November 2007 31
dence between US armed forces person-
nel and British women. The one enve-
lope is from Flight Officer (F/O) to a
young lady. Flight Officers were a spe-
cial rank above the enlisted ranks but
below that of second lieutenant created
during WWII to increase the number
of pilots available. Enlisted men who
were recommended could enter flight
training and, after graduation (starting
in July 1942) received the grade of
Flight Officer which was equal in sta-
tus to that of warrant officer junior
grade. They were to be treated as mili-
Figure 12 is free 1
st
class mail in October 1945 from a soldier husband tary officers, and wore colored bars like
temporarily located at Camp Lucky Strike, France, to his wife. The soldier warrant officers, except that the enam-
had accumulated enough “Discharge Points” and was awaiting transport
eled portion was blue instead of brown.
home.
The “T-9122” is the officer’s Army Se-
tions. At the war
rial Number (ASN). Since he was origi-
’s end, the cigarette and city camps
were changed over primarily to handle soldiers to be
nally an enlisted man, he already had an 8-digit num-
demobilized based on the “Point System”. In this plan,
ber. As a Flight Officer, he was placed in different
points were awarded for years of service
overseas, medals and other commendations
received, campaign battle stars earned, and
other factors such as dependent children.
Initially, the point total needed for being sent
home was 85; those with this total or more
were the first to be sent home. As the war
against Japan ended, the point total was de-
creased, and my father was demobilized in
October 1945 with a total of 82 points (45
months in service, 17 months overseas, and
four battle stars).
One commonly heard half-joke, half com-
plaint about American troops in Britain dur-
ing the war was “Overpaid, oversexed and
over here!’ While the average British Tommy
was serving the Empire around the world,
American troops were coming to Great Brit-
ain in support of the air war and ultimately
for the invasion of Europe. The American
(and Canadian) soldiers stationed in the Brit-
ish Isles were like wealthy patricians, dis-
pensing their largess in return for the favor
of companionship. This would naturally be
attractive to a great number of British
women, deprived of material luxuries due
to shortages under rationing and social ac-
tivities due to the lack of men. Figure 13
Figure 13 illustrates two envelopes used in correspondence between
illustrates two envelopes used in correspon-
US armed forces personnel and British women. The top cover is to a
civilian and the bottom is from a WAAF
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