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22 October 1942

Dear Folks:

I have one airmail stamp left that I want to use and I can’t think of a better use than a letter to you, although you probably think I’ve dropped a marble by my prolific letter writing.

Had a letter from Gladys Davis—she’s doing better by me—she writes a good bit of news. To go back aways to stamps—I can use plenty of airmail ones and stationery of this type that keeps within the weight limit on the clipper. Think about Katie’s skirmish quite a bit and I wrote her tonight—suppose she’s acting a little wacky.

One of the guys I have an especial yen to, is from Youngstown and is pretty familiar with Sharon (Pennsylvania)and those parts. He’s a newcomer and doesn’t fail to voice his protests.

Well I better finish or I’ll be dribbling off into some dreary dogma—put a pen in Dan and Nan’s hand once in a while. Boy, could I go for some peas and shells.

Love,

17 October 1942

Dear Folks:

I don’t feel very disposed to write but maybe I’ll get that way if I get started. This is (a) far different Saturday nite than I used to spend at home–writing letters and listening to the radio. Your letters have been arriving regularly but I notice you still are using the old organization address. Don’t forget to change it or my mail may be held up sometime. Maybe if I dig up your letter I can find something to write about. I can’t tell you how far I am from Ft. Shafter as that is on the ‘verboten’ list but I wouldn’t be able to see him. I have his address but haven’t written to him. Listened to a football game today from the mainland and sitting in my shorts seemed far away from the chilly football season. Heard Nebraska got beaten by Minnesota. Gladys Davis has been writing me regularly and she keeps me in touch with Lincoln. And yesterday I received a letter from a Mrs. Hartnett, a lady who lived on the same floor apartment as Mrs. Davis and who often filled in our bridge games. She was one of the sweetest, and best looking by the way, of any women I’ve seen in a long time. I was very surprised to get (it) and I felt like a chimney sweep when I answered her letter. With all the experiences in Lincoln, I surely want to get back. She wrote that there are more students on the campus than she had ever seen.

Had four letters today and in good time too. In your Xmas package, wrap it securely—the way they toss them around is something drastic. I couldn’t make up a list on a bet but personal things are always needed. Goin’ to play Monte Carlo now—goodnite. I’m to damn well off to be respectable.

Love,

1 October 1942

Dear folks:

A few more scribblings today while I’m waiting for chow. Pretty hot today but I’m getting browner and feeling better—it must be going to bed every night that is doing it. About every night we’re going swimming in the ocean—we take our mattress covers, fill them with air and ride the waves. Got the letter with Dad’s typing on the bottom. Will write to Katie and Dick soon but I wasn’t sure of their address so skipped it. Been reading some good books that the Red Cross gave us just finished Broomfield’s ‘Green Bay Tree’ and “Long Remember’.

If you are thinking about Christmas I don’t need anything except toilet items and cigarette. I’ll write every day.

Love,

8 July 1942

Dear Folks:

It’s about seven o’clock and I’ve just finished shaving and sprucing a bit and I feel pretty good so I’ll answer your letter of today and Saturday. Suppose the main topic is the fourth of July celebration. We were granted passes all day Saturday and Sunday and it seemed like a furlough. A bunch of us left about nine o’clock Saturday and went into Yakima about five miles. On the way in we were picked up by an old couple who were herding a dilapidated fruit truck of about ’26 vintage and before we had gone far the whole back end looked like flies on a molasses jar. Our first sergeant and his wife live in Yakima and previously he had invited some of us over, so we went there. I appreciate a bathtub all the more now because when we got there his wife had eight cases of beer frosted down by two hundred pounds of ice. We did it up in big style singing and carrying on. In the evening five of us got a hotel room then took in some dances. Yakima is certainly a pretty town, trees all over and many beautiful homes. And the people appear very friendly. Stayed in bed til Sunday noon then went to a show and came back 5:00 Monday morning. A swell weekend.

The country around here reminds me of the Platte Valley in many ways. From our camp site we get a good view of the checkered green fields and orchards but up on the hills on either side it is dry and barren. Our camp in relation to Minatare would be about three or four miles beyond Lake Minatare.

I’ll dig up your letter and answer some questions now. The first item—my money situation is good. We were paid the third and I had about $35.00 left after bonds and laundry cleaning were taken out. As a matter of fact we get better food here than at the Fort, plenty of salads, fruit, and fresh meat. Tonite for supper we had roast duck and Sunday turkey (I wasn’t here). When we first came I drank water constantly but now my consumption is about normal. At every meal we are given salt tablets and our food has an abnormal amount. We haul the water from the water tower and drink it from a lister bag supported on a tripod. Yes the cadre is still going I believe after we leave here, which is two weeks after this one, July 25. And we are five or six miles from Yakima. Some guy shuttles a bus back and forth but usually we get a taxi for thirty-five cents. I got the picture of you and Kate and I remarked about it most graciously in one of my letters. Perhaps you didn’t get one of mine. Don’t go out of your way for the cookies, I forgot about the sugar rationing. You said something about watermelon in your letter—well I went to a restaurant and ate plenty and everything else I liked. Furloughs still seem in the offing—an outfit that just left here in our division are on them now so it is told. Only fifteen days though.

