Reader's Digest Archives - Page 3 of 3

24 October 1942

Dear Folks:

You are probably thinking I walked into a switch engine on a dark night by this volley of paper but there isn’t anything to do in the evenings.

Something I just thought of that I would appreciate very much—a subscription to Time and The Reader’s Digest. Reading is the best way I know to spend leisure time.

Tomorrow is Sunday and I’m going to church there in a small Episcopal one in town. Maybe a ball game too and I’m the guy that keeps the score, etc. Last Sunday we got beat 15-0 but we just begun.

Two more letters today but none from you for three days. Suppose they are somewhere enroute.

Well guess this will have to fill the bill this time—after all it was only 24 hours since I wrote you last. Aloha—hate to go to bed—one guy in(the) tent snores and it sounds like a Brooklyn ball game.

Love,

16 July 1942

Dear Folks:

I don’t think I’m neglecting you in my writing, do you? I don’t know why I feel so prolific, maybe it’s because I have so much time in the office.

Opened the package you sent me in the presence of my office henchmen, and in the middle of the afternoon a piece of angel food cake was like the end of a thirty day fast. The officers had a piece too and they all attest to its goodness. Haven’t sampled the cookies yet but I know they will be as good as the cake. The cake was real fresh and soft but the frosting was beginning to fall off. The cookies will be a dessert for dinner because all we have then is sandwiches.

Suppose you have the pictures of our Sahara Paradise by now. Well here’s another one. It was taken on a Sunday afternoon at Ft. Lewis. I don’t know the girls at all. We just asked them to pose with us and they consented.

One more week after this, then back to Lewis to furloughs I hope. I’m getting pretty used to it here being so close to town and all but despise the rain. I still like the barracks better. My confinement is over today and I thought it was. Come to find out it was just for over the last weekend. Last nite it actually rained a little and this morning the ground smells fresh and alive.

Haven’t been doing much reading lately however did just finish “The Good Earth”. It was laying around so thought I might as well read it. There isn’t a library here and no pocketbooks to buy so I’m stalled temporarily.

I wish I could foresee what the army proposes to do with us after we get back to Lewis. Some say back to California and the cadre to Oregon but these are pure hearsay. I heard most of the experts predict a siege of three or more years (how wrong they-the experts-were when Germany first came out of her corner). Only yesterday I was reading in a ’39 Digest the opinions of a Yale economist and European expert who flatly declared that the one thing Hitler could not do was wage war. Most of them are “looking for a better ‘ole’ now”, and I think they are too pessimistic in forecasting another three years. I’m going to be home for good in January 1944.

I still droll like a blue bloodhound when I hear an airplane. I’ve asked the CO about the Air Corps again but there seems to be no way out. Oh, well the FA is pretty good.

There wasn’t much to write about but I wanted to thank you for the box. With the sugar rationing you hadn’t better send anymore and canning coming up too.

Well I’ll yet take that all day nap you promised. Goodbye for now.

Love,

19 January 1942

Dear folks:

I just mailed you a letter only this afternoon but thought I’d write another because you have some questions. If you could only see me writing this letter you’d be quite amused I believe. I’m in a tent as you know and it’s nite and we are using candles until lights are installed. There are five in our tent but only 3 of us are here. Two are cutting wood for the little inverted ice cream cone shaped stove we have and I’m sitting down leaning on my cot with a candle sitting atop a tent stake being used as a candleholder. The fellows in my tent are attached to headquarters battery which includes a lineman, an artillery mechanic, the bugler, a driver and myself, assistant battery clerk. So we hear the bugle plenty good and loud. Our schedule now is reveille at 5:55 and calestinics at six fifteen and breakfast at six forty five. It’s a little hard getting started some mornings but exercises loosen up the kinks.

Now to get around to your letter and go thru it as the questions come up. The first item is the sweater, yes, a nice sleeveless sweater would come in handy. Several of the fellows have them. Olive drab or khaki is the best color. The next is the mail, it’s all coming thru okay I believe. I got the two bucks, the Free Press regularly and other mail. All but the box. The boys in the tent say that as soon as you put in a claim on it they will dig it up pronto. I’m very disappointed. If they do get it here and it appears mutilated and rifled, I’ll turn it over to the post office here. Now comes around reading. The USO is plentifully supplied with all kinds of magazines but the Readers Digest is about the only one I read. Until we get lights in our tent I can’t do much but currently I’m reading ‘The Fight for Life’ by Paul DeKriuf. It’s plenty good and an eye-opener as to the prevalency of diseases. About three weeks ago I applied for a city library card but it had to be signed by a city property holder and with the constant prospect of moving in a hurry it’s a little risky. No, we’re not getting any leaves yet. Just today I applied for a twenty four hour leave to Coronado but I couldn’t even get by the first sergeant to see the battery commander. I called Grandma yesterday nite and I think they are coming up again Sunday. June always wants to know if there is anything I need. Yep, it might have been me calling you that nite, from taps ‘till reveille. I think about home and all the family.

I went to church yesterday and I could remember most of the prayers without using the book. After the service a lady turned around and shook hands and asked me if I was an Episcopalian and when I replied ‘all my life’ she said ‘I thought you were’. She asked me to join the choir.

I guess that’s all the questions. I really feel swell and getting heavier all the time. I took some pictures today of me climbing up the tent trying to put on the last joint of chimney and keep from sliding down at the same time. Hope they are good.

Well goodnite Mom and Dad and don’t feel too low. I want to go back to school all the more now but we’ll see how things come out.

Better send me your pictures so I can set them in front of me when I write.

Love,