Guard duty Archives - Page 2 of 2

21 January 1942

Dearest Folks:

I suppose that before you even opened this letter you guessed the good news. Yep, I’m using my new pencil and stationary from it. The box came only 15 minutes before my guard duty so I had to laboriously and impatiently bide my time for four hours until I could get back to open it. I took a hurried peek just before and managed to pull out the picture of Nancy. The box was in good shape and surely there could be nothing missing for all there was in it. Well after guard tour I came back, lit a couple of candles and began to explore it’s depths. I walk guard again tonite from 4 am to 8 am and in the morning will make sure my eyes aren’t fooling me. I don’t know how to start to tell you how I feel about it. I opened it by myself in the tent and as I hurriedly opened package after package I really felt like crying a little. You went out of your way and spent a lot of time and money getting it together and such devotion and love I feel I hardly deserve. The army is a place where you stop and think a lot and I’ve done plenty. I feel so physically far away from you tonite and with no furloughs in sight, don’t help the situation much. I could get very sentimental but I know that would make you feel low. I wonder how you tolerated for a long, long time my disrespectful and unkindly acts and words and I just hope that I make the same kind of father to my children as my dad and as my wife will to my children.

I have the watch in my pocket, the pencil in my hand and the stationary in my lap and I’m going to wear the sweatshirt when I get up at three in the morning. It’ll be plenty chilly. Everything is so very practical and I’ll use them all the time.

Of course the cake was a little hard but ‘happy birthday’ stood out plainly. I think those two words touched me the most. The candy is still good.

Well mom and dad, my candle is about a half inch long and I’ve got to get up at three so I better stop soon. Thanks to every one of you a million times over for everything. I’m positive the box was untouched.

Goodnite and I’ve got to say it again, thank you all.

Love,

I’ll send you some pictures tomorrow.

29 December 1941

Dearest Folks:

I just got some of my mail from Roberts today so I’m going to be busy answering letters tonite.

I’m a little worried about the package you sent to me-here it is the 29^th. Did you send it to Roberts or Escondido? I’m so anxious to dig into it but I’m not worried as long as it is insured. I know it will really be something. I had a lovely Christmas dinner but we were allowed to be away from the billet long enough for the meal and that was only a couple of hours. I really felt down Christmas Eve. We were all packed up ready to get on the move, and afraid we would have no Christmas at all. Then it was my birthday and my first Christmas away from home. With your letters I feel much better and not so alone. Christmas Day I had a private invitation to a home and we had everything. The people were simply grand and after the meal gave me some cigarettes, cookies and suckers. All soldiers who didn’t have invitations were fed at the grade school and all got a gift. The whole day celebration that was planned had to be called off because we were all on the alert. Laying around Christmas nite was bad. Harold Bill Wright lives here and he had some boys out for Christmas dinner. They all raved about how swell a guy he was.

Had hoped to be with Gram and Gramp but as you can see couldn’t go. Had looked for them last Sunday but guess they will be up next weekend.

Again last Friday the town had a dance for us but because I had to go on guard at ten couldn’t stay long.

Yes we have a field kitchen in a truck that goes along with us. We eat in the open and in the mornings and evenings it’s plenty cool. Our place has no heat and at nites we have all extra clothes on us.

About the sleeping bag, I’m not particular what kind but I’m afraid you will have to pay at least ten for it. I hate to ask this of you but it’s almost a necessity and our battery commander requested we have one.

I was appointed assistant battery clerk the other day so am hoping for a rating after January 18, the end of my four months.

Last Sunday rented a bicycle and rode around town and saw acres of oranges, grapefruit and lemons all over. One of our guard posts is the city reservoir and around it are orange trees so we eat plenty—to many.

Got the Free Press today, a welcome item.

I’m going to call you some nite but I’m afraid it will take pretty long to get it through. I’ll make it about January the 8^th to the 11^th and I’ll call early in the afternoon if possible. You won’t have to stay up all nite. I guess the calls are off inasmuch as I just called you. It was so darn good to hear you but too bad Dad couldn’t be there. I would call when he wasn’t there.

I guess there’s nothing else to say after the call so until the next letter.

Love,

2 December 1941

Dear folks:

I just wrote you a letter day before yesterday but guess I have time to write another.

Yesterday ushered in something new again—this time being on guard duty. I went on yesterday at 4:30 PM and was on for twenty-four hours however we only walk during darkness. I walked two hours then slept four—walked two and slept four. We slept in the guardhouse in our clothes, thereotically to be ready for call. My hours were six to eight then midnite until 2 AM. I was sure tired when I was awakened at twelve, and does that rifle get heavy after two hours. However, we had nothing to do all day but lay around and read.

The radio work is very interesting and now I know all the code but have one lesson yet to pass before try for speed. I believe 10 words a minute are required as minimum for the course.

Many of the fellows are pretty glum today just getting the news that our furloughs are going to be short and many had already planned on going home. The men in the 88^th infantry were today sent to Panama. Berg is in the 87^th. Something seemingly a little unusual happened yesterday and that was all the Japanese boys were taken out of our battery. Wonder if it relates to the crisis. They would have a good vantage point in a radio outfit.

Got a letter from Gram today and she’s expecting me down for Christmas. She didn’t help me any on my bus fare but promised to for the next time; but June and Loyd took care of other expenses. I never got to see Uncle Will. They had such short notice she couldn’t get word to him. In answer to your next questions we have six more weeks of training after this one. This will probably end about the 1^st of February. I have no idea where we might be sent.

I’ll say the cake was good and it wasn’t broken a bit, in very good shape and so soft and delicious. The fellows raved about it and agreed you were a superior cook.

Delighted to hear about the game—can imagine the unlimited excitement that went on all day.

This is all I can think about for this time. Everything going fine. No rain yet and still getting heavier.

All my love,

Thought about something else. Regarding Christmas gifts, I know it would be of little avail to caution you on expenses. But I’ll give you my list of what I can think of now.

Cheap pocket watch
A camera
Pair of brown civilian shoes (no two tone)
Sweatshirt
Small leather bag for toilet articles
Eversharp
Keycase (for trunk locks)
Stationary folder (for envelopes, stamps, etc.)

Please don’t fill the list but just pick one or two and that will be more than enough to ask for.