Our holiday was marred by a tragic incident Saturday afternoon. A big strapping fellow from Missouri with a pleasing sublimity of the hill country drowned in the canal I told you about. The canal is V-shaped lined with cement and about ten or twelve feet deep and the only place where a fellow can get out is at ladders at about ½ mile intervals. The current is so swift that if you get beyond the ladder it is impossible to get out. The last time I was there another of our men almost went down and it took all of us to get him out. Consequently swimming is strictly verboten there but the battery furnishes us a truck every nite to go to the river. C battery is certainly getting the bad breaks. Last January a fellow was shot on guard duty and now this. The skipper (battery commander) took it very hard.

I actually feel better out here and have much more endurance. The heat is pretty depressing at times but it has been cooler the last couple of days. I’ve lost five pounds though.

Tell Quincy I’ll write her tomorrow.

Guess this is about all for this time—perhaps when I feel a little more literary bent, I can write that letter for the Herald. Wish I could see your new home and take advantage of your sleeping offer. Maybe next month, who knows. Say hello to Jim for me.

Love,

I haven’t heard from Wylma since last March 1^st.

23 June 1942

Dear Folks:

I just wrote you last nite but another one won’t hurt and besides I got your last letter this afternoon.

Was surprised to hear that Dick was home. Thought he would go back sometime but not so soon. Hope he finds a good job soon.

Next Monday (June 29) we go to Yakima for intensive training and firing. It is about one (hundred) forty miles from here and over the high mountains past Mt. Rainier. They tell me it’s pretty hot over there, but we have our suntans so it won’t be as bad as the woolens. We will be there for at least a month so you can send me some cookies there. Suppose we will start using our sleeping bags again. It’s going to seem tough leaving these luxurious barracks but also good to get into the open again. During these operations we will have aircraft observations and dummy bombs of flour.

Still nothing on furloughs. Two of our men are on them but they are only for emergencies and the Red Cross makes a thorough investigation.

Payday will really be something this time with the fifty bucks. I haven’t heard anything about the two paydays a month, but I think it would be a good idea. Along with the raise in base pay was a special arrangement for dependents. For every $22 the soldier sends home the government adds $28 to it. This is mandatory for married men and only available for men with dependents. A pretty good deal. The $12.50 for my bonds will be taken out this month. As the bonds accumulate they will be sent to you.

Now to reread your letter and answer the questions. Yes I still go to church, there is a big brick chapel on the post. I use cream to shave with the lather type but with the tube stipulation, soap is alright. I’m well supplied with toilet articles but can always use razor blades, shaving cream, or face soap. The number of division is the Fortieth, the emblem of which is a yellow sun on a dark blue background.

Boy does it rain around here—wish Nebraska could get some of it. Guess that’s why I don’t mind it so much.

Tomorrow night the Camel Caravan is coming and if it’s as good as the one I saw at Roberts it is pretty good.

Guess I told you about my excursion in Seattle last Saturday.

I plumb forgot about Dan’s birthday but I must remember him someway—and sixteen too. That reminds me of the days that I was sporting a pout because I was too young to pedal a bike.

Well l am going to listen to Fibber McGee and Bob Hope so until next time.

Lots of love,

22 June 1942

Dear Folks:

About an hour before lights out and a good time to get something important done.

Suppose Dad got my telegram last Sunday. I was in Seattle when I sent it. I met a girl at a division dance last week and as she had a car suggested we go to Seattle. We left Saturday noon, and until evening she showed me the town. For supper we went to a waterfront café that was really something unusual for me. I tried some crab legs and to my surprise they were delicious. Later, after dinner, we went to the club she was a member of. After that we took in Seattle’s largest dance ballroom then drove home getting here about three. I had a swell time and it seemed like the old days to ride around in a civilian car. We saw the University of Washington, Boeing Aircraft and plenty of flying fortresses guarded by barrage balloons, some set in people’s backyards. The Boeing plant is camouflaged so that it is hardly visible from the hi-way.

In a couple of weeks we are going to Yakima for maneuvers and later I don’t know where; but believe I will be transferred out before long.

Guess this is about all this time. Send some cookies if you can. I’ll get them. Will write tomorrow.

10 April 1942

Dear Folks:

Suppose you will be surprised by the series of lots of letters but I’ve had so much time to do nothing that letter writing becomes a good recourse when the time drags.

