Jan 1, 1944

Well, here I am on pass this weekend, but it will probably be the last good one for a while.  Sure want to thank you for a nice Xmas & I hope you had a nice & Merry Xmas & happy new year.  I�m all limbered up now from the jump.  Feel good.  I was beginning to wander if I still had the guts.  Dad, I got hold of a carton of Gillette blades I�m sending you. . .

 

 

Wednesday eve.
January 5, 1944

 

Well, I sure hope you have your fingers crossed again for me.  I jump again tomorrow about 9:30 in the morning.  We leave tonight at midnite & load up equipment.  We have to drive 40 miles to the planes, then load them up.  We take off at 6:30 and ride for 3 hours then jump.  I bet I get sick riding around that long.  I took a tetanus & a typhoid shot in each arm & boy they are swelled & sore.  They won�t bother me much, I hope.  We are supposed to really do our stuff because Gen. McNair, Marshall & a couple more  Gen.�s from Washington are going to be within 100 yds of where we land.  Mom & Dad, I can�t tell you as much stuff as I did before, I know you wouldn�t want me to anyway if I wasn�t supposed to, so I hope you�ll understand how hot things are.  I can tell you this, tho.  The inspecting Gen. comes down from Wash. The 20th of this month & inspects us for everything & it won�t be long then till we hit an APO.  I believe what the �table� said will be off about a month.  We are really �hot� now & I do mean busy.  The Sarg. Just came in & said the jump was called off & called back on again so we don�t know what�s going to happen.  It�ll just be if the Gen. can get down probably.  Anyway, when we do move, we aren�t allowed to write letters or telephone for 2 weeks or more & all the mail we do write a day or two before we move is help til we get to the APO and then all our mail is censored if we get to write at all.  So when I do go Mom & Dad you may not hear from me for 3 weeks or maybe a month.

Boy I hope this jump is called off because both of my arms are so stiff I can hardly move them.

I hope you all keep that attitude about me leaving cause it does make it easier on both of us & a lot better for me.  I�m just thankful that I have parents that really want me to fight for our country & are so understanding as you both are.  I know you don�t want me to go across but I know you are glad to see that if I�m told to I can go & be happy about it.  I do want to go across & do what I have to do & get it over with & get back as soon as I can.  Just remember that I don�t mind going at all & just to have you say you won�t worry & will wait patiently to hear from me after I do go across makes me feel much better & makes it much easier.  I hope after writing these words that you understand how I feel about the whole thing.  As long as you both don�t worry too much & just wait patiently to hear from me I can make it all rite too. 

The Major told us today that he knew where, when & how we are going so it surely won�t be too long.  I hope you don�t think I�m trying to be secretive.

We are taking quite a few tests & things like that & I have a physical & another series of shots coming up.  The funniest thing happened when I was taking the tetanus shot.  The doc gave a lunge with the needle & it just bent over double & I sure got tickled. 

We have a scabbard for our carbines to jump with now.  Makes it a lot better to handle.

I went to the doc & found out what made those 2 or 3 hard lumps under each jaw bone.  I felt kinda silly when he told me I�d better start shaving one direction all the time to keep from getting ingrown whiskers there.  Ha-Ha.  He put a mud pack on them and pulled the little rolled up whiskers out.  I�m sure glad nobody was in the office when he gave me his diagnosis. 

This is quite a letter for me!!  Be sure & understand about what I wrote.   -

Your Loving Son

 

Tuesday

 

Got some good news today about moving.  The Major told us today was to have been the day, but everybody in the U.S. knew about to the day when we were going so we were set back.  You know what you told me about what the table said, well move that up about a month & I believe you will be close.  Also we are drawing tropical equipment so that means the tropics.  The time is drawing close.  If we go to Panama to get jungle training, it�s sure going to be tough.  I�m getting a new gas mask, mess kit & stockings & one shirt.  WE have lots of inspections coming up.  I�m sending a box home of some of my junk & letters & things I�ve accumulated that I can�t take.  Keep sending the stuff to eat . . . . .

 

 

January 10

We just got back off the infiltration course again only at nite this time.  Those tracers are sure pretty at night, the only trouble was, as you know I told you it was snowing and it was real warm today and it thawed & boys was it muddy.  We have stopped training starting tomorrow and we are starting to pack up.  It�ll take us quite a while to do it. All jumps and problems are cancelled so you can uncross your fingers for a while. . .

 

 

January 11

 

I got one package sent off today. . . . It�s really snowing there??  I�m afraid we are going to have to go on nite hours again to get everything ready.  I took a physical today & passed OK, but the one at the POE is really a stiff one .  Goodbye for now . . .

