You Let You Run Away With Yourself

Thurs. Dec. 23, 1943

7:50 p.m.

Dear folks,

Well, we are free from now until Sunday night study hall. They are throwing some kind of a party for us tonight at the Union. Freese & I are going over pretty soon and see what it is. I got back from study at about 10. I washed and shaved and got to bed at 10:30. I was up at 6:15 and after reveille I came back and slept until about 25 to 8. Then I made my bed. At 8 we had Calculus. We had a 12 question test. So far as I know I got them all O.K. but I’m not positive. I did each one twice and 2 different ways if possible in order to check my work. I did one wrong the first time but I caught it O.K.

Fri. Dec 24, 1:10 p.m. Here I am back after dinner on Fri. You always get the Thurs. & Fri. letters together so for this time I put them together. After Calculus yesterday we had drawing from 9-12. I worked as fast as I could with safety and just barely finished the second plate at the end of the class. It isn’t too bad looking but I don’t know what he’ll think. At 12 we ate. At 1 we had a study period. We went and got our Geography books and came back and spent the rest of the hour in the dorm. At 2 we had Physics lecture. At 3 we had History. The regular teacher was sick with the flu. The substitute we had Tues. got sick also so he sent his wife. One more class and they probably would have sent the little boy to teach the class. At 4 we had P.T. and we played volleyball. At 5 we had Military class. At 6 we were free. We ate. I had roast beef, potatoes, salad, bread, butter, milk, and peach cobbler. After supper I came back and took care of my mail, shined my shoes & brass, & cleaned up. Then I wrote on this until Freese and I went over to the Union. It wasn’t much of a party. They had a sort of program – a magician and some dancers. Then they gave us each a Xmas present – 2 packs of cig., 1 pkg. of gum & 1 bar of candy. A few of the guys got lots of cigarettes because a lot of us in our section don’t smoke and gave them to them. Freese & I listened to the juke box awhile then we looked at some magazines and finally came back at about 10:30 and went to bed. I was lazy this morning. I woke up several times but it was 11 before I finally got dressed. This morning one of the fellows who just got out of the hospital brought me a note from Ferd asking for his toilet kit, stationery and Calculus book. Several of us were going out to see him this afternoon but he’s isolated so we can’t. So I got the stuff together for him and took over to the infirmary. They’ll send it out to him when the ambulance goes out. The hosp. is way out north of town. He’s really conscientious about that Calculus. When I took care of that, I came back and at 12 I ate – meat loaf, potatoes, peas & carrots, bread, butter, salad, milk, and pudding. That brings me up to now. At mail call yesterday I got your Sat. –Sun. letter and a card from Thelma. The mail is all at least 1 day behind. I finally got the box of candy you sent last Fri. It was all O.K. and I’ve begun to make an imprint on it already. Now so far I have gotten 2 boxes.

Back at 4:00. My roommate and I went downtown for awhile. I got my shoe sewed. The whole side ripped loose yesterday. He got his laundry. We were going to the show but it wasn’t open so we came on back. When I got back my bed was full of mail – your Mon. letter & card, your Tues. letter and card, cards from Hugh & Nate and a card and $2 from George & Betty. I also finally got the other box of candy, nuts and the rest of my laundry so that makes all 3 packages finally. The mail is really balled up but I’m up to your Tues. letter today, so I guess I’m back on schedule. I hope you are getting my letters regularly now. I wrote them but you must be having the same trouble I had. The mail is overloaded now but it ought to clear up by next week. If you hadn’t got my Fri. letter by Tues. it really must be bawled up plenty. All I can say is I hope you had a big day of mail by now. If you get my Tues. letter today as you should you won’t be worrying so much about me because you’ll know my cold is nearly gone. I’m just blowing the after effects out of nose now as you’ll see by my laundry. I really wasn’t as bad as you thought but I did have a good cold.

Now to some of these unanswered letters I have here. Wed. Dec. 15. I don’t know how much good I would have done you if I had been there but you know I’d rather be there than here. We have a pretty good sized crowd here when we are together. Just about everybody came back with this cold or got it afterwards. Ferd happened to be the only one who went down. He had it bad though with a fever & chills. I intended to go on sick call last Sat. if I didn’t feel better but I could tell in the morning that the cold was broke so I didn’t go. Other mornings I have Calculus & I can’t afford to miss it or drawing. Those mornings I didn’t go to breakfast I was smart I think because I’d have had to stand in line in the cold a long time. I’ve done all I could with what I have and I’ll be doggoned if I’ll run over to the dispensary unless I absolutely know I need it. I’ve had enough colds so I can guess pretty well how bad they’ll be. Oh I know I’m not doing the right thing probably or didn’t but you know me and how I hate stuff like sick call. I guess I’ll have to make a resolution to do different but you know how I am. Every morning I tell myself, well if it isn’t better tomorrow I’ll go on sick call so that’s the way it goes. If you were here I bet you’d do the same thing but maybe I’m wrong. I think I know you pretty well though and they’d have to tie you down to get you to a doctor.

Thurs. Dec. 16 – Helle liked that cake. It wasn’t hard. I didn’t get the flu in Chicago. I had the cold when I got here Sunday morning. Most of the guys on this floor were snorting around. My roommate was sick for a day or so. It got his stomach. Don’t worry about me going places with that Stuart guy. I’d like to be home tonight having popcorn & cocoa & stuff. What a way to spend Xmas eve & Xmas. I got a kick out of the thing you said but I won’t mention it here.

Fri. Dec. 17 – If you don’t get any mail anytime don’t get excited. It’s very foolish. You know I’d get a card or something out someway. Of course I doubled up this letter with yesterday but you get them both on Mon. anyway. Any time you don’t get mail it’s not me but the U.S. Mail service. You let you run away with yourself. You don’t stop to think first. It’s your parents fault. They never taught you not to jump to conclusions. Be like Dad. Think about what might cause things first. I thought of telegramming to find how you two were but I was afraid it would get gummed up like the one in Sept. & then you’d think I was sick or something and it would make things worse. If everybody went to the P.O. if they didn’t get mail on time look what it would be like. Practically all of us were home last Xmas. Lohreny was just talking about the Xmas program his kids put on a year ago tonight. He was teaching school then. I got disgusted about the nuts but you know me. It doesn’t last long. I guess I’ll be able to stick with the A.S.T.P. for quite awhile at least. I’m a cinch to get into Advanced. I hear that’s pretty tough but I feel pretty sure of sticking at least until June and probably longer. One pkg. you mailed Mon. I got Wed. The one from Fri. I got Thurs. & the other one from Mon. I got today. Oh yes I got a pkg. yesterday from the WJIM Xmas Club. I don’t know where they got my name. The junk included a deck of cards which I’ll donate to whoever wants it, a pocket book “Journey Into Fear” a little sewing kit, a rubber stamp with A. FOREST on it, and a bag of peanuts. My, oh my, isn’t that lovely. Praise Allah & Lt. Finch. They must have gotten my address from somebody but I don’t know who. The olives are long gone. I haven’t tried my cheese yet.

I still have your Sat.-Sun., Mon. & Tues. letters to answer. It’s 5:25 so I think I’ll bring this to a close and maybe get it into the mail a bit sooner. I sure hope you’ve caught up with my mail by now. Thanks for all the candy and stuff. Don’t worry about laundry. I’m pretty well set again now. I didn’t send this week and may not next week. We’ll probably have classes as usual but the P.O. will probably be closed Sat. afternoon. Jan. 2 is some sort of an anniversary but it isn’t anything worth celebrating. Well for today I’ll sign off. I hope you all feel a lot better. That will go a long way toward making it a better Xmas for you. So long on Xmas eve.

Love,

Arlington

The Price of Chenille Bedspreads

You’ll get this Thurs. I hope, so you know I’m hoping you all feel good Xmas. That will do more than anything else to make it a better day.

Mon. Dec. 20, 1943

9:40 p.m.

Dear folks,

Here I am again. Lights don’t go out now until 10 so I’m back in the dorm writing this. Last night I read Physics until 6. Then I went to supper & had potatoes, pickles, carrots, bread, butter, milk, and cookies. At 7 we went to study. I copied my geography notes and started on English. The study hall was so cold that we came back here at about 8. I finished my English & read History until 10 when I showered and went to bed. I was up at 6:15 and after reveille I went back to bed until 7:30. Our platoon was last and I didn’t want to wait in line behind 150 or so. I got up finally and swept and made my bed. At 8 we had Calculus. At 9 we had Physics drill. He gave us a lot more problems to do. At 10 we had a study hall. I did my Physics and went over to the registrar’s and got my grades for last term. Here they are.

