Month: January 1944

[Date unclear, but probably January 9, 1944]
Sunday Afternoon
Fort Benning, Georgia
Dear Folks,

Well another week is past. This makes me just that much nearer to something or other. I haven’t received many letters from you this week so I am wondering about how things are coming back there.

I have been taking care of my sick boys so nothing very exciting has happened to me. The rest of my time has been spent working in or for the supply room. Yesterday afternoon I went with the supply sergeant to the main post to get the laundry.

I was pretty lucky in getting off of my sick hut job today. The job was given today to someone as mild company punishment.

We don’t have to get up on Sunday mornings so I slept over for once. I wanted to go to church so when I woke up I looked at my watch to see what time it was. It was only 8:20 so I had over an an hour and a half before church time so I merely turned over and went back to sleep. The next time I woke up it was 8 minutes till ten. I really flew around and by double timing (running) a little I got there just as the crowd was arriving.

I don’t know whether I told you or not but I got the books you sent me the other day. I also got a letter from Uncle Ernie this week that had a dollar bill in it. So Christmas isn’t over for me even yet. If I get a chance one of these days I think I will buy me a leather toilet article case with it. They are something like a small suit case. The apron you gave me is very handy to use but it is always coming unrolled and spilling things all over the street when I am on my way to the wash room. I hope you won’t mind too much about this.

I suppose you had the sale yesterday. I wonder how things came out. Maybe you can tell me about this if you can’t think of anything else to write.

Oh yes I wanted to tell you that the Tribunes are coming to my new address. I am beginning to get the news again. 

That’s about all I can think of so,
Love,
Donald

Sunday Night
Well I managed to get my package ready this afternoon. I will send it out the first chance I get next week. I sent my Christmas cards mostly just so you could enjoy them too. You don’t need to save them unless you just put them in with a bunch you happen to have. You will save Janette’s picture for me & the other pictures you can put into your album. Richard can whittle the US Army off the soles of the shoes to make civilian shoes if he wants to.
Donald

[Probably January 6, 1944]
Thursday Nite
Fort Benning, GA

Dear Folks,

I was using my pen after supper to get the fellows to sign some papers for the supply sergeant so since I have it in my hands I will use it now.

I am still looking after the boys in the sick hut. I keep wishing that they will all get well so that my job will come to an end but instead of that it keeps growing. It isn’t such a hard job but I just can’t enjoy it. It is helping the war effort so I sure am not worrying.

I don’t have to spend too much time down there so I spend a good bit of time in the supply room. I really enjoy the supply room work so life doesn’t get too monotonous for me. The supply sgt. Is a real nice guy so I go in and help him out and he lets me spend any spare time that I might have in the supply room.

Shux this sure isn’t much of a letter but I can’t think of anything else to write.

I want to take a shower before I go to bed so you’ll forgive the letter. Ask me some questions so I’ll have something to write about when news is short.

Love,

Donald

No envelope.

Jan 4, 1944 (Tuesday)
Dear Folks, 

I can’t make any promises about the length of this letter because time is very short. The main purpose of this is not to tell my exciting adventures but just to let you now that I am OK.

In our Regiment there is a hutment where they send fellows to recuperate from flue colds, etc. Well for the last 2 days I have been nurse maid to the boys of our Co. that are in the hut. There are 5 of them. I carry their meals, keep the fires going, sweep the floor, etc.

This morning I was also put on a detail of policing up the area. General Bonesteel was going to make an inspection tour and so just in case he came here the place had to be spic and span. I don’t think he ever got here but anyway he caused me to spend a very exciting morning. Also I have been working some in the supply room between trips to the sick hut.

This is all the news I can think of and I am heading to bed.
Love,
Donald

Jan 2, 1944 (Sunday)
Fort Benning, Georgia

Dear Folks,

Your letters sort of came at me all at once so I had to read them all over before I started this one so that I might be able to answer your questions.

I will start by saying that I got your package and letter with money on Friday. Everything in the package arrived in fine shape. I don’t know any of the qualifications of the watch but it seems to be alright to me. It is very nice looking and it runs fine. I am sure proud of it and very glad to get it.

I don’t know how you happened to run on to the nail clippers but I certainly never expected to get anything that will serve my purpose as well as they will. Even the Bible is a lot better than I ever expected to get. When I mentioned a small Bible I was afraid to mention one with a zipper on it for fear that they would be impossible to get. But this one is a very nice size and even has a zipper. 

The candy sure didn’t go begging this time. I’ll bet I had more Christmas than anybody back there!

A funny thing happened about that money you sent me. I opened the letter that contained it at exactly the same time that the other fellows were getting paid. You guys sure do things right; you wouldn’t have needed to send so much. Richard sure needn’t send me any money for the shoes now.

I surely do want you to take the rest of the money for the watch out of my graduation money. I hadn’t entirely forgotten about the money but I just didn’t think about it when I was talking about buying a watch.

I also want you to take the ten dollars you sent me out of this money. The rest of it (except the 2 dollar bill, which I want you to hang on to) I would like for you to save to put in with money that I will send in the future to be put into bonds. Does this straighten me out financially?

Now for a little more news. I have been working in the supply room with about an hour or 2 in the kitchen just to make it interesting. Ha Ha. Yesterday I spent all morning hauling coal. We were off yesterday afternoon and I read quite a bit in my Reader’s Digest. This morning I went to church as usual.

After I got back from church I tried to do a little sewing. As I was doing it I was thinking about how easy it would have been to ask Mother to do it if I had  been at home. She would have done it quickly and there would be no doubt about it staying fixed. But I struggle along with it and just hope that it stays. I’m learning though.

This afternoon I went over to see the fellows of my old company before they leave. Of course, the main thought on their minds was where they were going to be sent.

Well I feel a lot brighter than I did last week at this time. I hope you can get things straightened out all right back there.

Oh yes, I was glad to get Janette’s picture but you will have to keep it for me.

Love,
Donald