April 16, 1944 (and April 17th)
Sunday Afternoon
Dear Family,
You’ll likely get this letter at the same time as the one I sent yesterday but who cares. I feel a little homesick today and would like to have received a letter from you so the next best thing I guess is to write a letter myself.
I don’t feel quite as disgusted or discouraged or whatever it is now as I did last night. If we can work it as well tonight and get through as soon as we have from the other two meals maybe I won’t feel too badly about today. I guess there is some advantage in having a detail again so close to the last time. You sort of get to know the job and find quicker ways of doing it. I find that there is even a system to sweeping under a mess hall table.
I got off this morning at about 9:00am and so I got to go to church. I enjoyed it but it was sure a job to keep my eyes open. Then after I got off at about 2:00 I laid down and took a nice nap. I just woke up and although I don’t know what time it is I imagine that they will be calling for supper before too long. I suppose it will be about 8:00 when we get out of there tonight.
This is possibly a very dull letter to you but like everyone else I soon run out of anything to say.
We do about the same things all the time and if I tell you about it once I hate to tell about it again.
We had our regular inspection yesterday and in the afternoon we played softball to get exercise. We played M company and got beat but we had some fun anyway.
At the inspection yesterday the captain asked us if all our khaki’s fit us so that we will be able to wear them on May 1st. Yesterday evening one of the sergeants took a load of us over to the quartermaster depot and I exchanged a pair of khaki pants for one that will fit me.
Do you ever write or hear from Ben? It has been quite a while since I heard from him.
It is a pretty nice day today and if it is any ways near as nice at home, I’ll bet that Richard and Jim went for a walk down at Lilly Creek. It is wistful thinking but it sure would be good to do something like that again.
I hope you are all O.K. I’ll not put this letter in an envelope yet and maybe I’ll think of something else to say when I get off tonight.
Loads of Love,
Donald
Monday (April 17th)
Hello again,
I didn’t get this sent out yesterday so I’ll try to write a little more now. I got off pretty easy yesterday evening but I just messed around and didn’t get writing.
We spent most of today dry firing but we did dry firing with the carbine and automatic rifle and I didn’t mind it so much. I have fired the M1 rifle and dry firing with it isn’t so interesting but when I can learn something I don’t mind it so much.
Well I have got another detail for tomorrow. I’ve got guard duty. I’ll go on tomorrow morning and be on for 24 hours then get the next morning off. I’ll tell you more about it later.
I got your letter this evening that you had written Saturday. Hope to hear again soon.
Love,
Donald