Donald V. Tappan

Friday Evening, September 22, 1944
Hello Mother and all,

This will be a short letter just to let you in on the news. I wonder if anyone noticed the outside of the envelope before it was opened. In case you didn’t just to save you the trouble of looking – I have finally got one stripe. This isn’t much, of course, and it certainly took me long enough to get it but I like to think that maybe it wasn’t all my fault. In the first place promotions weren’t being handed out here except in very rare cases only to those who were with the outfit originally. Those who came in when and after I did have mostly been regarded as trainees. Then if I had spent all my time in one outfit it might have made some difference. Like everything else you have to spend some time at a job before you are considered part of it. No one who ca in very much later than I did got Pdc. in this bunch. Lots of them who have only been here a month or so will get it though before we leave. As we have said in time past its sort of a part of being shipped overseas.

About all it will mean is four dollars more a month. I had to sew stripes on one shirt tonight for inspection tomorrow and it sure is a job. It’s as bad as sewing patches on. By the way we’ve had to take all of our patches off and we’ll have to sew either them or different ones on whenever we reach our destination. I sure wish I had mother to help me do some of this sewing. It’s a big job for me to do it then it isn’t too fancy a job.

Today we ran another problem with live ammunition. They told us that it would be the last live ammunition problem we’ll have to do before we leave.

I got a letter froom you at noon today. You asked about Dollie Good. That is – as near as I can gather – her realmaiden name. She just continued using that name instead of changing to her husband’s. His name is Mohler. By the way he made Pfc today too.

About our moving. We will leave here as a division and I suppose that we’ll go over together. Anything can happen, of course, but that’s what they have told us.

Hope everything is OK back there. God bless you all.

Love,  Donald

Thursday Night, September 21, 1944
Hello Folks,

I’ll start this while waiting in the barber shop for a haircut  and finish it later. I hope. Well we had another big clothing inspection today so that makes us another step towards shipping out. Besides that we went out and drilled a little but as a whole we spent most of the time scrubbing up the barracks and on extra details. I spent about half of the afternoon washing windows up in the kitchen.

Let’s see  – what did I do yesterday. Oh yes. We went out in the morning and watched a demonstration of the tanks and infantry working as a team. Then in the afternoon we ran a problem similar to the one we watched in the morning. I guess they must be getting scared all of a sudden that we’ll have to be fighting with tanks before long.

Later
Well I can see that this can’t be a very long letter. It’s about 9:00 o’clock and I’ll have to hurry to get even this page filled. We have to get a short haircut now and that’s what I got tonight. But boy did that barber do a poor job. It was so rough on top when he got through that I had to spend about 20 minutes trimming it up with a pair of scissors before a mirror after I got back to the barracks.

I did something last night that I’ve never done since I’ve been here. I went to Columbia to spend the evening. There was a circus in town and a couple of the fellows already had tickets so I went along. It wasn’t a whole lot bigger than the circuses they hold in the high school gymnasiums but there was a little local talent worked in and it was spread out over a little more area. 

It seemed to be sort of a benefit project sponsored by some of the local clubs. There were several dog and pony acts, a half dozen or so acrobats that performed and one act with 4 or 5 half dead lions in a cage. It cost me 50cents and was just the same old stuff but it was a different form of entertainment for me at least.

To tell you the truth that was about the 6th time I have even been in Columbia. I went through it when I first got here, when I was going & coming from my furlough, and we went and came back through it on our way to & from the manuver area foor our 4 day bivouac. I think tha’s about the second time I have had a tie on since I came back here from my furlough.
I got your letter mailed the 18th yesterday. I guess I’ll wait till the next time to look for questions you wanted answered. I do remember you asked about whether or not I will be stopped from receiving mail. I don’t suppose I will, so just keep writing unless you are told to stop. Hope everything is well with you.

Love,  Donald

Tuesday Noon – September 19, 1944
Hello Folks,

I was just a little surprised to get a letter from you yesterday. I thought that I had already received my quota of letter for last week but that’s one kind of surprise I like to get.

