Alice Streeter
Kellar, Santa Rosa, Calif.), 3 December 1943, excerpt.
[13]
Jack J. Kellar (En route via train from
Sacramento to the East Coast), letter to “Dearest Babe” (Alice Streeter Kellar,
Santa Rosa, Calif.), 5 December 1943, excerpt.
[14]
Jack J. Kellar, interview by Judy Kellar Fox, 12
April 1993.
[15]
Jack J. Kellar and Alice (Streeter) Kellar,
interview by Judy Kellar Fox, December 1993.
[16]
Jack J. Kellar (Somewhere on the East Coast), letter
to “Dearest Alice” (Alice Streeter Kellar, Santa Rosa, Calif.), 7 December 1943,
excerpt.
That's a beautiful portrait, Judy.
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