Finding Aid for John G. Nall Second World War correspondence 2017.233.w.r
Benjamin Stevens
Center for American War Letters Archives
5/23/2019
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: John G. Nall Second World War correspondence
source:
Roush, Molly
Creator:
Nall, John Graham, First Lieutenant, 1923-1944
Identifier/Call Number: 2017.233.w.r
Physical Description:
.15 Linear Feet
(1 folder)
Date (inclusive): 1943 January 20 - 1944 June 20
Abstract: This collection contains nineteen correspondence written by 1st Lt. John G. Nall, USAAF to his friend Mary Symmes during the
Second World War.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: WWII 59
Container: 13
Container: 1
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Molly Bridgman Roush, daughter of the recipient
This collection is arranged chronologically
First Lieutenant John Graham "Jack" Nall, United States Army Air Force (5/7/1923 - 7/6/1944) was born in Wilmington, North
Carolina to John Paul and Alberta Blanchard Nall. He was inducted into the USAAF on 6 July 1944 and trained as a pilot. 1LT
Nall was assigned to the 12th Air Force, 57th Bombardment Wing, 321st Bombardment group, 447th Bombardment Squadron, aboard
a B-25 Mitchell Medium Bomber Aircraft, stationed in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations. He was killed in action by enemy
anti-aircraft fire on 6 July 1944, during group misson #422, a bombing raid that targeted a vado viaduct in Italy. All eighteen
of the airships that took part in the raid were holed by anti-aircraft fire. The mission had a bombing accuracy rating of
41% and Mission efficiency rating of 34%. 1LT Nall's plane, "Rebel Devil," A/C No. 43-27506, was flown back by the copilot
and continued to be used by the 447th BS. 1LT Nall is interred in the Oakdale cemetery in Wilmington, North Carolina.
http://57thbombwing.com/321stHistory/321_BG_1944-07.pdf
[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], John G. Nall Second World War correspondence (2017.233.w.r), Center for
American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this
collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.
All correspondence are addressed to Miss Mary Symmes, who was a close friend of 1st Lt. John Nall, USAAF and he signed them
all as "Jack."
Fifteen letters
One postcard
Three v-mail
• Envelope dated January 20, 1943 contains a two paged letter (front and back) dated Jan 20, 1943, written in Nashville, Tennessee.
First letter after being inducted into the Army. Wrote about being selected as a pilot and future training.
• Envelope dated February 8, 1943 contains a two paged undated letter (front and back), written at Maxwell Field, Alabama.
Arrived at Maxwell Field for training in the Army Air Corps. Talks about the class level structure, training schedule, and
dining experiences.
• Envelope dated April 27, 1943 contains a two paged undated letter (front and back), written in Bennettsville, South Carolina
A letter informing the recipient of his change of location. He wrote about flight training and the progression he made since
leaving Maxwell Field, Alabama.
• Postcard dated June 7, 1943, written at Shaw Field, South Carolina.
Short update on his training. He started flying BT-15s.
• A six paged letter, without an envelope, dated June 30, 1943 (minor water damage).
A letter explaining how much he missed home and an update on his training.
• Envelope dated July 01, 1943 contains a two paged letter dated June 26, 1943, written at Shaw Field, South Carolina.
A letter reflecting on previous times the recipient and he spent together. He also updates the recipient on mutual friends,
their locations and statuses.
• Envelope dated August 02, 1943 contains a two paged undated letter (front and back), written at Turner Field, Georgia.
A letter informing the recipient of his planned leave for ten days back home. He continued to write about the progress of
his training and future requirements.
• Envelope dated September 18, 1943 contains a two paged undated letter (front and back), written at Turner Field, Georgia.
The letter reflected on his previous leave and current training progress. He started flying AT-9 and 10s in preparation for
larger planes.
• Envelope dated September 29, 1943 contains a graduation announcement for the class of 43-I at the Army Air Forces Training
Center in Albany, Georgia.
• Envelope dated October 14, 1943 contains a two paged undated letter (front and back), written in Greenville, South Carolina.
The letter describes his location in Greenville by contrasting it to Greensboro, North Carolina. He also wrote about his possible
shipping date for overseas service.
• Envelope dated October 25, 1943 contains a two paged undated letter (front and back), written in Greenville, South Carolina.
The letter contains memories of shared friendships and their current statuses. He wrote about relationships, both his own
and their friends. Additionally, he wrote about his first crash while flying.
• Envelope dated November 10, 1943 contains a two paged undated letter (front and back), written in Greenville, South Carolina
(minor water damage).
The letter contains mostly small talk. He wrote about using their radios to listen to all the programs on the air.
• Envelope date November 21, 1943 contains a two paged letter (front and back) dated November 19, 1943.
In the letter he mainly wrote about the death of a mutual friend and the possibility of another one dying shortly. It is uncertain
what the affliction was.
• Envelope dated April 10, 1944 contains one V-mail dated April 01, 1944, written in Italy.
He wrote about his arrival in Italy and the first three missions he had been on and the dangers they involved.
• Envelope dated May 06, 1944 contains a two paged letter dated May 02, 1944, written in Italy.
In the letter he wrote about completing his seventeenth mission and hoping the remaining missions are not as hard as his first
seventeen.
• V-mail without an envelope dated May 7, 1944, written in Italy.
He Wrote about having his picture taken and drew small cartoons to show what he looked like now. He also references flying
B-25s on bombing runs over Italy.
• Envelope dated May 18, 1944 contains one V-mail dated May 1(?), 1944, written in Corsica.
He wrote about trying to speak to local ladies, but not knowing enough French and reminiscing on his French teach telling
him to pay better attention. He reported he had completed Twenty-Three bombing runs. The most recent target was Elba, Italy
and he references Napoleon.
• Envelope dated June 11, 1944 contains a one paged letter dated June 10, 1944, written in Corsica.
He wrote about a short trip he took to different rest bases and the activities he experienced.
• Envelope dated June 22, 1944 contains a one paged letter dated June 20, 1944, written in Corsica.
In the letter he joked about him and the recipient getting married if she kept asking him. He wrote about spending time with
her when he got back and put in parentheses the number twenty-nine, possible referring to his number of bombing runs.
No more letters are in this collection. After the last letter was written, 1LT John G. Nall was killed in action while on
a bombing raid over Italy.
There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the
responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Adventure travel
Air pilots, military
Aircraft accidents
Armed Forces -- Correspondence
Bombardier aircraft
Flight schools
Italy -- Civilization.
Landscapes.
Last letters before death
Military aircraft.
Military education
Military training camps
Travel -- Europe
United States -- Army -- Air Forces
United States. -- Army.
United States. -- Army. -- Air Corps
United States. -- Army Air Service
V-mail
World War (1939-1945) -- Italy
World War (1939-1945)
World War, 1939-1945 -- Aerial operations, American
World War (1939-1945) -- Europe
World War II
Roush, Molly
Symmes, Mary