We are going to move again and I’m glad of it. It will be something different and I am so tired of this place. There just wasn’t anything to do today we tried to play ball but no one had any interest in the game. I took a shower and then wrote some letters. To night we are to play cards again and I hope I win some more of my money back. Well we cut it down to $8.55 tonight.
Harris Butts
We had a physical exam today for our insurance. I guess I passed OK. We also had the article of war read to us and had another mail call. I didn’t get any mail this time. Boy I wish the new mail would get here soon. We had the afternoon off so I wrote a few letters. I went to bed early and read by candle light.
Dear Mother and Dad
It has been a few days since I have wrote to you so I guess I had better get on the job. It sure get stale telling the same thing over and over again but we can’t tell much anyway. President Roosevelt was here a couple of weeks ago, and we had to wait till he got back to the United States before we could tell it. We had a parade for him. The days here now are really swell now that the rainy season is over. The nights are very cold bell and that base warm. I’m telling you when I get out of bed of a morning I just about freeze.
We had mail call yesterday and I received some letters that you had wrote the 27th of December. I also heard from “G” to. I received a candy and I don’t know how I can never thank you enough. It is worth more than all the money in Africa. Did you ever send me a watch. I want just a cheap one. The Germans took everything here. I am anxious to get some new mail from all of you. That’s one thing I look forward to. It should be and, a few days. I had a cold for a couple of days but I’m over it now. It doesn’t take long here to get rid of them. Say could you are dead get some film, size PD-16 or 616. I have my camera but won’t be able to get the pictures home until after the war send me as many as you can but not over 10 rolls you may not be able to get it as they may not have it. I’m glad too here that you had a nice Christmas, but I wish I was there. Maybe I will next Christmas. I have so many letters to write I don’t know when I will get them all answered. I haven’t heard of Paul’s outfit been here so I don’t know where he is. I took a physical examination the other day for my insurance policy. Did I ever tell you that I increased it to $10,000. Send me Sunday papers if you will please, and if you send me anything be sure if it”s wrapped good as they really get torn up. The candy was good though. What are you and dad doing? Have you got him to go to a show with few yet. A good buy an I will have some more for you later. goodbye and don’t worry.
Your Son “Chick”
Chick talks about his movement between Rabat and Port Lyautey as well as his visit from the President Roosevelt in 1943. Filmed 2007 at the studios of WILL, University of Illinois as part of the “WWII Central Illinois Stories” series
Boy we had a mail call today and received a few letters. It was all old mail but mail is mail and I was tickled to death. I received some candy from mom and it looked like a million dollars. Boy it was good. We played some more cribbage and I now owe $11.60, we cut it down a little.
The main avenue, Rabat
This is getting old stuff witting the same thing over and over again. But not much is happening to write about. We played cribbage again tonight and I lost some more. I now owe $14.60. I sure hope our luck changes.
Your Mother and Dad
Well we finally won a ball game. We played another engineer outfit Sunday and won 5 to 4. I thought we were going to get beat though as we were behind 421 until the first of the 7th and then we made four runs. I got one hit, a triple, flew out once, and walked wants. How are headquarter platoon was in the battalion volleyball tournament but was beat the first game so we are out of it. We play volleyball just about every evening until dark. As just about all of the recreation we get here. Did I tell you I was going to have a tooth pulled? It is a back jaw tooth. I have a temporary (I hope I spelled that right) filling in it now. I’m in no hurry to have it pulled so whenever the dentist has time, out it will come. The rest of my teeth are good though. This one has been giving me some trouble though. I hope all of you are well and in good health. I had a small cold but it took about two days to get rid of it. Goodbye and write whenever you can.
Your Son “Chick”
Man are the mornings ever cold. Wow you just about freeze. Its so warm in your fart sack that you hate to get up. We didn’t have much to do to day. I took a gun over to the ordnance to get it fixed and then spent the rest of the day making out 32 forms. We had mail call and I got 8 letters or I should say Christmas cards. It was all old mail. Dec 13 over a month old. Then Swanny and I were ahead in cribbage 93 holes and tonight we were skunked 4 times in a row and also last 4 other games. We are now behind 96 holes and $4.80.
Arab Market
It seems foolish to keep this diary but I will. It seems as though I never have anything to say. We get new equipment one day and the they take it away from us and send it up to the front at Tunisia. I turned in the salvage to day and that was about all I did all day long. In the evening I did my laundry and boy what a laundry it was. We had mail call but I didn’t get any mail.
Today was just another day. Not much happened. I took care of my salvage and typed out my certificate on it. Tonight I played a little horseshoe and tried to box a little. Boy my wind is sure short. I am going to write some letters and hen go to bed.