 

 

January 12, 1944

 

You write about things that are happening in the war, well I thought I�d tell you I still don�t read any news about the war. It�s very seldom I read anything that�s happening unless it�s pretty outstanding & somebody calls my attention to it. . .I believe that �it� may happen even 2 months before the time the table said.  We are being terribly rushed to get ready.

 

 

 

 

January 14
 

The Insp. Gen. from Washington is down looking things over.  We sure are working hard now.  WE may get our stuff ready by Monday if we work real hard.   I�ll be sending my camera, knife, dog tag chain, sweater, scarf & a few other things home soon.  Did you know when you hit the POE you have to have all insignias off, any jewelry with wings on it & you can�t wear boots til you�re on your way.  I think we have our last show down inspection Tuesday.  I�ve got all my clothes marked & ready to go.  Sure would like to hear Georgie saying some words.  What�s his voice like???

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday

 

I�m trying to call you tonight here at the USO.  I made my 10th jump Thursday and was supposed to make another one tomorrow but it�s raining & they called it off.  Those brass hats were down my Washington for the last jump.  I jumped in those maneuvers that the clippings were telling about.  The wind picked and by the time we flew around so long a 28 mile ground wind came up.  Beings as the brass hats were they we jumped anyway.  There were 43 men hurt & all of us were shaken up quite a lot.  I thought sure this was going to be my furlough jump.  They didn�t slow the plane down when we jumped.  You know I told you they just about had to be going 95 miles per, that�s just about stalling speed of a transport.  Well we jumped at 125 & we all thought we were broken in to.  When I came out of the plane I got a glimpse of the bare field & then by the time I got the stars and black dots shaken out of my head the wind was blowing me away from the field into the forest, so I plunked into the jungle.  We jumped at 600 and it took about 15 sec. to hit the ground.  Just got scratched up a bit.  Old lady luck is with me yet.  I just got done talking to you & boy was that a short 5 minutes.  Everything�s getting rougher than H----- & I do mean that. . .

 

 

Jan. 17

 

Boy am I tired.  It�s 9 and we just got in from the field.  It�s really work to get the equipment tied on to the plane.  This was the best jump I�ve had yet.  I lit in the trees again.  It�s getting kinda routine now but there�s always that thrill.  Say, I�d bet money we go to the West Coast.  We have Pullmans & box cars supposedly & rations for 6 days & that�s how long it takes.  We don�t know tho, just rumors.   We had another show down inspection & they got about everything I had. They are taking our woolens & giving us 2 more pair of khakis.  No wool underwear & no sweater now so that sure sounds like warm country to me.  Am getting about everything new.  I made out an allotment to you which takes effect the first of Feb.  I made it out for the most I could, but it was only $29.  I wanted to make it about 40 but that�s the limit.  Here�s how it�s figured.  I make $54, minus 6.50 insurance, 3.94 insurance, 3.75 bonds & we have to draw $10 out which leaves $29 to allot.   Yes, I�m still in the riggers.  They make more jumps than anybody.  We jump with other outfits even & the only time all the men jump is when there is a Bn. Jump.  I�ve got 11 now.  I don�t believe we will have anymore jumps while we are here, cause they even took lots of our helmets in on salvage.  Mine was just a little slick on top & they even took that. 

 

Gotta go now, so goodnight . . .

 

 

 

 

January 19, 1944, Wednesday

 

I had to get my old tooth pulled and boy did I have an experience this time.  I went over at 1:00 & he worked til 2:15 getting it out.  It was broke off clear to the gum. . . he had to get that little chisel out & boy did he hammer.  He took 3 stitches . . .We have all our patches torn off now.  My clothes & hat sure look funny too with them off.  I�ve sure got to get my last package sent off or they are liable to take it too.  I had to turn in my old boots, the ones I�ve jumped 11 times in, to get new ones.  I sure would liked to have kept them. . . .

 

 

January 26

 

When my allotment ($29) starts coming in just save it for me or use it whenever you want to or let M.J. use it whenever she needs it.    I think I have to take one more physical over here yet, then one (a real one) at the POE.  My jaw is still sore, and I have to have 3 or 4 more fillings.  I got those pictures that you took Xmas & they sure are good. . . . They are needing 1000 artillery PTs in Hawaii.  I sure would like to go there.

 

 

January 27, 1944

 

Dear Mom & Dad �

 

We had a Bn. Party tonite with boxing matches & refreshments.  There�s some awful good boxers in the PTs.  Well, folks, I found out today where we leave from but I can�t tell you in plain words & I want you to remember, �A slip of the lip may sink a ship�, so be sure & keep anything I write to your selves from now on.  I�m leaving from where Bob left which should tell you where & who we�ll fight without anybody else knowing.  And I believe the �table� was off by 2 months.  We are living out of barracks bags & eating out of mess kits.  I�ve probably eaten out of a dish my last time for quite a while.