A L, 2nd M OAS

Fort Crook

Omaha

Nebraska

March 25, 1944

 

Dear Mother,

            I started this letter in the fort library but after a while gave up the whole thing as a bad job.  For some reason known only to God the librarian a WAC from Seattle, married, 2 boys in the service decided that I should act as a good chaplain.  Women are strange creatures.  In this attachment of 58 there are about half of them that are legibly discontented.  The apparent reason seems to be that they joined the Service with high hopes, ideals, etc.  Most of them have been skilled in civilian life; now they are just marking time.  Leave it to me to put them on the ball or at least give them ideas about what a good deal they are getting etc.  Well I calculate that this paragraph will hold the facts for the time being.

            Naturally I was very pleased to receive your two letters.  They may be written from memory as you say but they looked darn good to me.  I trust that you are getting to the place where you can read my attempts instead of having to have them read to you.  You can be sure that those two letters will join my files of memorable letters.  I can’t carry all my letters so only the important ones go with me. 

            Your letters set me to reminiscing.  It was about this time back in 1942 that you were fighting a memorable battle to live.  I must admit that I had forgotten the importance for a while at least of March 19.  It took a bit of figuring to ascertain the exact date, but figuring from Friday the 13th, it was very easy.  If my memory is correct at this time you were on the recovery road.  The set backs came March 29.  At that time I figured that I never would forget those dates but I did mainly because local conditions were so contrasting.  My spare time in the company of the WAC detachment has taken out much of the bitterness.  It is strange but sticking around a young carefree crowd does lighten the load somewhat.

            Strange as it seems your stay in Baker was right down my alley.  The summer before I really hit my bad day as afar as social activities were concerned.  While I was coming down to see you, I used to stop and see my various friends.  Now most of these girls are in the foreign theaters.  I am not at all sure just where but there is only one left out of the service having that I haven’t heard from her for about a month or so.  She may too have felt the urge.  Those are memories that I will carry with me forever.  You recall, (I believe that I told you about the visit of may 1 to Beacon Hill) the pleasure that I used to have in handing the general battle station conditions of that day.  The whole thing was unfortunate but it was the will of God that all.

            This Sunday I have a heck of a lot of letter writing to do.  This week I really got them in California, New York, one from little Phillip in Mississippi, several from the Boston area.

            I am enclosing a couple of transfers from last night from my riding around the city.  For a while I had another GI but soon he got tired and quit.  I hope that you are holding on to them for me.  Come peace I should have quite a varied supply.  Thank Pappy for the airmail cover.

            I am sorry to hear about Edmund Rodgers.  Please remember me to the good Doctor.  I would like to have Ed’s address.  I feel that I can now write to him.  While I was on limited service (as TP) I had no heart to write to boys I knew who were facing death while I was just sitting on my rear. 

                                                            Love,

                                                            John

 

P.S. A hunny of a snow is now pelting in from the North.  Spring the beautiful spring.