Physical Description: .3 Linear Feet(4 folders)
Language of Material: English.
Scope and Contents
This series contains 98 correspondence from Lt. James E. Doole, Jr., USN to his mother during his service in the Second World
War. He writes to her at home in Chelmsford, MA beginning in June 1943, signing his letters "Bud." His first letters are written
from Chapel Hill where he is in U.S. Navy Pre-Flight School. He writes of oppressive heat and rigorous physical training.
On June 5, 1943 he writes of his hope of joining the base team th "Cloudbusters." He writes "I saw the ball game. Here are
some of the boys on the club - Ted Williams, Johnny Pesky, Dusty Cooke (all Red Sox); Buddy Hassett (Yankees); Harry Craft
(Cincinnati); Johnny Sain, Joe Coleman, Eddie Moriarity (Braves - also Buddy Gremp) ... Williams is as crazy as ever ... He
really is a very funny guy and the boys here seem to like him. He definitely has not washed out..."
On June 9th he writes of being asked to try out for the team "I got in good by pitching a pretty good round of batting practice
to such boys as Hassett, Williams, Pesky, Craft, etc. Buddy Hassett is a swell guy, a beautiful line-drive hitter, a real
pleasure to pitch to."
June 16 - "Baseball is going prettty well...I'm in good with Ted because he likes me to pitch batting practice." He writes
of the team getting special preferential treatment when they travel to other bases to play. "This baseball is a good racket
- you're really in the big time playing with these guys. Again, we got mobbed for autographs!" July 23 - he writes he is going
with the team to New York to play and of plans to see her there. In August he writes from the Naval Air Station at Bunker
Hill, Indiana where he has flight training and expects to fly several hours a day for 8 - 12 weeks. He writes of learning
and being tested on aerobatics, flying in formation, night flying. In early December 1943 he writes from the Naval Air Training
Center near Pensacola, FL where he is stationed for intermediate training.
On Dec. 31 he writes "Well, I'm a Marine at last."
In January 1944 he writes of qualifying for "VB2", dive bomber flying. "Heaven knows what kind of planes I will be flying
after I get my wings - anything from a P-38 Lightning to the transport command with B-24 Liberators. That's what I like about
it. I'll probably have a chance to try 'em all out!" marvels at the capabilities of RADAR, writes of the challenges of learning
instrument flying. April 1 - "My instructor congratulated me on having completed the cadet syllabus without getting a single
downcheck." Writes he can't become a flight instructor when he finishes training in April because he won't yet be 21 yrs.
old. The next letter, June 1944, is written from Edenton, NC. It is the first letter in which he uses the rank of lieutenant.
In Sept. 1944 he is writing from MCAS Cherry Point, NC awaiting assignment orders to be a pilot or co-pilot. He describes
the luxuriousness of the officers' quarters "...just like any good hotel..." Dec 23 - "We're all first pilots now and I've
been flying everyday." There is a letter to James "Bud" Doole from Earl Wett dated April 23, 1944 written from the Naval
Hospital at St. Albans, NY. Wett writes how severe seasickness aboard Navy ship in North Atlantic resulted in weight loss
and hospitalization. In March 1945 Doole is in California, he writes of visiting Los Angeles and Hollywood beore after arriving
at MCAD Miramar near San Diego. April 20 he writes he is leaving San Diego and headed to San Francisco and April 27 he writes
he is aboard a transport ship the USS General Langefitt in the Pacific. May 8 he writes of his trip across the Pacific, of
approaching Pearl Harbor and spending leave in Honolulu and Waikiki. He tells of having "worked a little deal with one of
the censors" and so writes of many details of the ship that he might otherwise have to leave out of his letters. "This morning
we were awakened at 6:15 by the Captain's voice, announcing the surrender of Germany... This morning we awoke to find the
legendary Guadalcanal off our port bow - we were passing through the Solomon Islands... Now listen closely, I'll tell you
the big secret. On Friday, the 11th, we expect to pull into Manus Island, the largest island of the Admiralty group. This
is the main base of the 1st Marine Air Wing to which I am attached." Doole serves as a co-pilot on a B-25. June 8 - "There's
not much to tell about night flying missions. The purpose is to keep the Japs awake - that's all." June 20 - "the last few
weeks a few of our boys have flown up into the Philippines and some more of the islands on a certain type of job there's no
need of explaining ... This is probably against censorship rules but anyway two of the squadrons, 433 included, have started
a training program in the use of rockets." Aug. 8 - "Well I suppose you all are excited about the atomic bomb ... He writes
about various recrational activities, movies and sports, especially of pitching on a base team. He shares news of friends
and family back home, former Dartmouth buddies, and men he met in training. August 14 he writes of hearing the news of the
Japanese surrender over short wave from Radio Tokyo, but also writes not to expect him home anytime soon. "I have plenty of
stationery but no will to write." He writes of moving to a new location, probably by ship. "... I hardly believe we'll be
sent homein a hurry - especially when McArthur is running the show. He's agreat guy to those in the States, but boy do the
Marines and the Navy hate him!!" August 30 - He writes from Hollandia on the coast to New Guinea, of a brawl between Marines
and Navy sailors over occupation of an officer's club, of suffering a serious cut on his leg and getting it sewn up at a hospital.
Sept 6 - Censorship ended, he writes of flying bombing routes over Rabaul on New Britain and Kavieng on New Ireland. He complains
of crowded conditions on the LST taking them to Malabang, Mindanao. Arriving in Mindanao he writes they are not able to go
ashore due to Moro uprising, but next day set up camp. He speculates about his squadron's future and about late season baseball
back home. Sept. 17 - ... this outfit is headed for the States ... striaght dope from the C.O.. However, we have to wait for
transportation which may take two or three months." Oct. 3 - "We finally have electricity in our tents, just in time for the
World Series broadcasts... I doubt I'll have enough ambition to write anyone for the rest of my stay here." Oct. 20 - "...10
of our planes are leaving Tuesday the 23rd, for Hawaii - naturally, I'm on one of the planes. Our planes are completely stripped
down, all guns and armor plating have been removed They really get up and go now." He continues to write of his group's flight
plans to get to Ewa in Hawaii. He writes along the way from Peleliu, Guam, Saipan, Eniwetok, Wake, and Midway. Nov. 6 - He
writes of arrival in Hawaii, "pickling" the planes to preserve them, complains of having to wear a tie again on base, and
discusses his "points" situation. Nov. 28 "I'm too darned excited to write much of a letter 'cause I'm going to be discharged!!"
He writes he is to report to the Discharge Center in Boston by mid-December. In the last letter in the collection, postmarked
Dec. 4, he writes from Evanston, IL of plans to take a train to New York and "I will definitely be home bythe 15th." There
is a partial letter at the end of the series. It has no saluation page, but is signed "Love, Jim." It is undated but makes
reference to the visiting the Space Needle in Seattle.