Letters Between Pilots' Mothers With Newspaper Article

Title

Letters Between Pilots' Mothers With Newspaper Article

Subject

Patriotism was alive and well throughout the U.S., and the families of military personnel supported each other, even if they were a few states away

Description

This article, from a newspaper in Ohio, tells the story of a local pilot getting shot down in the Battle of Bastogne, but insisting on getting back to base as he was expecting to hear news that he was a father. This airman, 1st Lt. Duane E. Oyster, was a pilot in the 362nd Fighter Group, and although there is only a passing reference to Colonel Joseph Laughlin in the article, Lt. Oysters' mother felt compelled to pass on the article to Colonel Laughlin's family. The final letter was written in reply to Ruba Oyster's original letter nearly 30 years later by Colonel Laughlin's mother, Gertrude. It shows that the bonds shared by the pilots were also shared by their families, even decades after the war.

Source

National Museum of the United States Air Force - Research Division

Publisher

United States Air Force

Date

1945-1975

Files

Laughlin_Letter_from_Ruba_Oyster.jpg
Laughlin_Article_from_Ruba_Oyster.jpg
Laughlin_Letter_to_Family.JPG
Laughlin_Letter_from_Gertrude.JPG

Citation

“Letters Between Pilots' Mothers With Newspaper Article,” A Look At United States Air Force Colonel Joseph Laughlin, accessed November 2, 2024, https://coloneljoelaughlin.omeka.net/items/show/52.