Sept 21, 41

Btry. E-94th l.et.

 

Dear Pauline-

            Sunday, one day of the week I like the best, nothing to do but lay around on the cot and listen to the radio. You don’t even have to make up your bed. We just had turkey for dinner, I didn’t care much for it, and the bird was either old or was not cooked right. Some of the boys are playing volleyball, baseball, pitching horseshoes and kicking the football around. Football is in the air-our camp team played last night and did they take a drubbing. 67 to 0. These guys are all high school football stars but what a poor showing they made. One of the players a guard is on my section and did I kid him.

            The weather during the day is still hot but the nights are chilly. The battery office issued us a heavy blanket; they call them comforters!  Last week we had another shot in the arm to combat Lock Jaw. We have a couple more

 

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more shots coming. We turned in our overcoats 2 weeks ago and a few days ago we were mea-sured for a coat and mackinaw.

            I was on guard duty again last week and i got me two big blisters on my left big toe, I didn’t mind so much cause I used it for an alibi to keep me from going on a hike the next day. I don’t like them heights cause they walk better than 3 miles an hour in the hot sun. With all that equipment you have to pack and your old fanny dragging behind, it’s too much for an old bozo like me. I’m glad I’m not in the infantry, they pack about 75 lbs.  While walking guard, I run into a General. I presented arms and he high balled me back. It’s the first time since I been here.

            There were five prisoners in the guard house and now another one of my men in my section is in the guard house. He went AW.O.L. Was court maritaled, fined $10 and now has to spend 14 days in the guardhouse. He was lucky cause the penalty could have been heavier.

 

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This fellow just took off without permission. He beat his way home on the highway, laid around home for 10 days and then come back.

            I am a Light Commander and in charge of section no. 14. I was a Corporal for about a month but I didn’t get no rating cause us old guys are getting out soon. The way I understand, is that the battery can give out so many ratings. They figure it’s no use to give a old guy a rating who is going to be discharged soon and beat a younger guy out of it, id he has to put in a year and a half. A corporal gets $54 a month and has some privileges. A private first class gets $36 a month and the rating pays extra dough.  There’s a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th rating.

            In our battery there are 47 men over 28 yrs. and last week two men received their discharges. Those were hard ship cases, both were married and past 30. They got out through a

 

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dependency request. I don’t think it will be very long before the rest of us get out unless something happens. I received your letter and money thanks, will pay you back one of these days. Did ma get that roster and regimental picture I sent? Could any of you find me on that picture? I’m in (look for Battery E-94th) the extreme left rear, 3rd man over and about the 3rd man down. I have sun glasses on. I mailed some snaps home to ma and Mary. I’m sending a bath towel to the old man with a Camp Davis inscription on it. Am sending you some more pictures and I have some more pictures taken with another camera that I’ll send but don’t lose any of them I may want them back. Well so-long.

                                                                        Your bro, Pete

P.S.

    Mary wrote and told me she got her birth certificate, write and tell me exactly what’s on it but don’t send the certificate.