Moss Letters

WWII Letters

21 September 1945

Dear Folks:

Well I have taken the first step towards getting home.  Two days ago I left my outfit and have moved to the Personnel Center where we are processed and grouped prior to departure.  I will be discharged at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.  I tried to get it changed to Ft. Logan but said they couldn’t do it.  But I guess it doesn’t make much difference as long as it is in [the] States.  I think I will be here only a day or two before we get on the boat.  I feel like a rookie all over again going through this processing – checking records and equipment, but as long as it means getting home, it’s okeh.

Had a letter from Dad the day I left my outfit.  It was certainly a good one.  I can imagine how Mom feels about us boys getting home and I feel the same way.  The boat ride will seem forever.  I heard today that points are lowered to 70, October first.  Now Dick will be eligible although it will probably be several months before he gets back.

I know I won’t be disappointed in either of you.  Being away so long, being more around all the time, and seeing so much construction, home will be more of a castle than ever.  I just hope I haven’t changed too much and can be successful someday and be what you expect me to be.  I really intend to try.  As we are so near to getting home we often talk about what we will do after the war and I think that a decision now will make or break a lot of guys.  More and more I believe Dad’s philosophy that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough.  I want to get a good education first and I would like to put what dough I have into something for the future and maybe Dad has some ideas.  But [we] will talk it all over soon.

Saw the stage show ‘This is the Army” last night. Very good.  Some liberated prisoners of war were guests.

Well I may be on my way in a day or two so get ready and don’t let Mom faint when I walk in.

Love,

Harold Moss Signature

15 October 1941

Dear folks:

I’m riding on a train thru the desert just a little over the border of Arizona into California.  I can imagine what you went thru when you drove.  This morning stopped for 15 minutes in Needles.  On either side are towering points of rock but here in bed there is nothing but a few bushes.  It must be all of ninety-five or a hundred now.  Yesterday crossed the highest point on any railroad in the United States, Canada, or Mexico.  It took three engines to take us over the top (7,621 feet).  At the top was a long tunnel.  Something a little ironical is that yesterday in passing over the point we were in a furious snowstorm and today the sun is scorching us.  Our train is made up of nine cars carrying three hundred and fifty men.  Ahead of us is another carrying about the same number.  Most of the time have been occupying my time playing bridge but read quite a little too.  We have a Pullman but don’t have enough covers.  We eat on our mess kits and a crew of men from the dining car bring the food thru in buckets and they dish it out.  In the afternoon we get a little fruit and at night a box of cookies.

Close tab is kept on anyone getting sick.  At several places we got out and marched thru the town and got most of the village out.

Yesterday in New Mexico passed thru several small Mexican villages parked in the pine covered foothills, that reminded me of a newsreel of a foreign country.  Such squalor and decrepit looking shacks and boys looking wide-eyed from their unsaddled ponies.  It was all very interesting and in many places the fall coloring of the hills was really beautiful.  Recalled past days at Greeley.

We left Leavenworth at 6:30 last Monday nite and expect to arrive at [Camp] Roberts nine o’clock Thursday afternoon.  I believe we will lay over about 2 hours in Los Angeles.  By the way, this morning at Needles saw my first palm tree.

This is just a line to let you know how I’m getting on but will write more later.

Lots of love,

Harold Moss Signature