My dad, I. Granger McDaniel, spent four years in German POW camps during World War II. I just found a brittle and faded letter he wrote to his father while a prisoner. He forged his own birth certificate and high school diploma to join the RAF, so he was just 18 or 19 years old when he wrote this letter, which is beautifully written.
Dear Dad; Thanks for your swell card, it certainly helped! Excuse this lettering I can do better. I have been studying a little Architecture. Just as a hobby mostly history. I’m extremely pleased to know you are getting along so well. We will have a big time when I get back.
I guess I would like to come home and say “Well dad I know now you were right and I’m ready to listen to you now, and start a a-new where I left off” but I’m afraid that pride which I inherited from you, will prevent me from ever doing so. The hell of this situation is I can’t plan in anyway for the future, however, have chosen my work and now must stick to it. Ol’ fate kinda slipped me a lousy hole card but i’m hoping that it will suffice to make me just that much stronger. I have some fine ideas for when i get out. One is for remodeling the house. Tell everyone hellow for me and keep Cal. working. If you run across any old Architecture books try and get them for my collection I’m going to have. Take good care of mom for me. Bo-
There’s nothing much I can ad to the beauty and eloquence of this letter. He was a hell of a man.
Recently a RAF historian contacted me. he’s put up a whole page about Dad’s plane being shot down…and more.
Pilot Officer Irven Granger McDaniel 112297 RAF VR Pilot
Great letter!!! Four years as a Prisoner of War automatically makes him a HERO!!!
The letter brought tears to my eyes.To think; just a young kid writing of his future. He surely kept that dream alive as you keep his memory alive.Thank you for sharing that sweet letter.
Jo Ellen
Bo was certainly one of a kind!
Wish I could have known him, Diana. Would have been an honor.