English –A                Chemistry – A

History – A                Physics – A

Geography – A          Analytics – A

Not bad at all eh! I thought so too. At 11 we had Military. Today we studied the daily sick report. At 12 we had dinner. I had potatoes, beans, salad, bread, butter, milk, and choc. pudding. At 1 we had Physics lab. We did an experiment on electrification and charges which was sort of fun. I worked with Helle today. Ferd was pretty sick with the flu last night. He got some lemons and made himself some drink last night and this morning he went on sick call. He hasn’t been around since so I think he must be at the hospital. I guess they aren’t taking any chances with it. We were in lab until 3. Then we had a study period and I did Calculus. At 4 we had P.T. and played a couple of volleyball games. They’ve been good & skipped calisthenics lately. At 5 we were through. I took my shirt to the cleaners, turned my shoes in for heels, and my pants in for salvage. Then I came back and read some of my mail until 5:50 when we went to chow. I got your Wed., Thurs., & Fri. letters & cards from Gramp, Marie ($2) and Kircher. For supper I had potatoes, beans, salad, bread, butter, milk, and baked apple. After supper I finished my mail. At 7 we went to study and I did my History. Then at 9 I came back here. I have to shave yet before I go to bed. I am sending each of you a Xmas card so let me know if you get them. The mail is awfully heavy now so don’t get worried if letters are delayed. Mine are too. Don’t kick about what I put in the cards. I tried to buy Gram a clock & there wasn’t one in town. I wanted to get Pop some good pajamas but couldn’t find any I would buy and for you I priced a chenille bedspread. It was 12.75 & up so I figured you may be needing things now the way you’ve all been and in this way you can put my present where it will do the most good. Merriest Possible Xmas to you all,

Love

Sonny

Trying to Buy Cheese Spread

5 MORE DAYS

Sat. Nov. 27, 1943

4:20 p.m.

Dear folks,

Another weekend. This is the last one this term here. One week from now I should be in Chicago. Time seems to be dragging pretty much now. After I finished writing to you last night I shaved, showered and got to bed at about 10:30. I was up as usual at 5:30. After reveille I lay down and slept until breakfast. I had oatmeal, toast, butter, grapefruit and 3 bottles of milk. After breakfast I slept until about 7:20. Then I made my bed and we took off for our first test at 8:00. It was Analyt. I know the subject pretty well but we’ve had open book tests all term and have never had to learn the formulas. I figure I did pretty well although I was weak in some places. There were several things I had never heard of and I had to guess at. Of the 50 problems I’d guess I got about 35 or more right. That could be pretty good. It all depends on how the others did. It’s a military secret but I was tied with 3 other guys for highest score on the Physics test. I got 50 out of the 60. I’m not kicking about that at all believe me. I put nearly 2 ½ hours on the Analyt. but if you’ve never seen some of it before time doesn’t help much. I got back to the dorm at about 11. We talked over some of the questions. Then I straightened stuff up a bit and packed my laundry to send out. You’ll find one wool under shirt, one set of pajamas, 2 sets of underwear, 1 towel, 1 wash cloth, 4 or 5 hankies, my shorts and a stack of old letters. At about 12 we ate. I had potatoes, peas & carrots, salad, bread, butter, milk, and pudding. At 1 we had the last of our tests. It was Chem. – 55 questions. We had 2 hours. I finished in 1 ¼. It was a pretty fair test I thought and I hope I got a good grade. I felt as if I knew most of it as I went along but of course I could be wrong. I left at about 2 and came back here. When Ferd got back we dressed and took our laundries down to mail out. Ferd was hungry for some cheese & crackers so we tried to buy some cheese spread. They wouldn’t sell it to us without stamps so we bought some cookies instead.  On the way back I stopped to pick up my dry cleaning but it still isn’t back.  It sounds a little phoney to me but I’ll give him until Monday. We came on back and tried to get some cheese spread at the little store down the street here but they didn’t have any so we finally came back to the dorm. As I came up the stairs I saw that some air corps fellow was talking to Jim Langford about something. Jim is in our section and comes from Flint. He pointed to me and said here’s a fellow from Michigan, maybe he’d know. I stopped and the fellow asked me if I knew anyone around here who had a cousin named Ralph. I told him I guess that was I. He said he was George’s brother-in-law. I knew he was nobody I’d ever seen before. He came on upstairs and sat here and talked for ½ hour or so I guess. He’s in Sqd. D. and has been here about 4 weeks. He said Betty wrote that I was here but didn’t tell him my name. He was asking everybody if they knew a fellow here who used to go to M.S.C. We swapped addresses and he left at about 4 I guess. He didn’t impress me very greatly. I’d judge he was about 25 altho I’m a poor guess at ages. His name is Walter Stuart. He says he’s been in about a year and a half. He was in the ordnance before he came here. He said George was at a P.O.E. the last he heard. He thinks he got a dirty deal. He says George was an inspector at Timkens and should have gone into Ordnance at Custer instead of the Infantry. So that’s today. I’ve run into some pretty far distant relatives but I don’t think I’d ever hunt him up. My first impression is that he isn’t my type person. I think I like Ferd better than I would him even if I got to know him.

Well that’s the story up to now at 5:00. It’s time to go to supper so I’ll sign off. I didn’t get any mail today but I didn’t expect to.

Back at 9:35 p.m. For supper I had potatoes, spinach, sliced toms, bread, butter, milk, and rolls. After supper I shined my buttons, washed up a bit and started a letter to Hugh. At 7:15 Ferd and I went to the show and we just got back. It was the “Iron Major” with Pat O’Brien. It was about Frank Cavanaugh, a football coach. The engineer all-star basketball team played the Univ. team tonight and beat them 36-30. I didn’t see the game but Arkansas is going to have a dark season if we can [can’t?] beat them. That’s about all there is to say for today so I’ll close this, finish my letter to Sergeant Miller & get to bed. So long for now.

Sun. Nov. 28, 8:35 p.m. I finished writing to Hugh and got to bed at about 10:15 last night. I was on the ball today. I had one of the fellows wake me up at 7:45 and I went to breakfast for the first Sunday since about the middle of last term. I had French toast, syrup, toast, butter, oatmeal, milk, jam, and grapes. After breakfast I came back and went to work on History. It seems as if it takes me so long to do so little. It took me until dinner time to get through 3 chap., about 50 pages, of history. I tried to go a little slow and really get something out of it but I don’t know how well I succeeded. For dinner I had potatoes, string beans, beets, salad, bread, butter, milk, and ice cream. After dinner I came back and went at my Physics. I got one long chap. read by 2 o’clock. I decided I’d had enough for awhile so I quit and went to the show. It was “In Old Oklahoma” with John Wayne & Francis Farmer (I think). It was a western picture about oil in Oklahoma. It was sort of good to see something without a war background. I got back at about 4:10 and dug into my Physics again. At 5 I went to supper. I had potato salad, carrots, salad, biscuits, butter, milk, rolls and jello. After supper I went back to the Physics. I finally finished the 3 chapters of it in time to go to study at 7. I spent the first hour doing Physics problems, then I did my Analyt. for tomorrow and started this. Its 9:15 now and I’m back in the dorm. Except for mealtimes and the 2 hrs. at the show I’ve been behind a book all day. I’m pretty well caught up in everything now except Military. We have a test in that Wed. and I’m afraid it will be pretty doggone tough as usual. Well that’s another weekend. I wrote 7 letters last week which is some sort of a record I guess. I still have 5 to answer but except for Nate none are important. Next week at this time I should have been home nearly 24 hours. Oh boy. It’s really going to be good to get home again. This would really be bad if we didn’t get the break at the end of each term. By the end of the term I’m about ready to quit but I came back full of energy last time and it’s lasted up to the last week or so. Sometimes it seems as if the whole thing isn’t worth it but I think of what the boys are getting who leave here and I know its’ worthwhile. People in general think we have it pretty soft, we are the favored few in this army. Civilians say to us, You boys have it pretty easy don’t you? I’ll let them take my place awhile if they think its easy. There’s no physical strain but it still is a mental strain or whatever you can call it. We are working under pressure all the time. Well its time for lights out so I’ll sign off for tonight. It won’t be long now.

Love,

Son

So For Tonight, Roger

Friday Nov. 26, 1943

8:40 p.m.

