And With That Bit of Corn…
Monday July 12, 1943
5:50 p.m.
Dear folks,
Another day and I hear we’ll get our checks tonight. It’s about time. We’ll be due for another pay in about 2 ½ weeks. I read history last night until about 20 to 11. I covered about 45 pages and he covered 20 in class today so I didn’t gain a lot I see. I got too sleepy to study and [any] more so I came back and got to bed. 5:15 came I regret to say. I got up, dressed, and lay down til reveille. After reveille I smoothed out my bed, swept and then lay down until breakfast. I had potatoes, Rice Krispies, toast, butter, milk, and grapefruit. After breakfast I changed to fatigues and at 7 we went to P.T. We had our 20 minutes calisthenics and then played volleyball for about an hour. Then came the 1 ½ miles again. The whole gang were slow today. I was up in the first 4 or 5 for about a mile but I developed a side ache and walked about half of the distance. Then I made it in 12 minutes flat. After that I took a shower, dressed and at 9 went to Physics Drill. We had 6 problems to do and hand in. For some reason I got them all done and right I think. Every once in awhile I see a little daylight. From 10 to 11 we had English and discussed a couple stories. I have a theme for Friday. Wed. we have to give an impromptu talk on some subject which we won’t know about until then. That helps because I can’t prepare for it and I don’t feel conscious of not doing it. At 11 we came back to dinner – potatoes, gravy, beans, salad, bread, butter, milk, and jello. At 12 we went back to class. I got my Algebra test back and got 100. I just got my check and its all there – $93.50. I guess I’m the only one who got all he had coming by the kicks I’m hearing. In Trig. I got my last assignment back with 100 but it isn’t a test. In History we had the usual dull hour. From 3 to 4 we had study. I finished my algebra I started in Trig. and also did my Trig. That leaves about 80 pages of Geography to study for a test tomorrow and I haven’t read any of it before. I have 3 study hours before the test tomorrow so that will help. At 4 I came back and lay down to rest until mail call. I got your Thurs. and Friday letters and ones from Lillis and Dick H. I read yours and then went to supper – spaghetti, salad, peas, bread, butter, fruit juice, milk, and for desert peanut butter between crackers. After eating I read my other letters and then started to write this. It’s 6:20 now. I’m beginning to get the tennis urge. Whenever I sit here I see kids playing tennis across the road. Freese plays too and we may buy a couple of moderately priced rackets and start playing. All I need is shoes. I wonder if you could stick in my old blue shoes sometime. I think I might be able to get my feet in. It would save a lot of shoe scrubbing. It’s up to you though. Thanks for the $2. I’d rather you hadn’t sent it and wanted to get along without help but its O.K. and I appreciate it a lot. Thanks. When I get this check cashed I’m getting rid of most of it. $18 + the 4 I have ought to last til Aug. 1 easily. I figure on sending $75. You know what I want done with it. Now to your letters. Thurs. July 8 – Those pictures are swell and if you don’t care I’ll keep them. Babe looks cute and old Beech St. looks good too you can bet. So Jim gets it too. You must have a pretty fair garden after all. I remember the 4th, 1942 and I told the fellows I wish I could be where I was last 4th. I’ve just about quit on writing to everybody. Maybe I’ll get in the groove Sat. and write. A milk shake is a couple scoops of ice cream, a cup of milk maybe and flavor all whipped up. If they are made right I like them. The shoes are on the way. I always heard how tough it was to work thru college. If I get back I don’t intend to work but then I’ll probably do the same. Detroit is only 1 ½ games out of 1st place now. I have plenty of faults but I like myself too. I’m human (I hope). I was thinking if I did get my furlough it would be nice if Pop could come down then and that way I could go back with him and I’d have more time with some of my folks. Of course that’s just a thought. Yes we may be here 9 months (if we don’t flunk). From basic we may go to Massachusetts or some eastern school, maybe even Mich. Do you really consider Marie & Laura highly educated? I’m not the only one who sends his laundry home by any means so don’t worry. If I didn’t take a shower after P.T. I’d be pretty sour smelling to go to class. Our shirts smell in 2 days as it is. I meant the years from 20 to 30 shape ones life. By 42 to 52 he is on his path and going along. If you’ll look back you’ll see I think that all the foundations were laid between 20 and 30 weren’t they. You were married, I made my appearance and Pop got started off on his job. That’s just an idea of mine of course. Aunt Lillis mentioned raspberries there. That hits your Thurs. letter I guess.
Back at 7:05 in study. I’ll finish this and then take off on my Geography. I just heard we get issued our 8th service command patches tomorrow so we’ll have an insignia again. It won’t signify any branch just the area where we’re stationed. Its blue & white [sketch] sort of like that. Now to your Fri. letter. We cash our checks Thurs. morning. That poem is right on the ball, in the groove, on the beam so to speak. Ordinarily we wouldn’t be paid in the middle of the month but we needed it. A cake might be the worse for wear when it got here as it would be hard to keep from bouncing. We can study until 11:30 if we want to in the class rooms. I have no expectations of flunking but I expect a few C’s and the rest B’s with one or two A’s maybe. We get bananas oftener now too. That covers the main points in your letters I hope. That picture of the snow and the ones of Babe really made me feel good. It seemed as if I could almost touch her and the old maple tree. I’ll keep them with the big one of her and the one of us at our vacation lunch near Petoskey, I think. The one of you and dad is in the frame in my locker. That just about covers the situation I guess. I’ll have to do some sewing now to put my patches on unless I send them to you to do but I haven’t enough shirts for that and they’ll have to be on by Sat. probably for inspection It will seem good to have some sort of insignia again. I see most fellows left their patches on their O.D.’s. Mine are in the pockets. I may as well send them home. I bought them. You have one already. We can still wear piping on our hats but I never had any on my suntan. I tried to buy one with red down here but it wasn’t my size, so neither has piping. My O.D. hat still has the red on it and my crossed cannons are on my blouse yet. The colonel has written a song for us and we have to learn and sing it. Wow. Is it corny. It smells. It’s to the tune of “America the Beautiful.”
We’re going to be the Engineers
Who make things pos-si-ble
We’ve got to learn our A B C’s
And get things in our skull
America, America
You need us that we know
We’ll do our bit – don’t throw a fit (whew!)
Just give us time we’ll grow.
And with that bit of corn I’ll quit for tonight. One guy got heck from the Luie for writing so I’ll quit before he sees me. For tonight love and take it easy.
Son
Recent Comments