Wednesday, October 1944
(Postmarked: November 8, 1944)
Hello Pauline-
Well it
looks like they’re going to make garrison soldiers out of us returnees. There
are a few rumors floating around. One of them is [that] a closed order drill is
on schedule.
Most of the
men don’t like the idea, being as some of them hold the Purple Heart Ribbon for
wounds on [their] arms, back, feet, and legs. They feel [that] they’re in no condition
to do any drilling or any other exercises.
I stood [in] my first retreat formation last
night and it looks like there will be plenty of other formations coming us.
[For] the
past three weeks, the men sent here were alerted and shipped out daily, but now
the shipments have been held up. Another reason is [that] there won’t be any
action ‘till after the third day and then they will discharge about 700 men in
this area. I hope I’m still here and one of them.
Since I
[have] been here I have been on two details; one detail was charge of quarters
in the shipping section. That day there were about 30 men up for medical
discharges.
Most of
these men were bomb happy. They would jump two feet in the air whenever a
telephone would ring. One had his right eye shot out, another all of the toes
on his left foot. Others were suffering paralysis of arms and legs.
The other
detail I had was a guard detail. I had to watch a young guy who was 22 days
A.W.O.L. He sure was in a bad shape. He had three prison court- martials and [was] in need of
medical attention. The first time he went A.W.O.L. for 11 days he was fined
two- thirds of his pay. The second time he was gone 7 days [and] was fined and
was put in the stockade for two weeks. The 3rd time he got hard
labor for 3 months.
The last
six weeks he was on M.P. duty in
While at
home he was running around with a girl and picked up a contagious disease. I
told him to report it to the officer and they would send him to the general
ward right away. He could get cured in seven days with penicillin and sulfa
drug treatments.
At one time
V.D. was a serious offense. You were subject to a dishonorable discharge or fined
and sentenced for one year [of] hard labor.
There were
30 men that went to the hospital yesterday morning. Nine of them received
medical discharges; the others were waiting to be examined and to go before the
board.
The only
chance I get at getting out is if I get what they call a Section 10. It’s a form of discharge through government
convenience. When they can’t find a place to put you, they release you.
Right now,
I think I’d take a Section 8. That’s where
you wind up when you start acting screwy.
Section 8 means a section of the army regulation regarding men who are
physically or mentally unfit for service. It might be a good idea to start
bucking for it.
I had five medical examinations in the last two months and they can’t find anything wrong with me. I think I’ll let some one drop me on my head so I get Section 8. I guess it would be just my luck to get my neck broke. Well so long – see you later –
Pete