Dear folks,

Well here it is free time on Fri. night. I’m going to write this and then shave and clean up and hit the bed. After I finished writing last night I took the rest of the time and thumbed through my Physics. At 9 we came back here. I washed up a little, ate a couple cinnamon rolls I had my roommate get me while he was at the store and then got to bed at about 9:30. I was up at 5:30 and after reveille I was back in bed until about 7:30. Then I got up and made my bed and got ready to leave. We had our first test at 8. It was Physics – 60 questions. I didn’t do too badly. I made some silly mistakes on one or two and then there were several I didn’t know but in all I figure I did pretty well. We had 1 ½ hrs. to put on it. I finished at about 10. I came back and we proceeded to go through and argue out all the questions we could remember. Then I skimmed through my Geography notes. It all seemed pretty well in mind so then I started to write a letter to Bart until we went to dinner. I had mashed potatoes, peas, salad, bread, butter, milk, and rice pudding. After dinner at 1 we went back for more tests. We had 3 ½ hours to do the English & Geography tests. The English test was the same one we had last term. The test was pretty easy. I put 75 minutes on the 96 questions. Then I started the Geography. It took me 1 ½ hr. to get through the 130 questions. It was really bad. It was all on stuff we’ve had but when they give 4 answers, any one of which is right and ask for the best it makes it hard. I had to resort to pure guessing in spots. I’m usually pretty unlucky at guessing. I finally finished at about 4:00. I came back and finished the letter to Bart to answer his of Oct. 4. Before supper I took my O.D.’s over to turn in for cleaning and tried to get my field jacket but it wasn’t back yet. Then I went to supper. I had sweet potatoes, cabbage, cheese, carrots, bread, butter, milk, fruit salad and cookie. After supper at 6 we went to study. I decided it was futile to try to study for tomorrow’s tests so I did some writing and between now and then I got letters written to Granny in answer to Oct. 7, to Amelia in answer of Oct. 23 and to Lillis to answer Oct. 28. At 8 we came back here or I did. The fellows have to be in by 10:30 tonight. We have Math in the morning and Chem. in the afternoon. If I can make it I’ll send out my laundry but there won’t be much. That’s today. I have my mail down to 6 letters. I’d like to get it cleared out before I leave if I can so I can start even on text term. Now to some of your back letters. Thurs. Nov. 18 – Was that the pink butter dish that broke? You’ve had it quite awhile. I’ve never read much in that Chem. book I left there in Sept. I think it will be quite interesting. I did my Chem. in Analyt. because I knew the Analyt. but not the Chem. 25 more are on shipping lists now to go out. That will be all until we get back from furlough. The only one I want to be on is one sending me to a school in the 3^rd, 5^th or 6^th service command. The ones who flunked out were either flunking term I over again for the second time or were flunking 2 or 3 subjects. I didn’t mean a B would be a flunk. I meant a B average. You see an average is figured on a point-credit basis as at State. A person could have a couple C’s in certain subjects and still have a B average. I don’t think they’ll let anyone who has been consistently getting D’s go on into advanced though. Remember all this junk I pass on to you is just the latest rumors so your foolish to let it worry you. I just thought I’d let you see how the undercurrents go around here. I’ll be here until March. After that if I stay in the 8^th Service Command I want to stay here so I’ll get my furlough and be this close to home. If they flunked me with the marks I have now a lot would go with me is all I can say. Boy, those kids that work with Dad are trying to drag him into everything. They are still taking limited service men, but I don’t think “many are discharged if they don’t fit into the army.” My roommate will stay on next term easily. He’s one of the smartest in the section. Ferd, Freese, & Helle will make it but whether they will ever get past 3^rd term I’m personally doubtful. Ferd will make it if any do. Helle could do it hands down. He’s just a little too easy going. Don’t start talking of a 5 or 10 year war. None of us could take it that long. I think it ought to be pretty well in hand inside of 2 yrs. But if it’s only 2 days it’s still too long.

Fri. Nov. 19 – Don’t worry. The bed making and sweeping can go for someone else when I’m out of this. You bet I’m carrying a load and altho’ I’m not trying to brag I think I’m doing pretty doggone well considering the contrast with the kind of study conditions I was used to. I don’t think, in fact I’d bet that Gramp couldn’t work that problem. My eyes don’t look red but they just get tired. I think its lack of sleep as much as anything. American Beauty stuff was all pretty good.

Now to your Mon. & Tues. letters that I got today. That dollar wasn’t necessary but thanks. I repeat we really pass the buck around. I was afraid you were going to suggest going to Wetzel’s. I guess you are right but there goes the extra day I gained. I don’t know if they need changing or not but then I suppose it is the thing to do. It means half a day up there and then a day to wear the stuff out. I only have 6 days at home you know. This could be my last furlough for a long time. I may get one in March but it’s a gamble because we are liable to be shipped out then. Who’s kidding whom. You don’t actually think that I’ll get anything at the presentation do you? I’ll just stand there and hang on to that wooden rifle for about 30 minutes. About 150 men or more were  eligible for good conduct ribbons so they are going to give out 20. You know who’ll get them, too, the cadet officers. I can’t kick because I’m not eligible but I think some of the fellow are justified in kicking. Also rumor has it there will be scholarship awards to the 3 highest men in the Battalion. I’m not building up to any letdown by telling myself I’m one because I probably ain’t. There are a lot of guys here in 4-A who at least ought to get good grades. Of course I have but one B so maybe I have a chance. We’ll see. We haven’t been able to get those insignias yet. If I can’t get any here I may be able to get some there and then you can sew them on for me. Going back is something to forget. Freese is going to Chicago I guess. I’ll get my furlough O.K. Of course I couldn’t control a train strike. I wasn’t in a hurry to buy my ticket. I just avoided the rush. It doesn’t matter now I see whether the Frisco is a little late or not. I can’t get to Chicago before 2:05 and the bus leaves at 1 so I’ll have to wait for that 8:00 p.m. train the same as before. If we are on time then I’ll have 6 hours in Chicago. Thanks for the bus schedule. You can see it doesn’t help me any.

Tues. Nov. 23 – Yes I’ve heard quite a bit about old blood and guts. He really put himself on the fire. It’s his own fault and although he’s a good man he deserves a little taking down for it. Yeh, you can see how I planned on that party & dance Wed. Oh yes. I’m sure you can.

Well that cleans up all your back letters. This weekend I’m going to force myself to do some work for a change (maybe). We have a rough week of tests coming up.

Its 9:55 now so I’ll sign off, go shave, take a shower and head for bed. A week from now I’ll be on the old Frisco Limited. All that’s limited is the speed and the comfort.

So for tonight, Roger

Love,

Son

Cute Little Rifles

THANKSGIVING 1943!

[drawing of  turkey]

Thurs. Nov. 25, 1943

7:10 p.m.

Dear folks,

Here I am in study hall. I’ll write this and then review a little Physics. We get G.I. tests tomorrow and Sat. Tomorrow morning we have Physics, in the afternoon English & Geography. Sat. morning we have math & then Chem. Sat. afternoon. It would be useless to try to cram for them but I think I will just thumb through the book a little and maybe refresh it a little. I was up at 7:30 this morning. There was no reveille so except for somebody trying to wake up the sections with early classes we were left alone to sleep. It’s sort of hard for me to get real sleep after 5:30 though. I’m in a rut I guess. I got up, made my bed, swept, dressed, and at 8 we went to Analyt. He assigned a lot of stuff for Monday. Next week is going to be pretty rough I’m afraid. At 9 we had Physics. He was in a Thanksgiving mood and let us do what we wanted so I read my English. At 10 we had Chem. and he went on answering those questions on that exam. I really messed some of them up. Even Dr. Hale didn’t agree with some of the answers. At 11 we had study. I did a little Analyt. Then at 11:35 we ate. I’ll give them credit. They really turned out a nice meal. It was the best I’ve had in the army so far. We had turkey, white and dark meat sliced nice and thin, dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, asparagus, an apple salad, biscuits, bread, butter, cranberry sauce, celery, and pumpkin pie with ice cream. After dinner I went back and slept about ½ hour before we went to History at 1. He spent most of the hour talking about the soldiers vote bill. I hear they are trying to allow all men in the army, even under 21, the right to vote. It sounds like a good argument. It’s going to look like an attempt to keep Roosevelt in for a 4^th term. I don’t care myself. I do think though that it might be unwise to change presidents now. Roosevelt knows all the plans & he’s done pretty well so far. To change pres. might easily cause the war to last 6 months or a year longer. At 2 we had P.T. We played volleyball all hour today. No calisthenics. It was O.K. with me as my legs are really lame from those tests. At 3 we had English and did some grammar work. I didn’t do too well. He read off our latest grades. I’m still on top of the class with 197 out of a possible 200. So long as I stay above 190 I get an A. At 4 we drilled for an hour with our cute little rifles. We have a parade next Thurs. as I said before I guess. At 5 we were through. We got no letters at all today. I guess the mail service took a holiday. At 5:30 we went to supper. We are always the last section (except for a bunch of former R.O.T.C. fellows who haven’t started class yet) to eat and we were robbed tonight. They started out serving turkey, next they had steak & by the time we arrived they were dishing out stew. I had beets, string beans, corn, salad, bread, butter, milk, & 2 pieces of pumpkin pie. At 7 we came over here to study hall. A new shipping list of 25 guys is in but nobody from our section goes this time. Everyone who’s left now gets his furlough although I wish we’d sign something for it pretty soon. Well that’s Thanksgiving here. This isn’t any better than usual as a letter but I’ll call it all at 7:45. You’ll get this Mon. I wouldn’t write after next Tues. if I were you as that’s the last one I’ll get before I leave.

Good night,

Love,

Son

He Should Have Asked the Engineer’s Name, Too

Tuesday Nov. 16, 1943

10:17 p.m.