It was good to hear that the football team was so successful last week. The flat tire situation was bad for the driver but for the rest it will just make another memory of the football season.

I had read about the collection of milk-weed pods in the paper but I hardly expected Orestes to take part in it. It’s a good project though so hop right to it. Every little bit will help.

I sure had an experience today that proved to me that my watch is airtight. When I got the watch back that worked loose so I just screwed it up tight. I guess the air must have been very heavy with moisture when it was sealed up because today the moisture started collecting on the under side of the crystal. It was pretty hot today and the moisture that was inside had to condense instead of getting out. All I had to do was take off the back and the moisture evaporated right away. It scared me at first because I couldn’t imagine what was happening but I can see through it now. I thought at first that maybe the crystal was made in layers and was clouding up like an old A Ford glass used to. I thought I sure was in it then. But its as good as new now.

Evening
There was one more step made this afternoon towards our moving. It was almost like going through a reception center again. We tried on the new clothes that were ordered for us a month or so ago. Everyone got certain new equipment and then we got anything else that is needed. We got 2 new pairs of shoes, 5 pr sox, new field jackets, new packs, and ammunition belts, new mess equipment, 2 pr of fatigues and 2 new pr of woolen underwear. Because the ones I had needed changingI also got 2 pr of wool pants, a pr of leggings and a new belt.

This seems like a lot of waste but I guess it is a regular procedure for going overseas. What we have now will be turned in and will be used for some poor gut training on this side. I have lots of times been issued fatigues or shoes that someone has worn the new off.

We just tried this stuff on though and it will be stored for us till we get ready to go. From the way things look I don’t suppose we will leave here before next month. If we wait that long I wish we’d wait a month longer and then they’d have to give us a furlough. If you haven’t had a furlough in six months you aren’t qualified for overseas shipment. My six months will be up the middle of November. So all of us that got furloughed in May are just sweating it out now.

Oh yes I almost forgot to tell you what I did yesterday. I learned to fire another weapon that I have not had any previous experience with. I fired the flame thrower. It is really quite a weapon and is used to burn the enemy out of cement or steel emplacements. It sure does develop a hot flame.

Well I’ll be looking for a  letter from you tomorrow or the next day.I hope everything is coming OK back there.

Lots of Love,   Donald
This evening I was trying to think of the words to that little Hoosier poem by “Big Rich”. It’s in the ‘43 Spectrum and I’d like for you to send it to me. It was because I copied it down on the inside cover of my note-book that was preserved and published and now I can’t remember it.  DT

Saturday Night – September 16, 1944
Dear Family,

I am happy to tell you that this has been a usual Saturday evening. And to be sure Saturday evening and Sunday is one part of the week I hate to be anything but usual.

I have messed around, done a little cleaning up, sewed on a pair of chevrons, read some and all the time have been thinking that I ought to get around to writing.

Since I don’t have to go back any further than today to catch up on my news there won’t be much of this to tell. We had an inspection this morning and a couple hours of drill. And this afternoon we really had a snap. We had care and cleaning of equipment – which simply means staying in the barracks and doing anything that you need to do. The main thing is just be busy and don’t get caught doing nothing.

That just almost brings me up to date so I expect it would be a good idea to sign off until tomorrow. This isn’t too good a start so I just hope I am long winded tomorrow.

Sunday Afternoon
It seems to me that Sundays for me just aren’t long enough. All week long it is so hard for me to get up that I think I’ll sleep all day Sunday. Then on Sunday if I sleep I feel I should be doing writing or something and I don’t sleep I feel that I haven’t been fair to myself if I a tired after the weekend is over.

As a whole I spent this morning sleeping. I got up for breakfast and then went back to bed till church time. Then I spent most of the time between church and dinner being lazy too. All the extra I did get accomplished this morning was address some change of address cards. We address the cards and put our name, rank and serial number on them. Then we turn them in and the new address will be stamped on them. They will be sent out when we leave and we won’t have any idea of our new address.