Finished my tour of guard duty at Carlsbad so I’m back in Escondido. Two letters were waiting for me—one from each of you. When you send me a box again will you include a heavy bath towel and perhaps a couple of hankies? I know you will send a box as you always have so I just as well make my suggestions. Some other things—hair shampoo, whole peanuts, that’s just about everything. I’m as proud as pie over the sweater and hate to have to wear it underneath. I can wear it on the outside only on unofficial formations.

Guess I’ll dig up your letters and take care of your questions. First—the actual temperature doesn’t seem to get so low but somehow the nights are very chilly and invariably we wear jackets and overcoats on nite guard duty, and then we still get cold. Yes, I sleep in my sleeping bag every nite. I would freeze without it—or I feel like I would. Usually in the evening we have a fire going in our little cone shaped stove so it’s comfortable in the tents. In fact your Easter card and the letter about the suit—take your pick—and I also hope Dad is making use of them. When the day comes that I will be handed that precious little document inscribed with the word ‘discharged’ I am going to wear different clothes everyday just to see what it feels like. Now that I got to thinking about it, it will seem odd very different to get back into civilian life. I never realized the freedom and privileges that I enjoyed. Suppose you will for awhile have to wake me with a bugle, blow a horn for chow and give me an inspection on Saturdays. How good it will seem to be relieved of the regulations of uniformity that we all follow.

Last Wednesday got a letter from Gram inviting me to a Nebraska picnic at Long Beach. Dick, Loyd, and June are going but I’m tied up, of course, so can’t attend! It does no good to make plans for anything—take your liberty as it comes and make arrangements later. Last nite a group of women with the Women’s Club in Vista entertained about forty of the soldiers to a dance and games in their clubhouse. I became entangled in a good bridge game with three of the town’s solid (+ solid) women who rank with the sharks. Of course I’m not acquainted with all the intracies and opportunities of the game but we got along pretty good and they were very gracious about my ineptness. They hung on all my words and finally we both recalled someone we knew in Scottsbluff so we became very chummy.

Another Sabbath tomorrow which means pancakes (a rare treat) for breakfast and church later. Besides pancakes-I also saw a boiler full of chickens so suppose we will have chicken for dinner with some good mashed potatoes.

I don’t know any Hoover in my battery although he may be in another battery of the battalion.

I see Dad you mentioned something of going to Alliance to see the army pass threw. Well I suppose a uniform would cause a mild sensation back there but out here they are so commonplace they are never noticed. Everyday convoys of trucks for miles in length pass through the town and P-38 interceptors, bombers and fighters fly over incessantly. Searchlights cut swatches of whiteness in the nights, and boys sit in rooms of sandbags keeping accurate logs of every happening along the coast. Troop trains sweep along, blackened out like a deadly animal and the yellow light of an alert flashes on once in a while. Rumors fly like confetti in a March breeze and the next most important topic is dope about furloughs and passes and (of course) women. I wish you could visit our battery and see what we do. Each move a vital cog in a big war wheel.

Well this covers about all from this news front and perhaps a little to much space so until the next letter.

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,

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,

20 December 1941

Dear folks:

Another letter to you while I’m sitting in the service club with nothing particular to do. This town is really swell and the people have taken us in with open arms. Yesterday after duty, while I was strolling down main street, a lady stopped us and told us about the big Christmas dinner they are having, turkey and everything. The whole town is behind it and also they are rounding up gifts for each of us. Later we went in for a beer and we had four without paying anything. All on the house. Shows are half price and tonite was given a free malt in a drug store. When you go in stores many little items are given free. Also the ladies secured a washing machine for us to do our laundry and two irons to press them. Last nite we had a big free dance at the high school and all the girls in town were there. The announcer was a big fellow like Jon Lenz. Everyone had a swell time. We take showers at the high school too. But some things aren’t so good, for instance we have only hot water by heating it on a hot plate and the building is cold at night and we sleep rite on the floor. You see this is field conditions as in wartime. We are pretty lucky though. One battery has their tents pitched on the football field and have to straddle over a ditch to use the latrine. Another quarters themselves in the buildings around the swimming pool. Guess I’ve told you how pretty the town is. Our big guns are lined up around the city park, everything ready to go, if the case need be. This morning was taken up by inspections and the kids stood around as our officer inspected us.

There is one big item I do need badly and will have to have soon and that is a sleeping bag. It is almost impossible to get along without one and the floor is too hard to get any sleep. As they cost around eight or nine dollars I’ll have to ask you for a little money or you can order it thru Monkey Ward or some place and have it sent direct. I hate to ask for it around Christmas and all but I’m afraid I wouldn’t have any hips in a few weeks.

I read in the paper tonite that telephone calls were not permitted now, that is long distance. Hope that is wrong. I feel kind of cheap not buying any gifts at all but I won’t get paid until the fifteenth of January and I’d be mighty near broke.

This is enough for now but hope you all have a good time Christmas Day and wish I could be with you.

All my love,