Dear folks,

This won’t be much. I’m so doggoned sleepy I haven’t much ambition left. I went to bed as soon as I got back last night but it was about 11:30. I got in bed and I’ll swear somebody blew a whistle for reveille in about ½ hour but I guess it was 5:30. After reveille I went back and slept until breakfast. I had oatmeal, toast, butter, milk, & grapes for breakfast. I came back and unmade my bed, swept and then slept until we left for Analyt. at 8. He hinted a quiz in the wind but I can’t be worried over such trifles. I’ve written so many quizzes this term that they’ll never bother me again. I figure after carrying this schedule I can go back to school and work outside about 8 hrs. a day with no trouble at all. At 9 we had Physics and a problem test. I got 4 of the 5 right so far as I know. The other one I had right all the way to the end and then messed it up because I didn’t get the drift of what it was all about. I had the answer & didn’t know enough to know it. I’m not too worried though as the grades will be very low I think. Here’s the problem as I remember it. A steam locomotive has 2 double acting cylinders. The diameter of each cylinder is 27 inches. The length of the stroke is 1 ½ ft. If the mean effective pressure is 120 lbs/in. squared and it develops 3,000 horsepower and its mechanical efficiency is 90%, how fast is it going in miles per hour. He should have asked the engineer’s name, too. The answer is 28.5 mph., incidentally. I, like a sap, took 90% of it and got 25.7 which ain’t exactly right. Here’s how it’s done: [complicated equation].

I forgot to mention the drivers are 5 ft. in diameter. That problem alone would make a good 1 hr. test. This may not explain much to you but I thought I’d let you see what just one of them was like. I may have some of the numbers wrong but it gives you the idea. At 10 we went to Chem. We get our final exam in Chem. next Mon. & that’s our last test. We get G.I. tests on Nov. 26 & 27 so he wants to give us our exam & have a chance to review with us for the gov’t tests. He has a 2 hr. exam to give us. It helps some in that it won’t come at the end with all the other exams and that it will give me review for the gov’t tests but it means I’ll be in Chem. next Sun. probably. We have a lot of junk to write out for Chem. for Sat. but no test this week. At 11 we had study. I read on my English. At 11:30 we ate – potatoes, creamed cabbage, salad, bread, butter, milk, & pudding. After dinner I read on my English some more. I had read it last week but he put off the quiz until today so I had to refresh it. I also shaved on my noon hour. At 1 we had history. At 2 we had P.T. We ran the ½ mile. I think that watch must be a little screwy. The faster I run the longer it takes me. Today it was 2:40. After that I played volleyball. At 3 we had English. We had 3 quizzes, one on each of the 2 articles and one on sentences and clauses. I’m not so sure how I did. My grades as a whole are dropping a little I’m afraid. It won’t make much difference though as the class average is dropping faster. All I can say is I don’t see how I can do much better. I don’t know how much there is to some of the stuff we hear but if its true, our chances of staying past term III are doggone slim. If I ever get washed out of this I’m going to wish I’d stayed in Frisco but that’s not in the near future so I’ll forget it. At 4 we had a training film on the rifle platoon. At 5 we were through. At mail call I got your Fri. letter, the Sat.-Sun. letter & my laundry. I sorted and put away my laundry before supper. I had spaghetti, potatoes, squash, pickles, bread, butter, milk, & prune pie. After supper Ferd, Helle & I went over to the Union. I made a $3.75 investment and bought myself a copy of the chem. book we’ve been using here. It’s the first book I’ve ever gone clear through and I want one to keep for myself. All in all it’s a pretty good book I think. Then I came back and read my mail finally. At 7 we went to study. I did my Analyt., read a chapter of Physics & did 8 problems before I started this. That’s today in a nutshell. This started out to be short but I’m cutting it off now. Its 15 to 11 already and my eyes feel terrible. So for tonight,

So long,

Love

Arlington Ardeane

I’m a Jitterbug at Heart

Tuesday Nov. 9, 1943

9:50 p.m.

Dear folks,

In late study as usual. You are probably listening to Red Skelton if you are still up. I went back and took a shower last night and got to bed. I was up at 5:30 as always and then back to bed after reveille until breakfast. I had oatmeal, toast, butter, milk, and grapefruit juice. After breakfast I unmade my bed and swept and then curled up until time to work on the hall and the latrine. We got that cleaned up for the last time this term I reckon. At 8 we went to Analyt. He has another little quiz in the wind. At 9 we had Physics. He explained some prob. and gave us time to work. I had them done so I worked on Analyt. At 10 we had Chem. He assigned some prob. and questions to do for Sat. Besides our usual Chem. quiz on Sat. I guess we get one in Physics. I know how to do most all of the problems but I always make some crazy mistake. At 11 we had a study period and I finished up tomorrow’s Analyt. At 11:35 we ate. I had beets, beans, salad, bread, butter, milk, and apricot cobbler. After dinner I shaved and then read a little Chem. At 1 we went to History. I for once had read it before he got to it. At 2 we came back for P.T. It was much warmer today. First we ran the ½ mile. I took it a lot slower today or so I thought but I made it in 2:31. Then we played volleyball. At 3 we had English. We had 5 sentences to rewrite and correct. I don’t know for sure how well I did do on that. Next time we get quizzes on 2 articles we have to read and then the last 30 minutes of the hour we will write a theme on anything. At 4 we went over to the Military building and got our little pop guns and spent the next hour on the manual of arms. They split us up into 2 groups, those who knew it and those who didn’t. I stayed with those who knew it and I got by O.K. I guess. Finally at 5 we were through. At mail call I got your Sat.-Sun. letter so Tues. isn’t mail-less any more. Now it’s Wed. I read that and at 5:25 we went to supper. I had steak, potatoes, string beans, salad, bread, butter, milk, and pumpkin pie. After supper I went back and talked to Freese awhile and then did a little Chem. The fellow who tutors a class in Chem. came up to find out how to do some problems. He figured it would be embarrassing if he couldn’t do them and I guess he was right. At 7 we came to study and since them I’ve gotten through 2 chap. of Physics. I haven’t accomplished too much today but tomorrow is a fairly easy day. Tues. & Thurs. are the longest. Now to your letter. Looks like Thayne will be sprouting bars before long. Which Victrola did Dad fix? I imagine you mean the big one. I expect to do a lot of things when I get out but I may not. I’d like to get a collection of good records. What I call good you might not care for though. I guess I’m a jitterbug at heart in a passive sort of way. I had A’s in everything there, you know; but that was there. That Physics teacher has degrees in Civil, Mechanical & Aeronautical Eng. I think. It’s 3 different kinds, anyway. I think we understand each other pretty well. I’m hard to argue down if I think I’m right and I seldom argue unless I’m pretty sure I am right. I do lack tact I suppose tho’ in expressing my opinions. I’m not worried about flunking. I just want to keep the grades up there. I won’t start worrying about flunking until I see some D’s which I (confidentially) don’t expect. I’m no genius but I have enough confidence to know I can do as much of this as anyone else I’ve seen here. Do you mean Tuxedo Junction? I hope I never need a long term. If I do I know where there is one. See.  That was an abrupt end. You 2 sure have a lot of bad days. Well that’s your letter and today in a nutshell so,

So long

Love,

Sonny

Calisthenics & Vollyball

Wed. Nov. 3, 1943

9:25 p.m.

Dear folks,

Here I am in the usual place but a little earlier tonight. First of all I better finish yesterday’s letter. I forgot to tell you I got my laundry yesterday. You may have wondered about it but I never thought of it until I got back to the dorm last night. Anyway I got it O.K. and everything was all right. I got to bed at about 10:45 I guess last night. I was up at 5:30 and back in bed after reveille. I slept until breakfast. I had scrambled eggs, toast, butter, jam, oatmeal, milk and an apple. After breakfast I made my bed, swept & straightened stuff up until it was time to clean up the latrine. You will have a pretty good sized laundry this time – especially socks & hankies. I’ve really run through the hankies but I’m glad to say my nose has about quit running. I have 8 clean ones to last until these get back so I may have to rinse some out Sunday. At 8 we went to Analyt. The stuff we are on now is awful. It’s not too hard but it takes so doggone long to do it. I got the problem O.K. that we did last time. At 9 we had study. I finished today’s Analyt. & started on tomorrows. At 10 we had P.T. – calisthenics & volleyball. At 11 we had Geog. I was really surprised but I got 100 on my last test. At the beginning the[re] were about 6 guys with 100 averages. I’m the last one now. My roommate is second with 99.  At 12 we ate – potatoes, beans, salad, bread, butter, milk and cake. At 1 we had Military and a lot of junk on moving a column of troops, etc, At 2 we had more P.T. – Calisthenics and volleyball (as if you couldn’t guess it). At 3 we had Physics. He tried to prove a formula but I (and some others after I started it) tripped him up and we didn’t get very far. He had a beautiful system and it got him where he wanted to go I guess only it wasn’t right. It was based on an incorrect assumption. Maybe I shouldn’t but I get a big kick in arguing him down. He’s too positive of what he does. I seldom argue unless I think I’m right and if I see I’m wrong I shut up. So far this term I’ve won every argument or shall we say discussion (so far). At 4 we came back to the dorm. I read my Chem. & started on my Problems. All I got at today’s mail call was a letter from Bernice. I guess you’re right. By the time I get around to write again I’ll have just as many people to write to. For supper I had potatoes, beets, sliced toms, bread, butter, milk, & 2 rolls. At about 6, Helle & some of us played around with the football for awhile. I suppose I should spend the time more profitably but then I like to pull out of the books once in awhile. At 7 we came here. I finished my Chem. prob. for Sat. & spent the rest of the time doing 4 Analyt. prob. I got one in 20 minutes that one of our analytical genii failed to get. He worked for over an hour & got the wrong answer & quit. I found out my Physics grade tonight so here they are. They are good now but I hate to think of what final exams will do to them – especially Hist. & Physics. I finally pulled up to an A in Physics but I imagine it’s a low one. I guess that covers it all for today. Maybe I’ll think of more after I seal this but for tonight

So long

Love

Sonny

Analytics    -A

Chemistry   -A (98)

Physics       -A

Geography  -A (100)

English        -A (199 out of 200)

History        -B (220 out of 246)

We’re On The Way Down Now

Wednesday Oct. 27, 1943

7:10 p.m.