Likely you’ll know at least to which side of the world I am going as soon as I do. But other than that for everyone’s good, you and likely even I myself won’t know my final destination till I get there. Sure wish I knew when it will be.

It seems to me that even today I can’t think of much to tell you. A furlough seems all but out now. I hate to think about the fact that the last time I left Indiana might be for a good while. I sure hope going now will make the final coming back a little bit sooner. I’ll quit for a while now before I get too deep in this line of thought. I’ll think of more to say before night.

5PM (1700)
I think the most important thing wrong with my writing this afternoon was the chatter going on in the barracks. I finally got enough of it so I came over here to the library where the atmosphere is a little more of a quiet nature. I have been able to get a letter written to Uncle Pauls in just a little while.

I wonder what kind of things you have been doing today. No doubt you had preaching services this morning as usual. Richard is up to his neck in school work and football so I expect preparing and resting up for that has taken a good bit of his time. 

The weather here sure has been running along its customary weekend lines today. It looked this morning like it might be a sunshiny day but by noon it was up to its old trick of raining. Since then it has continually been first raining then drizzling then raining again. This makes about 4 out of the last five Sundays that the weather has been like this. I don’t remember having heard you say anything about the weather at home for a while. I wonder if it isn’t beginning to almost seem like frost time now.

**

It is almost bed time now. This hasn’t been too much of a wasted day after all. I accomplished a good bit while I was away from the barrack tonight. Besides the letters I wrote, I spent almost two solid hours reading. I had a little magazine about like the Reader’s Digest that I almost read through.

When coming back to the barracks tonight the weather made me almost happy enough to shout. It sure is like an early fall evening at home. It’s stopped raining and is a good bit cooler than usual. It sure will be good sleeping tonight. In fact I’m getting in a pretty happy mood now. 

Love, Donald

If I cut short it’s because any more that I might have to say isn’t worth starting a new page.

Thursday noon – September 14, 1944
Hello Folks,

How’s everything coming back there now? I sure hope school is progressing successfully.

We sure have been stalling time here. But, of course, they have to keep us busy even though we’re not accomplishing  anything. We had a division parade for General Leer, the commander of the army ground forces yesterday and the rest of our time has been spent just going over basic subjects. This morning we spent an hour seeing training films so you can see we are just filling up time. This is the first time this has happened for several months. In fact, I don’t remember having more than one or two training films since the first 4 or 5 weeks we were here.

I was sure glad to get your weekend letter yesterday. I guess I get a little anxious for letters but it does seem a long time before Wednesday gets here and they start coming. But after they once start I get  two or three in almost as many days. I’ll be on the lookout for the box but it hasn’t arrived yet.

I’ll bet the PW’s are a great sensation in Orestes. But around an army camp you see them so much and so often that you hardly think anything about it. I wonder if they are German or Italian prisoners or what.

I am anxiously waiting to hear how the football game came out. It looks by the papers like Richard is in it up to his ears this time. Have last year’s sweaters come yet??

Daddy doesn’t need to worry about writing too much about school because that makes just as interesting reading to me as anything else. I am glad to hear any kind of news.

There sure is a lot of preparation going on around here for leaving but it seems that we are no nearer to it than we were two or three weeks ago. I suppose when it does come it will be so suddenly that it will surprise us. I guess I’ll have to send my dress shoes home in the next few days and that’s one thing I sure hate to do. I’ve enjoyed them a lot in the last four months and I hope I’ll be able to send for them when we reach our stopping place. 

Well it looks as if my time is about up so I’ll try to write a little more tonight. I think I’ll go to a show just to be doing something a little out of the ordinary. I don’t think there is an especially outstanding show on but the recreation is worth something. It does get a little on your nerves to never have any change of scenery. 

Night,

Well I about said my speech so I guess this will be more of a closing than anything else. I didn’t get the box again tonight but no doubt its just as well or better that way. I still have something to look forward to.

We’ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow. Our platoon made the highest grade in the regiment on these tests a few weeks ago so now we’ve got to pay for it. We got to run some kind of problem tomorrow for a bunch of high officers.

