Last Letter Home

Somewhere near Naples, Italy, March 23rd, 1945. Three o'clock in the morning. Dear Mom, I owe you a letter. I owe you a dozen letters. I write them in my head, but I can't seem to put them down on paper.

But this letter, I want to think out first. I want to clear up a lot of things you'd want to know about my squadron, my life in Italy, my missions, and how I die. Destination Freedom.

Destination Freedom. Dramatization of the great democratic heritage of the Negro people is brought to you by Station WMAQ as a part of the pageant of history and of America's own destination freedom. Winner of the coveted distinguished unit citation.

The 332nd Fighter Group composed entirely of Negroes was one of the outstanding combat units in World War II. In a chapter entitled, Last Letter Home, Destination Freedom tells a part of the story of these great squadrons.

Dear Mom, I'm lying here wide awake, while the other pilots sleep. I've been reading that book I bought in Bakersfield when the war started. The book that declared war, it kept me awake. The book and those trucks I hear grumbling outside.

For the idea came to me that the books and the trucks were linked together and I became nervous and let the book slip. Hey, hey what's this? Not sure Evans. Lieutenant Jefferson who slept in the The punk across from mine. He got up, came over.

What are you doing up kid? Reading. Nervous huh? Cigarette? Can a guy read? Sure, sure. What are you reading? Oh. That again. Thought I'd go through it before tomorrow's mission. Oh? Funny. Until this morning, I never bothered much about where we were flying, but this time, I feel it's my last trip.