Dear folks,

I’ll dash this off and then get going on history for tomorrow’s test until I get sleepy and then go to bed. I went back at about 10:30 last night, took a shower and went to bed. I was up at 5:20 and we fell out for reveille at 5:30. When we came back in I slept until breakfast – farina, toast, butter, jam, milk, and an apple. Then I made my bed, swept and slept until we left for class at 8. He decided to give us our Analyt. test on Fri. instead of tomorrow which will help a lot. Now we just have 2, History & English tomorrow. The English I’m not even studying for as it’s just on parts of speech and constructions and if I don’t know that stuff now I never will. At 9 we had study & I got tomorrow’s Analyt. out of the way. At 10 we went back for P.T. We had calisthenics, and then played volleyball. At 11 we had Geog. We get a test there Fri. but they usually aren’t hard and I have a 100 average so anything above 85 will be O.K. At 12 we ate – potatoes, green beans, salad, bread, butter, milk, and a cupcake. At 1 we had Military. We spent most of the time discussing that test we had last week. I managed to get my minus 16 points cut to 12 ½ which was just under the wire for a B. That was really close. Then we spent the rest of the time on night operations. At 2 we had P.T. – more calisthenics & volleyball. At 3 we had Physics and that test. That was really tough. From what I hear, I had the easier of the 2 tests but it was still pretty hard. There were 28 questions but 8 were stuff we hadn’t had so we left them out. Of the 20 that were left I was doubtful about 4 or 5. I know one was wrong and I may have slipped on some others too. I imagine I’m well up with class average but if he grades on a percentage basis the grades are all going to be pretty low. At 4 we came back to the dorm and argued out our mistakes until mail call. I got yours & dad’s Sunday letter. I read it and then we went to supper – potatoes, beets, salad, bread, butter, milk & a roll. After supper at about 6:15 Ferd & I went out and batted the tennis balls around awhile. He got himself a racquet from Bill Anderson so we were breaking it in. It gets dark early now. Once that sun starts dropping it really goes fast. At 7 we came to study and here I am. It’s 15 to 8 and I still have about 130 pages of History to run through. I’ve been giving Helle a list of the Presidents, the length of their term & dates of election at the same time I have been writing this. I was surprised I could remember them all so well. It’s been about 2 years since I last learned that for John Brisbin’s final exam in U.S. History. Wow. That’s been a rugged 2 years. All but the last 10 months was good too. Well this is the usual week day note. I may not send any laundry Sat. because I won’t have much and also I want to go to the Texas A&M game if it’s a decent day. Civilians get Sat. off as its Homecoming Day but not us. Well I guess this will be it for tonight. We’re on the way down now – Only 5 ½ more weeks. I think this term is going a little faster.

Until next time,

Love,

Sonny

Today I am a Man (?)

Thursday, October 14, 1943

6:15 p.m.

Dear folks,

I’ll start this while I wait for chow. Well today finishes 21 and starts number 22. Today I am a man (?). I don’t feel a doggone bit different than yesterday so that is that. For some reason I didn’t get any of the packages tonight. You’ll get this on Mon. along with my Fri. letter so if I get it tomorrow it won’t give you a chance to worry. I can’t see where it is though as your letters have been fast all week. I got Tues. letter postmarked yesterday morning, tonight. There must be some reason but it ought not to take 5 days. Well if you read this letter first you stop here & tear open Friday’s to see if I got them then.

I got to bed as soon as I quit writing last night. I was up at 5:30, out for reveille and back to bed until breakfast. My eyes were stiff & tired when I got up and I’ve had a half headache all day. I’ve looked forward to mail call all day too and that sort of let me down a little. For breakfast I had oatmeal, milk, toast, butter & grapefruit juice. After breakfast I swept & made my bed and slept until about 20 to 8. At 8 we went to Analyt. but I can’t say I learned a great deal. At 9 we had a Physics test. He gave us 5 problems – I got 3 right, one pretty close so he’ll probably count it. On the other one I did it right all the way through to the end and then what do I do? I multiply 6 by 2 and get 16. That really burned me up. I still got as well as anyone in the class according to what they all say then did but he doesn’t seem to grade on class average. My method was right, I just made a foolish mistake in arithmetic. He should give me some credit for it but he may not. He is sort of hard to predict. After that I was really disgusted. I can study all night and it won’t eliminate those kind of mistakes. In fact I think it helps cause them. I’m not getting enough sleep to really be on my toes like I should. At 10 we went to Chem. Lect. There’s the usual test there Sat. and 10 problems to do. At 11 we had study. I worked on Analyt. I don’t know what will happen on that test tomorrow. We are going so fast it’s hard to know what I do & don’t know. I could spend 2 hrs. on it every night if I had the time but I haven’t got it. Then we ate dinner – potatoes, cauliflower, salad, bread, butter, milk, & peach cobbler. It sure wasn’t what I’d have been eating if I were at home. I came back about 12:10. I started to sleep but I was afraid of a test in History so I got one Chap. read during my noon hour. It was a good thing I did. We discussed 2 chap. and then he gave us a 50 question test. Most of the questions were on the chapter I read. The rest I answered from what he said in class or I already knew from before as I hadn’t read the last 2 chap. I’m pretty sure I didn’t miss more than 10 and maybe less. If I hadn’t read what I did it would have been too bad. I hope I did as well as I think I did but maybe I’m kidding myself. I’m sick of this driving for last minute tests. It’s not my way but I can’t seem to get away from it. Well time out for supper and from there we go to study (6:45).

Back at 9:15. At 2 we came back for P.T. We did some calisthenics and then played volleyball. At 3 we went to English. He gave us a short quiz on parts of speech and another on recognition of sentence structures & stuff. It wasn’t bad and I did fairly well. Next time we will write a theme in class on how to do something or how to make something. At 4 we came back for drill. We drilled from 4 to 4:45. Then we quit til 5. Then we drilled & went through retreat with the air corps until about 5 to 6. We are supposed to have that parade for Col. White next Thurs. Next Tues. we are to go on a five mile walk or hike. We got through at about 6. I came in for mail call. I got your Tues. letter a day ahead but that was all. My mail has been a day ahead all week. I read that and then wrote until supper time. 9:35 in latrine. For supper I had potatoes, green beans, pickles, bread, butter, milk, & cookies. From there we went to study. I spent 2 hours on Analyt. & quit and came back at 9. I mentioned to Ferd & Helle that this wasn’t the way I usually spent my birthday. I was writing on this a few minutes ago when in they come with a little square cake with 21 matches stuck in the top. It really surprised me because I wasn’t expecting anything like that at all. We made quick work of the cake but I thought it was pretty nice. They deserve a piece of the one you sent when I get it. Now it’s after lights out. I’ll finish this, take a shower & get to bed early for a change. I think I’ll do a lot better if I’m rested than if I try to cram a lot.

Now to your Mon. Oct 11 letter – Why should I be embarrassed to get 3 packages at once? I am not the only one who sticks to the work. Lots of guys do more than I but most of them don’t. P.F.C. comes at the end of the 3^rd term if we go into advanced work. I’ve noticed the moon the last couple of mornings when we went out for reveille. I didn’t ever think to ask for stamps here. I guess I thought it was a hick place that wouldn’t have them but then they should.

Tues. Oct. 12 – Was it dad’s green work sweater that he lost? Well Gram finally got her birthday card. Probably if I had stayed out this long I’d be rejected now on my eye also but I’m in now & stuck for the D + 6. George must have had a delay in traveling in order to get home. He must have been alone & not in a troop movement. Is he going to a school or something? Everything sounds good – no more dimout on the coast, etc. I imagine Frisco seems much nicer with the lights on. You haven’t sent too much of anything yet.

That briefly covers your letters. Its 10:10 so I think I’ll call it off for tonight. I wonder what will happen during the next year. Last year they were starting to send me questionnaires. Well good night for tonight.

