Iowa Old Press
The Daily Times
Davenport, Iowa
April 10, 1944
Bombardier, Missing Since Sept. 16, Indicates a Visit Home Soon.
Mrs. Virginia Green Beilstein, 721 Taylor street, Davenport, today was excitedly awaiting further word from her husband, First Lt. John N. Beilstein, Flying Fortress bombardier, after learning late Saturday that he had escaped from the Germans.
He had been reported “missing in action” after a bombing raid over northern France or Germany Sept. 16.
Two letters from him, written March 15 and 19, indicated that he will soon be home on leave.
Mrs. Beilstein was unable to guess from the information in the letters where her husband had been when he wrote them, but she addressed an answer to the old APO address of his base in Britain. He told her guardedly that he had “arrive safely” and was “waiting to get along farther.”
“What a wonderful feeling, my darling—safe—after six months!” he wrote to Mrs. Beilstein. “The feeling in my heart is beyond any sort of description. I am free!”
“Today, I got some new clothing, and yesterday I got my first bath and haircut.
“I am the luckiest man on the face of God’s earth. When I look back, I don’t know how I ever made it—only with God’s help!
“It’s been 181 days since I last wrote you, and no one can imagine the feeling in my heart to know that I will soon see you.”
Happiest Day, Says Wife.
“Saturday was the happiest day in my life!” exclaimed Mrs. Beilstein today. “It was happier even than my wedding day.”
After learning in November that the pilot of her husband’s plane had been killed and that five crew members had been taken prisoner by the Nazis, Mrs. Beilstein had never given up hope that her husband would return safely some day.
“In my letter,” she said, “I told him that both his Christmas present, and the present I got him for his birthday—Feb. 5—were waiting for him.”
Mrs. Beilstein was back at her desk in the quad-city regional office of the Chicago ordnance district today after having spent the week-end with her husband’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Beilstein, Williamsburg. She hurried to their home Saturday afternoon following the arrival of the two letters in plain envelopes marked only with Lt. Beilstein’s name and serial number, and an American censorship stamp. His mother also had a letter from him.
Lt. Beilstein’s escape from the Nazis constitutes another chapter in sensational experiences during which he won the air medal and four oak leaf clusters.
Previous Exploits.
Before he was reported missing, wide publicity was given to exploits in which his bomber, “El Diablo,” (“The Devil”) almost miraculously limped home with a broken supercharger after having helped wreck a hugh synthetic rubber plan at Huls, Germany.
Two days later, there was a story telling how the crew took over another plan, “Dangerous Dan” successfully dropping their bombs on the target, and then knocked down seven of 20 attacking Nazi planes before faltering back to base on two engines, the ship having been riddled by enemy fire.
Lt. Beilstein is a former St. Ambrose college student and football player.[transcribed by L.Z., Oct 2021]