Worked all day. Got out a few requisitions. Went down to the Battalion and got some clothes. Wrote a few letters and then went to bed. I have about 30 letters to answer but just can’t get into the mood to answer them.
Your Son, ‘Chick’
January 13, 1944 – Thursday
Letter Home – January 12, 1944
Dear Mother & Dad,
My mail is really catch up with me now. I received about 12 letters and cards yesterday and about eight more today. I also received the socks and booty’s, thanks a lot! There is very little to write about here so it makes it very hard to write a letter. Had a letter from Ray and he sent me some pictures of Harold, Mabel, and Andy and himself. They were really good pictures. Now mom and dad if you don’t hear from me for a while please don’t worry. I am going to be pretty busy for a while and won’t have time to write. How’s everything at home? I’m fine. I’m glad that all of you liked the spreads. Goodbye mother and dad and I love you both from the bottom of my heart.
Your Son,
“Chick”
January 12, 1944 – Wednesday
Not much doing to day. Worked around and did odd jobs. The days are numbered now. They are starting to water proof the trucks as it won’t be more than a couple of weeks. Got a few more letters to day. Played Chess and then went to bed.
January 11, 1944 – Tuesday
Worked all day. Had another mail call. I’m beginning to catch up on my back mail now. We went on a hike tonight. We received a new D-7 Cat and a 6 ton truck. Boy we are getting in all types of mines so it looks as if we are going on the defense for a while when we hit the beach. Wrote a few letters and went to bed.
January 10, 1944 – Monday
We are getting things ready for the landing. Where we are going no one knows, but my guess is Yugoslavia. We worked pretty hard all day. We played a little more cards and I’m still losing. Maybe I’ll win one of these days. I received quite a few letters. I answered a few and then went to bed.
Letter Home – January 9, 1944 EDIT
Dear Mother & Dad,
Well my mail is finally catching up with me. So far I have received your 1st to the 10 for the month of December. I went to 10:30 mass this morning. We rented to a little church or rather and the people gave it to us to hold services in. But we took up the collection to pay them for the use. There were only about 20 of us that could go and I was chose two pass the box at collection. I got $10.00 out of the few Fellows that were there, not bad eh! I received three packages from you to day. The heavy hose, the Tea and the marshmallows. One of these days I’ll write a long letter and answer all of your questions. Goodbye and I love you both very much.
Your Son,
“Chick”
January 9, 1944 – Sunday
Went to mass this morning at 10:30 am. We have mass said in a little church so I was elected to pass the hat. I wrote a few letters in the afternoon. We played cards and I lost again.
January 8, 1944 – Saturday
Had a mail call today and I’m beginning to get a little of my mail. I took off my sweater to wash this morning and found about five little bugs (the crawling kind). Right away I took off for the dispensary. They said it was a type of body lice. I took a bath right away, put some bug powder all over me, and put on clean clothes. I then put my bedding in the disinfectant bag. Boy that’s something I want no part of. We played cards until 10:30 pm as the Red Cross was giving us coffee and doughnuts. We got into the barrel on the truck and got about twenty doughnuts.
January 7, 1944 – Friday
It was cold as hell this morning. I stayed in the tent and worked on the 32 forms all day. We played cards for a while tonight and I lost about six dollars.
Letter Home – January 6, 1944
Dear Mother & Dad,
Boy it’s really cold here now, wow! How is it back home. It’s really funny though Dad how I would be freezing with all of the clothes I could have on, but here I am fairly used to the cold weather. Now all I wear is a pair of fatigues made of cotton. I’ll admit their pretty cold to put on the first thing in the morning but they soon warm up. Guess what, last night I got a long distance phone call from Paul Wilson and today he was out to see me. He surely looks swell. He sure has a nice job, I’d like to to trade places with him. Well goodbye for now I’ll write again soon.
Your Son,
“Chick”