Love,

Arlington

Send That Apron Along While I Still Have a Whole Pair of Pants

Monday Oct. 11, 1943

9:35 p.m.

Dear folks,

Back again in late study as usual. I finished your letter last night and went to Analyt. until about 10:30. Then I went back to the barracks and worked until about 11 when I went to bed. I was up but mighty sleepy at 5:30. After reveille I crawled back in and had a notion to skip breakfast but I was hungry so I went and got my farina, toast, butter, milk, and orange. I came back and made my bed and swept. Then I looked over the chem. experiments for today & some of the English assignment. At 8 we went to Analyt. I got a 10 (perfect) on last Fri. quiz (1 problem [formula]. Pretty isn’t it. He rambled on as usual. At 9 we went to Chem. lab. We only had 4 experiments to do today. I got 2 done so I went behind this time. One of them seems to be way off. Nearly every one is. I think they gummed us up somewhere. You see we were to find out what the molecular wt. was of a liquid & then check with them. I think they gave us the wrong answers because most of us aren’t even close. I couldn’t possibly be 50% off but I am nearly that much. They are going to have the lab open for us Sat. from 1 to 4:30 so we can work. I told the fellow that was fine except we don’t get through until about 3 o’clock. If I can I think I’ll go over. Otherwise I’ll have to right in these experiments without doing them in order to keep up. We are doing reactions now instead of quantitative work so it is easier to answer them without actually doing them. We got that lab quiz back & I got 32 out of 38. That’s about 84%. It isn’t too good but it’s all right for a start. We had another one today & I think I did much better. This one was for just stuff we had done. If I’ve done it I usually remember it. We get quizzes now every week which will be bad. I’ll have to hold my grade up in lecture to counterbalance. At 12 I ate – potatoes, carrots, green beans, bread, butter, salad, milk, & berry pie. Then I started reading my English for tomorrow until we went to military at 1. We are on defense against air attack now. At 2 we came back for P.T. We did some calisthenics & then I played volleyball the rest of the time. At 3 we went to Physics Lect. At 4 we came back to the dorm. I studied on English until mail call. I got your Thurs. & Fri. letters & a nice birthday card to Nephew from Aunt Marie + $2. I believe that’s the first Nephew card I have gotten or is it? I read my mail & went back to the English. There was about 20 pages but its all old stuff so I didn’t have to do more than read through it. At 5:40 we ate – steak, potatoes, gravy, spinach, beets, salad, biscuits, butter, milk & jello. I’d call it a good meal for a change. At about 6:25 or so I went out & played some doubles for a few minutes. My partner & I got beat 6-2 by two kids who were just learning so you see how good I’m getting. At 7 we came to study. I finished the English, started History, and then switched to Analyt. until I started writing this. I’ve covered all my Analyt. now except 61 review exercises at the end. They are good practice but it would take from 5-8 hours for me to do them so I’m just skipping them. Right now I’m all caught up in everything but History & Geog. By tomorrow afternoon I won’t be able to say that as I’ll have Chem., Physics & etc. to do. Every night I intend to write at least one extra letter but it never seems to get done. Maybe I will though someday. Tell Mrs. C. not to get discouraged (as if she really cared anyway) (oh well maybe she does.)

That covers today I guess so now to the two letters I got. Thurs. Oc. 7 – I can just see what this little remembrance will be if it’s underestimated like you usually do. Two or 3 packages – Say! I seem to be able to get Listerine O.K. here. We get oranges quite often although there are more apples now. We get quizzes on our own experiments in Chem. now so it isn’t bad. Anyway the backward (?) boys are on the ones we did first now so it doesn’t make much difference. It’s the first chem. lab I ever had where the emphasis was on speed. At State boy we had to go slow & work for accuracy. I pulled a B on that military test finally. There were only 3 B’s in our class. There were 15 C’s & 15 D’s, no A’s. It’s possible, in fact as good a bet as any, that we may be instructors someday. The way Bart talked he is about ready to ask to go back to his outfit. He is from a searchlight battery at San Mateo, south of Frisco down towards Palo Alto. I’ll have enough money to get home if I get the furlough (and I intend to get it). I decided to send those W.D.C. patches. They aren’t any good to me here. I can’t wear them so you may as well have them. They were on my blouse & field jacket when I got here.

Friday Oct. 8 – The name of that picture would discourage me from going. Also Bill saw it when he was home & he says it’s lousy so even if you hadn’t mentioned it I still wouldn’t have gone. It may have already be here although I’m not sure. Harry James is coming in a picture pretty soon. I wonder where all that acid came from. I don’t remember slopping or spilling any. My Haggerty does have trouble. I’m sure he deserves everyone’s deepest sympathy. I had several books at M.S.C. written by teachers out there (Chem. & Eng.) but they were good books. I was A in everything at home but that “ain’t” here. If I were taking German at as fast a clip as everything else I’m afraid I wouldn’t learn it very well. What do you mean “if I stay here all term?” Don’t let me scare you by some of my cracks. If I flunk out, the ASTP will be completely washed up so send that apron along while I still have a whole pair of pants. I’m not going to flunk out anything even if I do sound like I am sometimes. I just get disgusted and let it run away with me. I’d work awfully hard to keep from washing out (a lot harder than I have yet) because I know what it means. I’m afraid Yugoslavia & Belgium are a few hundred miles apart. Yugoslavia is in South East Europe across the Adriatic from Italy & north of Greece. Belgium is one of the Low Countries southwest of Holland and across the North Sea from England. Oh I’m prepared for most anything but I certainly don’t expect to flunk out in anything. If I flunk there won’t be enough left to keep the ASTP going. So don’t let me get you excited by kicking about my grades. Oh I always thought I wanted a radio but things are different I guess. Circumstances alter cases or something. Gee, how are all these guys you mention getting out of the army anyway?

Well that covers your two letters & today. Its 10:30 and time I folded my tent & silently stole away. So for another time

Auf zeider sehen (I can’t spell it)

Son

Guess I Better Cut the Gas Line

Saturday Oct. 9, 1943

11 p.m.

Dear folks,

It’s about time for lights out so I’ll just start this tonight and finish it tomorrow. I finished your letter last night and came back and went to bed at about 10:20 I guess. I was up at 5:30, dressed & out for reveille. I decided not to sleep so I shined my shoes before breakfast. I had scrambled eggs, toast, butter, corn flakes, milk and a pear. After breakfast I made my bed, swept, shined my buttons and my buckle before going to class at 8. First we had study which I spent on Chem. At 9 we had Physics drill & worked on Problems. At 10 we had another study and I worked on Chem. some more. I found out my grade in Physics. It’s a B. I got a score of 25 on that test. It was 3^rd highest in the class and what do I get on it, a C. I didn’t like it very well but what can I do about it. I can see right now my grades will be lower. He doesn’t use class average like they did last term. Actually I’m doing better work. Oh well, I’m not flunking so they think we should be happy. At 11 we had Chem. We did problems & I hope I got it O.K. I got a 97 on last week’s test. He only gave me a 93 but he made a mistake in adding it up so I’ll get credit for it. At 12 we ate – stew, string beans, salad, bread, butter, milk & lemon pudding. Then I came back and shaved, took a shower, dusted & got dressed for inspection. It was a fast one but we were lucky. He asked everybody to show their dog tags. No dog tags – one demerit. Neither of us had ours on but he forgot to ask us so I guess I better wear them from now on, for inspections at least. After inspection we heard the results. By then it was about 2:30 so Freese, Ferd & I went to the football game. They played Arkansas A&M – a team of sailors & Marines. They beat Arkansas Univ. 19 to 12. Those boys were really rugged. It was a swell hot afternoon. The game lasted until nearly 5:30 so I kept my laundry. I’ll send it out next week. There wasn’t very much anyway this time – just some socks & a couple sets of underwear. So you’ll know why you didn’t get any wash. We went on over to supper from the game. I had scalloped potatoes, cheese, beets, salad, bread, butter, milk & lemon pudding. After supper I changed to my blouse and about 6:15 Freese & I went over to the Union and played ping pong until after 7:30. I won 8 games & lost 5 I guess. He’s a better player than I am though. We were alone tonight. Bill Anderson hasn’t been around all week. He has a knee that has troubled him for several months and he may be out at the hospital. Leonard & I may go out to see him tomorrow if he’s out there. I haven’t seen him since we played tennis Sun. but his knee was bothering then. From the Union we went to the show – a newsreel, short on black markets, & “Thank Your Lucky Stars.” It was a good musical show with Eddie Cantor, Dinah Shore, Ann Sheridan, Joan Leslie & lots of other stars. The story wasn’t too good but there were a lot of swell tunes & good scenes. It lasted until 10:30 and then we came back here. The Union was too crowded so we didn’t stop. I got your Wed. Oct. 6 letter today. So that’s today in a nutshell at 11:20 and I better get this light off so good night.

