These letters were written by Donald Ivan Kenyon. He was born on June 4th 1924 in Chenango, New York. He would enlist into the Army Air Force and would eventually serve as a waist gunner on a B-17. These three letters were written by Donald to three different people while he was in training.
This first letter was written to his girlfriend, his nickname for her is “Penrod”. The letter reads:
>“ Lowry Field
Denver Colorado
Sept. 11, 1942
>Dearest Penrod,
>Say, what am I the forgotten soldier or something? Do you realize the last time you wrote me a letter was Aug. 13th (or maybe ones on the way) but anyway if I don’t receive a letter from you soon I’m going to be broken hearted.
>Sweets you don’t know how much it means to get a letter from the girl you love.
>I haven’t time to write much but I thought I’d send you a reminder that I’m still very much in love with you and still living.
>Anyway, you’d better be good to me for I’ve got a date this weekend with a girl from Forest City, Iowa. (Oh! Incidentally she’s my first cousin on my mother’s side). I thought I’d better add that so you wouldn’t get mad. She’s going to stop in Denver on her way to her father’s place in Mississippi.
>Well until I receive a letter from you,
>Loads of love straight from the bottom of my sole,
Don.
>P.S. Don’t take me too seriously in this letter because I’m only a lovesick soldier who’s nuts over a beautiful Californian girl. “
This second letter was written to one of Donald’s friends. It reads:
>“ Aerial Gunnery School
Wendover Field, Utah
12/20/42
>Dear friend,
>I’m sorry I haven’t written but I’ve been moving so fast I haven’t had time to stop and think and now I’m going to school 12 hrs. a day, all wk except Sunday.
>This camp isn’t in such good shape but they have got a good school here and when I graduate I’ll be a Staff Sergeant.
>I took time to write mainly to say a Merry Christmas to you and the Best in Happiness in this coming year.
>As ever,
Donald Kenyon. “
This third and last letter was written to his girlfriend’s mother. It reads:
>“ 2/2/43
Army Air Base
Salt Lake City, Utah
>Dear Mrs. Morton,
>Thank you very much for the box of cookies and candy. You really shouldn’t have bothered as you have never met me or anything, but I really do appreciate it very much.
>I’m here at Salt Lake Army Air Base waiting once more to be shipped. I missed being shipped last week because I was in the hospital for 6 days with the German measles and a bad cold. I was cleared today.
>I’ve got to close now as I have to go on duty shortly as Sergeant of the guard.
>Hoping this letter found you all feeling well. (How’s Penrod!)
>As ever your friend
Don. “
Shortly after this last letter was written, Donald was finally shipped overseas. He was assigned to the 429th Bomb Squadron, 2nd Bomb Group, as a waist gunner aboard the B-17 “Miss Carriage” (Serial #42-3083).
On July 8th, 1943, Donald and his nine crewmen were on a bombing mission to Sicily. As they crossed the Mediterranean Sea, they had trouble maintaining formation. When they failed to catch up, the crew decided to turn back. A few minutes later, they were attacked by several Messerschmitt Bf 109s, which crippled the bomber and knocked out two engines.
The pilot gave the order to abandon the aircraft, and nine parachutes were seen opening. The plane crashed into the sea about 25 miles south of Sicily. Tragically, all but one of the crew perished, most drowning in the sea after bailing out.
Donald was among those who drowned. He was 19 years old.
The only survivor was the navigator, Edwin G. Kocher, who was rescued a few days later by a British destroyer.
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These letters were written by Donald Ivan Kenyon. He was born on June 4th 1924 in Chenango, New York. He would enlist into the Army Air Force and would eventually serve as a waist gunner on a B-17. These three letters were written by Donald to three different people while he was in training.
This first letter was written to his girlfriend, his nickname for her is “Penrod”. The letter reads:
>“ Lowry Field
Denver Colorado
Sept. 11, 1942
>Dearest Penrod,
>Say, what am I the forgotten soldier or something? Do you realize the last time you wrote me a letter was Aug. 13th (or maybe ones on the way) but anyway if I don’t receive a letter from you soon I’m going to be broken hearted.
>Sweets you don’t know how much it means to get a letter from the girl you love.
>I haven’t time to write much but I thought I’d send you a reminder that I’m still very much in love with you and still living.
>Anyway, you’d better be good to me for I’ve got a date this weekend with a girl from Forest City, Iowa. (Oh! Incidentally she’s my first cousin on my mother’s side). I thought I’d better add that so you wouldn’t get mad. She’s going to stop in Denver on her way to her father’s place in Mississippi.
>Well until I receive a letter from you,
>Loads of love straight from the bottom of my sole,
Don.
>P.S. Don’t take me too seriously in this letter because I’m only a lovesick soldier who’s nuts over a beautiful Californian girl. “
This second letter was written to one of Donald’s friends. It reads:
>“ Aerial Gunnery School
Wendover Field, Utah
12/20/42
>Dear friend,
>I’m sorry I haven’t written but I’ve been moving so fast I haven’t had time to stop and think and now I’m going to school 12 hrs. a day, all wk except Sunday.
>This camp isn’t in such good shape but they have got a good school here and when I graduate I’ll be a Staff Sergeant.
>I took time to write mainly to say a Merry Christmas to you and the Best in Happiness in this coming year.
>As ever,
Donald Kenyon. “
This third and last letter was written to his girlfriend’s mother. It reads:
>“ 2/2/43
Army Air Base
Salt Lake City, Utah
>Dear Mrs. Morton,
>Thank you very much for the box of cookies and candy. You really shouldn’t have bothered as you have never met me or anything, but I really do appreciate it very much.
>I’m here at Salt Lake Army Air Base waiting once more to be shipped. I missed being shipped last week because I was in the hospital for 6 days with the German measles and a bad cold. I was cleared today.
>I’ve got to close now as I have to go on duty shortly as Sergeant of the guard.
>Hoping this letter found you all feeling well. (How’s Penrod!)
>As ever your friend
Don. “
Shortly after this last letter was written, Donald was finally shipped overseas. He was assigned to the 429th Bomb Squadron, 2nd Bomb Group, as a waist gunner aboard the B-17 “Miss Carriage” (Serial #42-3083).
On July 8th, 1943, Donald and his nine crewmen were on a bombing mission to Sicily. As they crossed the Mediterranean Sea, they had trouble maintaining formation. When they failed to catch up, the crew decided to turn back. A few minutes later, they were attacked by several Messerschmitt Bf 109s, which crippled the bomber and knocked out two engines.
The pilot gave the order to abandon the aircraft, and nine parachutes were seen opening. The plane crashed into the sea about 25 miles south of Sicily. Tragically, all but one of the crew perished, most drowning in the sea after bailing out.
Donald was among those who drowned. He was 19 years old.
The only survivor was the navigator, Edwin G. Kocher, who was rescued a few days later by a British destroyer.