Sun Morning.

Dear Mother.

I am trying to, Oh Mother I can't put my feelings on paper. By the time you receive this letter you will know of Johnny's death. It sounds funny ‘death' I have never been hit so hard by anything in my life. They have just came & took Johnnys stuff away. The accident happened 3 hrs ago & it is hard to realize I was sitting with him 5 hrs ago. We were just planning where we was going on leave & talking about what we would do when we got home. I cant write anymore now. I have been for a long walk & I feel a bit better now. I have been up all night but I can't sleep anyways. I will go to church in a few hours & say a prayer for his folks at home. It will be a terrible shock to his mother & dad as they loved their little boy dearly. I don't have to tell you how much Johnny meant to me. I dont think there has been a week in the past 8 years of our companionship I haven't been with him. I feel lost without him. I saw the accident from the start to finnish as they were on the same detail a us but I didn't know who it was at the time. The whole crew except the pilot died. The ship caught fire but they all baled out but their parachutes were on fire all but one. I can hardly bear to tell you about it I would like you to get the facts. It was the last flip here to. We had managed to stay together for 2 years in the Air Force. I had expected one of us to get it but not while still training. It takes all the joy out of going home. He was a good kid always truthfull & full of fun & very seldom without a smile on his face. You will see his folks for me wont you & express my feelings & deep regret to them. I am going to see if I can see what remains & I don't know whether they will ship him home or hold a funeral over here. I have never been to a funeral before & I little realized when I wrote you that letter last night what the next few hours would bring. I was saying I didnt feel very old but this has changed me quite a bit. It could have been anybody but him but Its tough on the rest of the crew to. The Nav was a married man with two children & the bomb aimers wife is going into the hospital in a few days to give birth to a child. It's a horrible mess. I keep thinking of all the good times we used to have and whenever I close my eyes I see him there in front of me smiling. I will close for now as it is nearly time for church & I really wouldn't want to miss it

I'll write again soon.

Love Norm.