Sun. Oct. 10, 1943 – 9:08 p.m. in late study. Here I am again. This won’t be as long as last Sun. letter probably. I went to bed as soon as I finished writing on this. I was awake off and on from 6:30 and I finally woke up for good at 8. I got up, rounded up some books & got back into bed and went to work. I filled in my Chem. experiments in the new manual I got. It took about an hour to write up the 9 experiments. Then I read 2 chapters of Chem. for Tues. At about 10:15 I got up and dressed. Then I read 2 chapters of Physics before going to dinner at 12. I had roast beef, potatoes, cauliflower, salad, bread, butter, biscuits, milk & ice cream. Then I went to work on my Physics Problems. At about 1:00, Ferd, I & Rudy Helle (from Columbus O.) went out and took some pictures. Then I came in & went back to the Physics until 2:00. Freese & I caught a cab and went out to the Vet’s Hospital to see Bill. We were out there until about 3:45 talking to him. He isn’t sick. He just has a bad knee that he hurt before he came into the army. He’s bucking for a C.D.D. but I doubt if he gets it. We came back and went down to the drugstore for something Freese wanted. Then we stopped at the Union & I got a couple sandwiches. We got back to the dorm at about 4:45 and I went back to work. I finished the Physics, copied over some of my Geog. notes and started on Analyt. until we left for study at 7. From 7 to 9 I worked on Analyt. but didn’t get far. So you see how I spent most of today. I put a lot of time behind a pencil & book but didn’t accomplish too much. I hated to do it too as it was a beautiful warm Indian Summer day – But I guess I had enough recreation last night maybe. I still have Analyt. to do and History & English to read for Tues. I’m 5 chap. behind in Geography but he gives most of it to us in class. So long as I get a good set of notes I’m O.K. Practically all day and 9 experiments, 2 chap. of Chem., 2 chap. of Physics, one set of Physics problems & some analyt. done. I can’t decide if that’s good or not. I brought a couple letters along to answer tonight but I probably won’t. One I got from Amelia Aug. 28, the other from Lillis Aug. 30. I imagine people have a low opinion of me by now for not writing but I can’t do everything. They are talking of a new setup now so that fellows can get tutoring in their weak subjects. The tutors are to be the ones who know the stuff. So far it’s on a volunteer basis but I absolutely refuse to be a tutor for anybody. I have to grind my nose practically through the grindstone to keep up myself let alone take my study time to help somebody. I’m always willing to help anybody here or there if I can and the fellows all know it but that’s right where I draw the line.

Well I’ve rambled on that long enough I guess. According to what the Lt. said tonight we may get a new Analyt. teacher. At first the Army acted as if they didn’t particularly care if the fellows made it or not. Now they seem to try to do all they can to get us through our subjects.

I don’t suppose you folks went up there today. It doesn’t really seem like October here. The leaves are down a lot but not from frost. The fall colors are lacking too. I imagine it’s a lot cooler up there than it is here. The Yanks won again today. I sort of think they’ll win this year. How did Detroit get way down to 5^th. They were in 3^rd I believe when I was home. Boy Notre Dame really tromped on Michigan too.

Well now to your Wed. Oct. 6 letter – I didn’t send my laundry as I said so it will be a little larger next time. This baking you keep mentioning sounds swell if it means what I think it does. Well Lake View & Lansing aren’t too close together. I don’t know when I’ll write to people unless I write each morning after reveille instead of sleeping. You’ll see some low marks on those papers too. Mark lives in Razorback now. He’s in a different Company so I don’t see him too often. We were never very great friends anyway. His ideas & mine aren’t so close together. Freese is much more nearly my sort of a guy. He still has his mind set on the air corps and he’ll make himself believe he can’t get this until his mother gives in & lets him try for it. Johnny never wrote so I don’t know his address. One of the fellows he went with has had or soon will have a boat ride. Whether Johnny is in on that or not I don’t know. Yeh, I lose a lot of tennis games. My racket is no good for one thing. The strings are so loose that you can shove them back and forth with your fingers. I don’t think they stopped teaching German anywhere. The army is sending a lot of men to school to study. I once heard that they quit teaching it in high schools during the last war. That may be what he was thinking of. They never taught it at Eastern. That 7% is just another rumor but it’s hard to tell what is true and what isn’t. Starch is a polysaccharide of the formula (C6H10O5), so now you know what you put on your clothes. Jack Caron’s name sounds familiar but maybe I’m thinking of a wrong one. We don’t hear too much but I guess the American 5^th is doing O.K. in Italy. What’s the milkweed for – cellulose – (C6H1005)n?

That answers your letter at 9:55. This would be a sort of important & looked-forward-to week if I were home but it doesn’t mean much now, just one more year. I really wish I could have gotten to college a year or so sooner. If I ever go back now I won’t be out until I’m 26 or 27. The most lively part of my life will have been spent behind a book or in the Army. By the time I get ready to set back & enjoy life I’ll be getting too old or beginning to slip. Each generation slips a little sooner. Oh well, enough pessimism. I should be happy that I was drafted out of good school & a scholarship and sent to the Univ. of Ark. with free clothes, book, tuition, food, shelter & what have you. Oh I’m fortunate to get this training. Well I’ve spouted about enough for tonight so I guess I better cut the gas line. No kidding I’m not really this disgusted so don’t take it too seriously. I’ll be sort of looking for my laundry along about Tues. or Wed.

Well for another mad (?) weekend, I’ll say so long.

Love,

Arlington

For 2 Cents I’d Quit

Thursday Sept. 30, 1943

8:15 p.m.

Dear folks,

This won’t be too long as I have a test in Analyt. to study for. For 2 cents I’d quit and let it go. I look at the stuff and understand it yet I seem to gum it all up on a quiz. I went to study at 7. I read my chem. and then started on Analyt. in late study. I got to doing some of the problems & before I knew it it was 10:30. I quit and went back and to bed. I was awaked at 5:30 but they said no reveille because it was raining so I stayed in bed until 6:15. Then I got up and dressed, leggins and all for breakfast. I had an egg, toast, butter, Rice Krispies, milk and an apple. Then I made my bed and swept and read some Analyt. before we went to class at 8. Tomorrow we get the test. I imagine it will be plenty stiff. Some of these boys have a racket. They work out all the problems. Then when he gives us some to do in class they copy them off. Naturally they get more done. I’m about 30 points behind the high men but I’ll bet I understand it as well or better than any of them. At 9 we went to Physics. He gave us 12 problems to do which I cleaned up in short order. We get a lecture quiz in Physics, one of those tough ones Monday so I guess that will knock a hole in my weekend. I’ve got 2 chapters to study. At 10 we went to Chem. He gave us 8 prob. to do for Sat. Also a test on 2 chapters. Then we had study until about 11:30 when we went to dinner. I had spaghetti, green beans, beets, salad, potatoes, bread, butter, milk and prune pudding. Then I went back and shaved. It has threatened rain all day but hasn’t done much. At 1 we went to History. Test next Tues which means I have 3 or 4 chapters of that to read. There goes Sat. & Sun. with two good shows on too. Tests over Analyt. tomorrow, Chem. Sat., Physics Mon., and History, Tues. We probably will get a couple more too. Next week is the 4^th week and I suppose grades will have to go in. At 2 we came back for P.T. We ran the 300 yd. dash and were through. I did a little better this time – 42 sec. – but it’s still mighty slow. Then I took a shower and dressed. At 3 we had English & speeches. I was lucky so I have until Tues. now to get mine ready. At 4 we came back and had close order drill until about 4:20 when it began to rain. We went in. For mail call I got your Mon. letter & the pictures are swell. I’ll keep them all. I shined 2 prs. of shoes before supper. I had spaghet., potatoes, salad, bread, butter, milk, and pineapple jelly roll. I went over to see about my jacket but it was closed. I’ll get it Sat. I got my O.D.’s out of the closet for tomorrow, and then put most of my laundry in the box (except for what I’m wearing). Keep my own pants and 2 shirts, send the G.I. suntans back. At 7 we came over here to study. I worked on Analyt. until I started this. I think I’ll put another hour or so on it and then to heck with it. They made an inspection today and there were 3 ½ pages of names with demerits but our room was all O.K. I went over to the registrar’s office this morning and got my grades for last term. Not bad either I think. 6 A’s and 1 B. She didn’t know how that 90 in English would be. It depends on class average which she didn’t know. I’m not kicking. For 24 credits that’s plenty good. It won’t be like that this time. Well it’s 9:45 and I’m at the bottom. For this time its so long.

Love,

Sonny

History 90       – A

Geography     – A

Trigonometry – A

Algebra           – A

Chemistry       – A

Physics           – A

English 90 (Either an A or B, but probably a B)

Fresh From Mars

Tues. Sept. 28, 1943

5:15 p.m.

