 |
| Kellar and Kellar, an itentional double exposure |
From
May to November we had nothing to do.[1] The war was over in Germany, and it took months to finish up and
process people, materiel, and the bases where they were stationed. For Jack
this meant time to pursue personal interests and have fun where he could find
it.
Photography
During Jack’s time abroad he
really took to photography, not just taking pictures, but developing and
printing them, too. It was a hobby he hoped to pursue once he returned home.
Given his leadership qualities, it’s not surprising that he became the vice
president of the 160th’s Photo Club and spent a lot of time printing
photos for other fellows in his outfit.[2]
I bought some more paper to print pictures on and some trays
for the solution I use. Honey will you send me about 10 pkgs of those Nu Ace
pictures corners. I can get corners over here but they aren’t very good and
they cost an awful lot. I even bought another picture album today. I have some
pictures I printed several nights ago that I will have censored tomorrow and
then send on to you.[3]
I haven’t any real good place to print pictures just now but
maybe later on I will be able to. I sure enjoy doing it and when I get home I
expect to have some real good equipment as I think it is a swell hobby.[4]
 |
| Batter up! |
Baseball
Wherever there were
Americans, there were games of baseball, and the 363rd had a number
of teams in competition in the spring of 1945. Jack may have been better at
photographing the games than playing.
Memorial Day: We
had another game of baseball today and again we lost 4 to 1. Oh well I get a
big boot out of playing anyway.[5]
 |
| Spectators at the ball field |
The Bob Hope Show
In July the famed show
came to Jack’s base in Germany. Inexplicably, the photos Jack saved were of Jack Benny, Martha Tilton, Ingrid Bergman, and Larry Adler.
Darling we had a swell show here today. We had Bob Hope with
Jerry Colon[n]a in person. They really put on a swell show for us. They had
several U.S.O girls with them too. Boy Hope sure cracks some dirty jokes but that’s
what the G.I wants. They had the show in our hangar which has been damaged by
bombs & Hope calls it a garage Ha I wish you could have seen the
fellows in the hangar they were all over the place, hanging on the walls, and
even up in the ceiling Ha It really was a swell show.[6]
 |
| Jack Benny, singer Martha Tilton, actress Ingrid Bergman, and Larry Adler |
 |
| Martha Tilton and Ingrid Bergman |
Automobiles
With their planes
flying fewer missions, the P-51 crews turned their skills to automobiles,
enjoying fixing up what they found in Germany.
For a while I just layed around when we didn’t have anything
to do but time went too slow so then I got the old jalopy and it keeps me
pretty busy keeping it running. We have an electric welder here so once in a
while I do a little welding altho I’m sure not very good at it and then to pass
time I have a lot of fun going around different places of the field and trying
to get old engines to run. It’s really quite exciting Ha It kind of
helps the time to go a little faster.[7]
 |
| Jack's jalopy (mistakenly identified earlier as his German jeep) with Winkler and Derrick |
 |
| Chester Podolak squeezes two more in his little car. |
 |
| A three-wheeler |
A Local Carnival
A warm, sunny October day drew
the fellows to a nearby carnival.
Honey I
sure had loads of fun today. The sun was shining real nice for the first time
for a long time and it was really nice out. We decided this afternoon that we
would go in town to the carnival. We went in and even tho it was a small
carnival we had a lot of fun. We rode on about everything they had. I had a
little accident when I went to get on a swing on chains. Just as I was about to
get in the chair they started up. I hung on part way around and then let go
& when I did I knocked down a little boy. I was sure scared as he cried and
I thought he was hurt but he wasn’t. I guess he was just scared as it all
happened so fast. After that things went pretty good. We rode the “Dodge ‘Em
Cars” for a long time and then we went over to another ride and I got 6 kids,
one of them the one I knocked down & took them on it. Gee they had a big
time and it sure made me happy to see them have so much fun. We even went to a
Hoochy Koochy show & boy was it crummy. I felt like scratching after we got
out of there Ha. We went to the Red Cross in town and had some coke
& coffee & donuts & then came back to camp. It was really swell
getting out for a change.[8]
The war inspired many acts of
heroism. One hero’s claim rests more on providing everyday support than any one
act. Just by being himself, he proved a hero to everyone.
[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. Excerpt.
[2] 380th
Fighter–160th Tac. Rcn. Squadron History, February 1943–August 1945 ([unknown place]:
[unknown publisher], printed by A. Roßbach, Eschwege, Germany, [1945]), 124.
[3] Jack J. Kellar (Belgium), letter to “Dearest Alice”
[Alice (Streeter) Kellar] (Santa Rosa, California), 9 March 1945, excerpt.
[4] Jack J. Kellar (Germany), letter to “Dearest Alice,”
16 March 1945, excerpt.
[5] Jack J. Kellar, letter to “Dearest Alice,” 30 May
1945, excerpt.
[6] Jack J. Kellar, letter to “Dearest Alice,” 26 July
1945, excerpt.
[7] Jack J. Kellar, letter to “My darling Alice,” 26
August 1945, excerpt.
[8] Jack J. Kellar, letter to “Dearest Alice,” 8 October
1945, excerpt.
No comments:
Post a Comment