The Silver King's War

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This episode is the second of Stanley's letters, "Dearest Ones," from January 1945, at A-72, north of Paris. The King is effusive with grateful words about a fresh cable from his parents for the new year.  Our humble warrior wants his family to know how important their support is for his work. As a bonus, he reports on the latest package filled with stationery, cigarettes and a box of Martha's Candies. 

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This episode (published on Memorial Day: May 30th, 2022) is the first of The Silver King's letters, "Dearest Ones," from January 1945 in northern France.  It's winter, bitter cold, with blizzards and mud.  When Stanley's not flying he's sitting near the fire in his room, reading, writing and playing bridge. The holiday season and his unit's liquor rations have delivered memories and headaches.

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This is episode is part three in Stanley's letters, "Dearest Ones," from A-72, north of Paris, during December 1944.  The weather is brutal, the Battle of the Bulge rages, and the 597th flies air support for the Army's ground war. He and his fellow warriors feel good about their work.  It's just before xmas and the King has received a sturdy box of goodies from Temple Emanuel. He's most grateful for the cigarettes and candy.

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This episode continues Stanley's letters, "Dearest Ones," from A-72, north of Paris. It's mid-December 1944.  He's returned from Paris with vivid descriptions that he shares with his family.  The mail is all packages (important food) and no letters.  He's hoping for more news about the growing Bernstein family. His sister, Leona, has a new baby girl: Margie. Uncle Stanley needs details about his new niece.  The Silver King has growing responsibilities as a Duty Bombardier and lead Bombardier in a three-ship element.

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This episode is the first of The Silver King's letters, "Dearest One," from Europe in December 1944.  Stanley has the news about his new niece, Margie Bernstein.  And, he's preparing for his first trip to Paris. The surprise German counter attack in mid-December (Battle of the Bulge) will have Stanley's unit flying hard and often.  He will fly two missions on Christmas Day.

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This is the third episode in The Silver King's letters from Europe in November 1944.  It's almost December and he reports on recent letters from Birmingham and Chicago. His sister Leona, who wrote a recent letter, is expecting her second child and the King is anxious for news. Stanley's war is real as he writes about mail service, food requests, liquor rations and cigarettes.  He's ready to visit Paris.

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This episode is the second part of The Silver King's letters, "Dearest Ones," from Europe in mid-November 1944.  Stanley's war is real now as combat missions begin from A-72, north of Paris.  The 597th squadron is flying from a just-abandoned German airfield.  He's happy to report that the mail from home is finally reaching his new APO.  However, the requests continue for more food. He and his guys get hungry between meals.

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This episode is the first of Stanley's letters, "Dearest Ones," in November 1944, from A-72, north of Paris.  The Silver King saw Germany for the first time on November 5, 1944.  A night mission with clear skies and no enemy encounters, Stanley delivered his first bombing payload over Homburg.  The New York Times published a brief story about the mission on Monday, November 6, 1944 (page 13), describing that.... "The attackers bombed warehouses, ammunition dumps and stockpiles, at Homburg, fifteen miles northeast of Saarbrucken, without encountering Nazi fighters or flak." 

Stanley's war began with a train ride to the U. S. Army Air Corps classification HQ in Nashville, Tennessee, on January 10, 1943.  He was 19.  Twenty-two months later, on  November 5, 1944, Stanley rode over Germany in a B-26 nose, the "Greenhouse."  He was 21.

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This episode of "Dearest Ones," (published on Stanley's 99th birthday: April 23, 1923) includes The Silver King's thoughtful and thorough letters from A-72, north of Paris, in late October 1944.  He's bunking with six officers, sleeping late, eating well, playing baseball, waiting for his bags and mail, requesting goodies from home, and hoping the weather will clear to begin his war.

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This episode continues Stanley's "Dearest Ones," the letters he wrote to his family throughout the Second World War.  It's mid-October 1944 as he reaches his bomb group at A-72, north of Paris.   The Germans occupied the air field weeks before The Silver King's arrival.  He's in the Ninth Air Force, assigned to the 397th Bombardment Group, 597th Bombardment Squadron. His bags haven't arrived but there's plenty of champagne and he reports that his crew, "Festi's Boys," will remain together as they fly from A-72.

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