Kiss the Children for Me

By Bill Farnum

Based on hundreds of long-hidden letters, Kiss the Children for Me is the true story of George Farnum, an airman from Jamaica, New York, whose decorated WWII career included his being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on three of his thirty seven B-29 missions. The letters span from October 1940 to July 1945. The story begins with the pre-war National Guard induction of 21 year old Private Farnum, days after he'd secretly eloped with 19 year old Rita Mutell of Brooklyn, who was voted Miss Rockaway 1938. She was a spitfire. The first letters transport the readers back to the 40's as he boards the troop train to Annistan, Alabama, where the Fighting 69th would begin basic training. His hitch was supposed to last one year. His letters allow us to experience the Tennessee and Louisiana Maneuvers through the eyes of a na?ve recruit. The country, the world, began to control the couple who found their separation so unfair. Then Pearl Harbor. The Japanese invasion changed everything, including their attitude and sense of duty. The 69th was sent to defend California. While there, Private Farnum was awed by the expanding Army Air Corps. He applied and got accepted as his infantry buddies prepared to ship out. After training first as a bombardier, then as a navigator, Private Farnum became Lieutenant Farnum, and was assigned to the secret B-29, as the Superfortress overcame mechanical problems to get it ready for combat in the Pacific Theater. He was with the first B-29 crews sent to India. The end mission for the super heavy bomber was to pummel Japan. To get enough weaponry and supplies into China, for one raid against Japan, the crews had to traverse "The Hump" seven hair-raising times. The Hump was infamous for downing aircraft caught in dangerous Himalayan weather. After extensive training to become a lead crew, his crew joined all of the other B-29s based in India, and moved to Tinian, an island in the South Pacific. From there, the men of the "Lucky Lady" led missions over Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, and other sites throughout the Japanese islands. Each of his missions was researched, often using primary source material, and presented so that the reader learns what was censored in the letters sent home. This is their coming of age story. The two impulsive youngsters were forced by circumstances to be brave when they were needed most. His bravery was obvious when you read the details of each of his missions. Her courage grew from a girl who feared noises in the night, to a woman raising two children by herself. This entire story was stowed away in a steamer trunk in the back of a stairway closet where it remained years after George and Rita passed away. Over 700 wartime letters from friends, family, and mostly each other, were jammed in. They were too precious to throw out, but too unorganized to make sense. For over five years, the random pile of letters was put into order, then augmented with historical and family background, and finally edited into a story. The book began as an intimate project from the author to his grandson. Over the years, it developed into a living history that teaches us about that glorious generation who put off their future until their duty was completed. When we read about this young couple and their determination and grit in the face of world-changing events, we have a glimpse of how to live a more caring and committed life, even when confronting obstacles that may threaten us. Just as important, in Kiss the Children for Me, Rita and George's letters comprise a first-hand view of some of the key events that shaped our nation's history.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1542342880
• ISBN13: 9781542342889
• Release Date: June 2017
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 544 Pages
• Weight: 1.99 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.2" x 6.0"