July 4, 1944
Hello Folks,
This will be kind of a hurry up letter but it’s the best I can do this time. We were out on a night march last night till about 2345 and so by the time we were able to get in bed it was almost twelve thirty. We are off till ten this morning but I had to get up at 6:30 to go table waiter. We finished up on the breakfast part of our work at about 8:30. So by the time I got everything straightened up to fall out I have very little time left. I might have waited to write tonight but it may be too late to write when I get off.
Yesterday during the day we marched for about two hours out to where we were to run squad problems. Then we had to come back that distance of course. So we spent at least 12 hrs working yesterday with eight of them being marching. And then I only got about 6 hours sleep. I feel about as tired this morning as any time I can remember. I really do ache all over and my feet are so sore I can’t hardly stand on them. I am wondering how I’ll feel after working late tonight. Boy this training is getting pretty rough if you ask me.
I don’t suppose July 4 will be much of a vacation for you this year either but I do hope you don’t have to work too hard.
Evening
Well to tell you the truth if I’d had to work very late tonight on table waiter I wouldn’t have got to finish this letter today. But I got off at about 7:30 so I consider myself pretty lucky. I’m going to hit the hay as soon as possible tonight and see if I can’t sleep a little of this ache out of my bones.
We had a pretty hard day today as usual. We spent all afternoon studying war gases. They threw tear gas on us 6 or 7 times so that we would get reality into our gas mask training and all of us were about sick from the stuff before the afternoon was over.
We had quite a treat for dinner today. I guess they were getting liberal on the fourth. They gave each one of us a pretty good sized slice of watermelon. And boy it sure did taste good.
This isn’t much of a letter but I am about out of news. I surely am still thinking of home. I hope to hear from you tomorrow. Take care of yourselves
Love, Donald
Wed morning,
Well I am feeling better now but I am still tired. I don’t know any more news so I’ll drop this in the box on my way to breakfast
DVT