Hope everything is well with you.  

Love,  Donald

I cut it sort of shortcut I would run out so soon it would just be a waste to start a new page. 

Goodnight.

Tuesday Night – September 12, 1944
Hello,

I’ve got a lot to say tonight but I may not get it all said. To begin with I am on guard tonight. I have already walked one shift from 6 to 8 and I’ve got one more to do. I’ll walk 12 to 2 and I hope that’ll finish me up. We’re supposed to get off tomorrow morning but I think our platoon has some sort of a test tomorrow and I may have to go on it.

As far as what I’ve been doing this week you can just about imagine what it has been. We ran a couple of firing problems yesterday afternoon and besides that it has been the same old routine.

Now I’ll get down to business. I’ll explain a little about the box I sent. It’s things I have to get rid of before we move. I hate to part with the stuff like glasses and flashlight but there are very few things other than what we are issued that we can keep. These things can be used if you need them. I don’t suppose I’ll ever want them. The kakkies were issued to me but I have some old ones that I got that I’m keeping in place of the,. We’ll either turn in our kakkies for new ones before we move or not take any anyway.

The stationery is part of what Gladys King sent me and for fear I’ll not need ot and have to get rid of it before I go, you can use it. THe cleaning fluid, first aid box and hat are mine and I just can’t take them. 

I believe I’d like for you to keep the khakis and cap stuck away for me.

You can see that it won’t be long but even we don’t know when. They’ve told us to get our personal affairs taken care of. I’ve not got anything to make out a will for and since most of my savings is in bonds I don’t think I’ve got anything to worry about. Do you think of anything along this line?

There’s one little item that was brought out to us in a lecture the other day that I want to tell you about. They were discussing benefits to parents, etc., and of course questions came up about different things if you get killed. They told us if you are killed overseas that they don’t ship the body back now but after the war they will if it is so desired. Now this doesn’t make a particle of difference to me but it might to you. I hate to even mention things like this and don’t be alarmed. I hope you understand. It’s just an “in case” thing. I’ve told you now and you can look into it if you ever need and want to.

Now on pleasanter thoughts, I didn’t get to be at mail call tonight so I haven’t heard from you since Saturday. Hope everything is OK. I am doing fine and don’t worry about me. How’s school?

Love,  Donald

Whenever we leave here our mail will be shut off for a while so whenever this happens don’t be alarmed. I wish as bad as you that I knew when this will be. I am hitting the hay.

Morning, September 13, 1944
As you can see by the date this day makes one year spent at this job. I sure started mu second year off fine – walking guard the first two hours and in the rain at that. It looks like we’ll get the morning off so I don’t feel so bad about the situation.

I sure hope to hear from you today. Pardon this messy letter. It’ll have to do under the circumstances. God bless you all.

Your son and brother,
Donald

Saturday Evening – September 9, 1944
Hello Grandparents (Carver)

My I’ll bet you are doing some flying around now trying to get everything in shape for school to start. From what Mother has been telling me you must be getting things pretty well rounded up by this time. Since they waited till so much of the summer was gone before they started getting things for you to work with, I know that you have had to work pretty hard these last few weeks.

Maybe after things get running good it won’t be quite so hard for you as it was last year. You’ll know a little more what to expect and how to do what has to be done. I sure hope you don’t have to work quite so hard as you did part of the time last year.

I understand that the new teacher has been selected and that Daddy and the other teachers have decided on making a few changes that should help things to run a little smoother. I can’t help out much but I sure wish you all a very successful school year. It sure would be great if I could be back continuing the schooling that I want to get done. But we’ll just have to trust this day will come soon.

As far as myself, I’ve been doing about the same old stuff. The popular opinion though is that we’ll be getting a change of scenery in the near future. But how, where or when, of course, we don’t know. There is a lot of wild talk, as usual, but I actually think we’ll go  to another camp here in the States for a while yet. I have enumerated for you a thousand times, more-or-less, the kinds of work we do and since nothing unusual along that line has happened I’ll not go into it again.