Dear folks,

Well, I’m back again. I’ll write a little until time to go to supper. I finished writing last night and got to bed at about 10:45. I was up at 5:30, dressed, and out for reveille at 5:45. When I came in I shaved, washed, and cleaned my teeth and then lay down until breakfast at 6:30. I had toast, butter, 2 boxes of Rice Krispies, milk and a banana. After eating I swept under my bed and then lay down until 7:30. I got up, tore up my bed to air and then we went to class. At 8 we had Analyt. He talked all hour and then gave us 3 problems to do. I’ll swear I really got disgusted. I hurry like the devil to get through so what do I do, I mess one of them up completely. When I go slow I don’t finish. When I hurry to get through I make a lot of foolish mistakes. I’m about ready to quit worrying about it and just do as many as I can and let it go. Maybe I’m excited over nothing but boy I really was mad with myself. The thing was easy really but I sure screwed it up all right. Oh well that’s gone now. The point is studying won’t iron out that kind of mistake. I stayed disgusted until I went to English class and then I felt better. From Analyt. we went to Physics Drill. By the way we get a big test in Analyt. Friday. It will either floor me or I’ll do O.K. I’m really not having trouble with the subject. I just don’t go for him or his way of teaching. In Physics I already had the problems done so I started doing some reading. I’ve about 2 chap. to read yet. At 10 we had Chem. lecture on Phosphorous, Arsenic, Anitimony and Bismuth. You put PbAsO4 on your spuds. (Lead arsenate). We start organic Chem. now and except for a few odds and ends it’s all new stuff. This should be the good part. At 11 we had study until 11:35. I looked over last term’s themes for a subject for a 3 min. speech in English. Then we ate – spaghetti, carrots, lima beans & corn (is that succotash?), salad, bread, butter, milk, and jello. After dinner I polished my blouse buttons and got out my belt and polished it. The buckle has lost its plating and isn’t very sharp looking. I probably won’t wear the belt much. All of us seem a little small for our blouses. Mine isn’t bad but it was fitted over my O.D. shirt & heavy underwear. Last spring the buttons were pulled tight but now there is a little slack. At 1 we went to class and had History. I’ve got to start reading that too as he might give a test. I counted 250 er-ah’s in his lecture during the first ½ hour and then quit. Time out for supper at 5:40.

Back at 7:15 in study hall. At 2 we came back for P.T. It had been sprinkling but it quit and I played volleyball. At 3 we had English. We had a little quiz on an article we read and then instead of giving speeches he read those themes we wrote the first day. Then he gave them and the exercises we did on outlining back to us. It really made me feel pretty good. I got 100 on the outlining and as you can see, 92 on the theme. That’s probably about a B+ but I’m happy to get that on a theme written in class. I don’t think I’ll need to save it so I thought I’d send it on to you. You can see there was just one place where he crossed out a word. At 4 we had a training film on the Articles of War. It’s the 4^th time I’ve seen it I believe. We left there about 5 and went back for mail call. As usual on Tues. I didn’t get any. Then I wrote on this until supper. I had potatoes, more succotash (?), beets, tomatoes, bread, butter, milk, and prunes. After eating I went over to the Union. I got me a beginner’s slide rule $1.50 and found some pretty stationery which I bought. This paper I’m using now is what goes with these long envelopes. I’ll use this up before I start on this I just got tonight. I don’t use stationery like I used to. A pack didn’t last a week at McCoy. I came back and took a shower and changed socks and stuff and then at 7 we came over here. All I have to study for tomorrow is Analyt. and I read that last night so that’s why I’m writing now. At 8 there is a G.I. movie for us so I think I’ll go to it and then go to bed. The slide rule is just a beginner’s rule but it seems to be pretty accurate and will give me something to learn on. Now I have a couple of your letters to answer so I’ll go through them. Wed. Sept. 22 – I wish you could have known I didn’t have to have the pants and shirts in a hurry. I now have 3 clean shirts & pants hanging in the closet. We wear suntans 2 more days and then we quit until next summer. I’d like to think we wouldn’t be wearing them by then but I guess that’s just a wild hope. It’s hard telling when this will quit. We hear fellows in Italy & Sicily have written that they expect to be home for Xmas. Good if true. Gee how do people get those 6 mos. discharges? Thurs. Sept. 23 – You two really have a rough time with your heads. No demerits yet but they are handing them out right and left everyday now. I’ll go see Sat. if my jacket is here yet. The t shirt looked large enough but I didn’t try it on. Say when you get this hat I bought back there, stretch it all you can as it can’t afford to shrink. I’ll have to buy an O.D. cap too probably as I’ll have nothing to wear while this one is being cleaned. I wish that guy would try to claim that shirt. He’d find it hard to explain where my field jacket is. I’m sort of tired of hearing “Pistol Packing Mama.” There’s one song, I guess it’s an old one, that I like but I don’t know the name. Nobody gets a field jacket or overcoat now with a discharge. When the war is over we’ll keep all our clothes. 45 days in the army isn’t bad. I don’t know my ring size. For which finger. I have my H.S. ring on & can’t get it off. You see I have slim fingers and wide knuckles. There aren’t any radios in Fayetteville. Freese & I looked all around once. I don’t want to vote. Why should I? I know how you feel about the B. Day but I’m not the only one. Defer it for awhile why don’t you? Fri. Sept 24 – I wish you hadn’t tried to iron feeling like you did as it wasn’t necessary. From now on take your time with the shirts. You put the AAAF on the right pants. I may send them back for you to keep during the winter. I haven’t decided yet. Roger ought to make Cpl. All fellows who washed out of O.C.S. used to be automatically a Cpl. We are allowed $5 breakage. All over that we have to pay. I look like Orson Welles with my gas mask on – fresh from Mars. I found the eraser O.K. and all the candy too. By the way, how about a hint as to something to commemorate that 22 yrs. “in the harness.” How about it. Furloughs come after we pass these subjects. Well that covers your 3 letters and it’s about 8:45. I guess this will be it for tonight once more. So for tonight,

Love,

Sonny

Oh Happy Day

Our experiment today – to find weight of 1 liter of O2 (oxygen)

[sketch of experiment]

Mon. Sept. 27, 1943

10:05 p.m.

Dear folks,

It’s after 10 in late study hall so this will be short as usual. I did Analyt. until 9 last night and then went back and went to bed. I was up at 5:30, out at 5:45 and then back to bed until breakfast at 6:30. I had an egg, toast, butter, oatmeal, milk and an apple. After eating I swept and then slept until about 20 to 8 when I smoothed out my bed to leave for class. At 8 we had Analyt. He gave us those 2 papers back that we did when he was gone and he didn’t even mark them. Of one group of 6 I did 4 and it took him the whole hour to do 2. I’ve had an A in math for 7 years but I think this will stop it. I know the stuff as well or better than anybody in class but I go too slow. We got our last quiz back & I got 40. He doesn’t use %. He just gives 10 points per problem and at the end of the term adds the points all together. That’s put everything on speed. As long as he counts the same for all prob. I’m going to skip through and do the easy ones instead of going in order. I think he is one of the poorest teachers I’ve seen. He’s sincere & tries I guess but I think I could do as well and I’ve never seen it before. I’ve got a handicap in that several fellows have had this but I haven’t. I had that advantage in Trig. & Alg. last term. At 9 we went to Chem. Lab for 2 ½ hours with only 4 experiments to do. (We used to spend 2 hrs. on an experiment at M.S.C.) Sometimes I think I shouldn’t have let on I’ve had college Chem. as they expect too much. Oh I’ve done all this before but it still makes us have to hurry and you can’t hurry Chem. & get good results. The 1^st experiment came out beautiful. My experimental error was less than 1%. The second was very easy. The 3^rd and 4^th were tied together. The 4^th comes from results of the 3^rd. I don’t know how but I really went off somewhere there. I can’t find any mistake in figures but I’m about 20% off. I guess I’m not very accurate. At 11:30 we quit and ate. I had potato salad, creamed parsnips, spinach, salad, bread, butter, milk and butterscotch pudding. After dinner we had an hour in the barracks instead of military because we lose our free hour Tues. & Thurs. on account of the parade for our Col’s departure (Oh happy Day). I wrote up two of the experiments. At 2 we had P.T. We did the 8 count Burpee and then played volley ball. I did 11 ¼ Burpees in 20 sec. That leaves the 300 yd. dash yet. I probably won’t run it any faster but for once my legs aren’t all tightened up from the other tests. At 3 we had Physics lect. and at 4 we had study. I got my Physics problems done for tomorrow. At 5 we came back for mail call – I got your Wed.-Thurs. and Fri. letters and my laundry. Everything was swell but I wish as long as you felt so that you’d have thought and let the pants and shirts go for awhile as I won’t need them anyway. I’ll wear shirts on weekends only. I may send the pants of my own back for you to hold with the shirts. At 5:40 we ate – potatoes, corn, bread, butter, milk, and custard pie. After supper I finally got your letters read (I unpacked and put away my laundry before supper). At 7 we came to study. I’ve read Chem., English & Analyt. and here I am. From now on my laundry will be smaller and require less pressing. If anytime you don’t feel up to pressing a shirt leave it out as I have 4 to wear weekends only. I have 11 sets of underwear now too. Well it’s 10:30 and my eyes feel like I should head for bed so I’ll sign off. Here I am getting behind on your letters again.

Love, Son