[303rd-Talk] after the war

[Maurice Paulk]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Van Pelt" <bvp6565 at yahoo.com>
To: "303rd Bomb Group Talk Forum" <303rd-talk at 303rdbg.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 8:30 AM
Subject: Re: [303rd-Talk] After the War


Were you haunted by the memories of what you saw and did or did you just resume your lives 
and got on with it? The members of the ground crew & especially those of the Air Corps Supply
are probably MUCH different from those of the combat & flight line crews!!.  My relationship 
with an English family [ My home away from home] was not conducive to nightmares. Their 
son was a guide to being "English" &  a companion. Never thought much about it - college for 2 years,
[A  female Spanish techer told 6-7 of us G.I.s that we had no busines in a higher instution of learning.] 
19 years with a partner in a garage & filling station shy 12 years as a parts clerk with Chrysler and Chevrolet
[a bit shy of 12 years all told.]  It wasn't until around "88 that a started to think about my outfit.
Cantact quite a few --11 & 1 from Engineering showed in Sept '90. had  4 more ['92 Boise & 94 Colo Springs.
'96 last one with only 5 of us.
> I know you guys aren't much on talking about feeleings and emotions, but what did the war do to you? 
 I mean, it must have done something to you whether you were part of the ground personnel or with an air crew.
I think it made me a little "antsy" and restless. I still get "cabin fever".
>>From what I have read over the years, there appears to be two kinds of veterans - those who came home and 
had no trouble adapting to the post war world, and then those who couldn't forget and got sucked into what we 
now call post tramatic stress.
> 
> I am very curious to hear what you went through after the war if you don't mind talking about it.  Thanks!
The real affect on me[ if any] was really not very noticable. In fact as odd as it may sound I enjoyed 
the 33 months in England=== I found a home away from home with a family in Dudley Worcestshire =
They treated me like a son!! =a young english man about 1-2 years younger than I was. [I was 21 when 
I enlisted]. The people I met were wonderful = countryside was beautiful. 
    The 3 months in Africa [2 mos 2 days in Belknghazi, Lybia] were boring--done a lot of swimming & 
goofing off in Post Engineering ==with a boss that was a corporal--I didn't mind but he seemd to be a little 
disturbed!!!!!  You don't pull rank on your boss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I apologise for the boring, rambling letter - I sometimes get "diarrhea of the finger tips."

I hope that this recipe [a favorite for camping & here at home] from my third cookbook 

CAMP COOKING MADE E-Z......Will soften the blow!!!!!!!!!

                                                        Quick One-Dish Meal

                            Source Unknown --prep & cooking time 0:40 -- serves 3-4

1 lb hamburger --1 can condensed tomato soup -- 1 can butter beans [no molasses & bacon] 

partially drained.=Break up & brown hamburger [use some onion here if you wish], Add 

beans & soup & stir once in a while to prevent sticking, about 30-35 mins. or until reaching 

desired consistency. =My wife doesn't care for mushrooms so when I fix it for myself, I add a 

4-5 oz can of mushrooms or mushroom pieces & a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Note--this is           

AN easily expanded recipe. My wife uses the electric skillet for this one. It's a favorite of ours. 



Maurice J. Paulk 
a.k.a. The Mountain Man
205 W 12th St.
Wood River Ne. - 68883-9164
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE

303rd Bomb Group
Molesworth, England
Oct. 8, '42 = June 11, '45 
Sgt. A/c Supply