How’s the weather back there now? We’ve been having some really hot weather but it seems that about every two weeks we have to get a cool rainy spell. As I remember it we had one of these snaps week-end before last and then in a few days it warmed up again. Then it came again night before last and since then we have needed a jacket. The sun tried to shine some this evening though so it may be warming up again.

What kind of news has been happening in Orestes? I would sure be very happy if I could come backpack and see things for myself before too much longer. I suppose the way our moving turns out will decide about this so we’ll just have to hope for the best.

Well this isn’t too much of a letter but I’m about out of news and it’ll let you know that I’m still O.K. As the old saying goes – “Be good and God bless you”.

Love,  Donald

Monday Evening – September 4, 1944
Leesburg Range
Hello Family,

This is just a little different from my usual procedure but I can’t see that there will be anything too wrong with it. I have a little time tonight so I’ll start a letter now. I won’t send it out till tomorrow evening and if I have time then I’ll write a little more. But just in case we have to work extra late tomorrow I’ll have a little letter written.

We got out here at about 4:30 yesterday evening and thus had time to get straightened up before dark. Then this morning we got up at five o’clock and started to work. Those of us that didn’t have to fire anything did about the same kind of work we do back in the company area.

We had a half hour of close order drill, a half hour of physical training and three hours of study and work on squad tactics. It was, of course, all stuff we have done many times before but they just had to find something for us to do.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. I believe that all they are doing now is just finding something to keep us busy. We’re just going over old stuff and just so we’re doing something they don’t seem to care whether we’re learning or not. In the first place, they wouldn’t have sent us all out here to do nothing but fill in time if there had been anything important for us to do. Since we didn’t go on maneuvers, I think, they’re about at the end of their rope as far as training goes. They seem to be just stalling for time till we move out of here. I may have the wrong idea about what they are waiting for but they sure are waiting for something.

Well I got to jabbering and forgot to tell you about what I did this afternoon. I went out on the rifle range and spent most of my time keeping score. That’s just about my type of work and I can say I spent a fairly enjoyable afternoon. Boy, I sure and lazy, don’t you think so?

I haven’t heard from you since the middle of last week so I sure hope to get a letter at mail call tonight. 

Maybe you think I wouldn’t like to be home tonight. It’s really hard seeing school time come around and me being stuck here.

That’s just about all the news I can think of now so I’ll close for the present. Boy it’s sure been hot today.  DT

I’ve changed my mind again. I got your letter tonight and I want to let you know how I feel about this watch. In the first place that’s a whole lot more than I wanted to pay. It would take me quite a while to save that much money. But use your own judgement and if you are fairly sure it will satisfy me I suppose it might be alright to go ahead. Some of you’ll have to finance it for a while though. But I sure don’t want you to sell my other one for $10 dollars.

I’ve enumerated again some of the qualities I’d like for a watch to have. A second hand of some kind and luminous numbers, of course. Be neither conspicuously large or small or be otherwise too outstanding. If my Gruen were built in the shape that service watches are (usually round) it would be about the right size. I suppose it’s not too necessary to be a well known name or an American make but I would like for it to be possible to be repaired without too much fuss or worry. Please use good judgement.

I expect I could sell my watch here for a good bit more than $10 or maybe you could put an ad in the Tribune. I see Daddy wearing it in the picture and if he likes it and thinks he could get $25 worth of good and enjoyment from it I’d give it to him. I don’t mean sell either. If he doesn’t especially care for it then we’ll sell it.

I wish I could find an air mail stamp to put on this but if I can’t it’ll have to free. I’ve got one back at the barracks but that doesn’t do me any good here.

Oh yes – you don’t need to worry about the color of the watch face suiting me. It can be white, black, brown or what not just so it’s not radically outstanding. 

Those were good pictures in the letter tonight. I’m keeping the one of Dad and old Friday. The ministers look like real nice people to me.

Use your good judgment. Good luck and lots of love,    Donald