Today is salvage day so that’s about all I had to do was take in salvage. We had another mail call and I received some more mail and a package from my mother. I had all of the stationary that I needed but now I have more. We played chess again and I am beginning to like it very much.
Chick talks about his diary, what he wrote and how he was able to keep it.throughout the war. Filmed 2007 at the studios of WILL, University of Illinois as part of the “WWII Central Illinois Stories” series
We had a mail call this morning and I got all kinds of mail. Now it will take me all month to answer them. I had a little typing to do and then I tried to answer a few letters. We played chess again in the evening and fried a few eggs.
Dear Mother and Dad;
We’ll another convoy came in today and I received a bunch of mail. I had letters from Gee, Bernard, Billy, Esther, Hixon, and Rita. I was sure surprised to hear from Rita. It was the first letter that I have had from her since I have been in Africa. She said that she has been writing to me all the time but I just haven’t received them yet. Here I thought that she had forgot all about me and then I get a letter that she is still waiting for me to come home. I did feel pretty low when I didn’t get a letter from her but I guess everything is OK and now. Oh well many a thing can happen before this war is over. Well you came pretty close to guessing where I was, but few were wrong. If I was any place near Paul I would try to look him up but I am many miles from him. He is back where we used to be. I wish we would hurry up and move up to the front so we can get this war over with but I guess the big shots know what they are doing and all we can do is wait. We had a grudge game with “C” company, we won the first gained 2 to 1 and they wanted a returned game. Well we played them and got beat 8 to 2. Not very good was it. I hit two triples and died on third base both times. I don’t know what was wrong with us but we just couldn’t seem to get going. We hadn’t played for a long time so that could count for it. I think I will go to town tomorrow but there is not much there so I don’t see why I am going. I have about a hundred dollars saved up now so I will be sending it home soon as I can get a money order. How much have I’m home now? I hope you and dad have been using my money and buy what ever you want with it. If I could send all of the money in the world home it still wouldn’t make up for the happiness that you two have given to me. Tell Margaret Fleshner polo for me and that as soon as I get a letter from her and get her new address I will write her, also tell Aunt Mary Hello and that I’m thinking of her. Goodbye and I will be loving you both.
YOUR SON “Chick”
Well I went to town today but there wasn’t any use going as there was nothing there. I walked around for a while and then caught the truck home so I could see the boxing match. The fights were pretty good and everyone enjoyed them. After the fights I played chess till I went to bed.
We had mail call this morning and then by the time I had finished reading my mail, it was time for mass. We have mass at 11:30 here. We had a grudge game with “C” company in the afternoon and got beat 8 to 2. I don’t know what was wrong with us but we sure couldn’t get going. In the evening I wrote some letters and then played chess.
Joe Pyrz
I had just come off of guard and I felt a little sleepy. I had some excitement last night. I saw two figures in the moonlight sneaking across a field and came in to the bivouac area. I was about 150 yards from them so I lit out on the run. When I saw they were going to get away I hollered halt. Wow did they ever stop. It turned out that they were just a couple of drunks from our company. I fried doughnuts all afternoon instead of sleeping and I ate until I was just about sick. In the evening I tried to learn how to play chess. The game is very complicated and you really have to watch your plays.
I had to get some requisitions out today for clothing & equipment. That took most of the day and in the afternoon I had to get ready for guard. We had guard mount at 4:45pm. I had post no. 1 and was between the hours of 9pm to 1am. I catch guard about once a month. Good night.
I sure wish we would hurry up and do something, I’m getting tired of the laying around. I had a little salvage to turn in today and that was all the work I did. I read a little of the evening and then went to bed.
We just messed around today and did nothing. I tried to write a couple of letters and then went out to play volleyball. I played a little cards and then we had to fall out for roll call. To many men going off to town without a pass. I read a little and went to bed.
