August 26, 1943: Speak to Madge

Amarillo Texas

Hi my Darlings:

Well sweets I'm still bumming around an waiting for the shipping order.  Conkel is going to leave us tomorrow, I don't know where he is going but I sure hate to see him go.

Hey I go on a detail tomorrow I'm going over and work in the Quarter Master Warehouse #15.  I go to work at 7:30 and work till 5 PM so I don't think I scrwe off, cause that a lot better than K.P.  Simons goes on K.P. tonight at 9:30 and works till 1:30 tomorrow.  So I got the best of the deal.

Toots, I've over at the Service Club they have some girls playing the piano and singing, the guys are making so much noise I hardly know what I'm writing.  I don't think they're listening to the music tho, they are just getting an eye full of girls in formals.

I have just came back from the boxing bouts, boy there's a kid here from Utah that sure bowls em over.  He's the champ of this camp.  I don't know who he is I've never seen him before. 

Hey honey do you remember Leon Frazier, the kid who used to work with Scotty down at Ike Paeys station?  Well I saw him last night, he's here for his basic training as an A.C.Cadet.

He lives down by the frils, I've known him all my life, I used to go swimming and fishing, with him over to the river.  Boy it sure seemed good to see someone I knew.  We had a nice long talk about old time, I'm going to see him again tomorrow night.  I would meet him just as I'm getting ready to leave this place.

Remember when I was in St. Pete I met Ray Heal, we he and Leon are the only guys I've met I knew since I go in the army.

I'm sure getting tired of laying around doing nothing I'll sure be glad to get shipped out of here.  I'll even welcome a little work tomorrow.

How is our angel Joyce ann getting along?  She hasn't a cold has she, be real careful who you let get close to her.  And don't let no kids kiss her, or hold her.  Cause we don't want her getting sick ever.  Hon I don't blame you for not going down to see Wanda, at least while she is sick.  Cause honest honey, we can't ever take cahnces with Joyce Ann's health.

Madge excuse me, I don't mean to be telling you how to take care of your own baby.  But please darling don't ever take any chances, even if it hurts someone.

Gee toots I'm glad Frank, Florence and the rest of them came to see you, now I'll bet you feel a lot better, don't you?  Hey all our friends have sure been swell to us haven't they? 

Gee you must have a lof of clothes for Joyce Ann.  Hey I think Don Giff, was screwy for joining the Marines, especially the paratroops, but he's got what it takes, and I'll bet he makes a damn good soldier.  Tell them I wish him a lot of luck and a safe return.  I'd sure like to hear from him.

I sure hope Chuck is still OK.  Boy he's about done his share.  I don't see why they don't send him home on a long furlough.  I'll bet Florence would be the happiest Mom in the world if they would, don't you?

Hey I wrote to each of the girls and Ed and Lela, and Scotty today.  Now if I can just find something to write to you side of the family I'll be nearly caught up.  But I may wait till I get to my new base.  So I'll have something to write about.

Honey, I love you more each day, and I sure hope you don't ever get tired of these old dry letters.  Hey are you still my Princess now and forever?  Gee your tops Mommy.

Draling each day I'm away from you and Joyce ann I feel I'm being cheated out of a lot of fun and pleasure  I used to say I'd like a kid about 1 or 2 years old, but honest I was only fooling.  Gee I'd give my right arm to be there with you so we could bother watch her grow up together.

Darling I don't think this war will last much longer and then I will be home.  so maybe I won't miss too much of it, do you think she will forgive me, when she gets older?  Tell her I'll try to make it up to her.

Honey I dream of you both each night and I still pray for you.  I can hardly wait to find out where I'm going to be.  I sure hope we can arrange something.

Well sweetheart I imagine youa re getting tired of this so I better close for now.

But remember, Madge how much I love you, and Joyce Ann.  So take good care of yourselves for me.

Keep your chin up soldier.  I love you more each hour.

Yours Forever,

Daddy Speak

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO to both of you.

July 14, 1943: Scotty to Speak

Wednesday

Hello Rip -

I thought I had better get your letter answered while I have time.  We are pulling out of this place Sun. night or Monday night and I guess we will be sorta busy.

It's at a place called "Indianola" and its 110 miles farther down the coast line.  It's supposed to be a regular firing range and prabably another hell hole like this one.

Honest to God Rip I would sooner be in a prison farm.  Some place than this.  They really are bearing down on us now.  We went all morning with only 1 ten minute break to get a drink of water they call it water but it's just like drinking Piss.  At boyanet practice the staff sgt. thinks his shit don't stink and he run us until we were running wet and then the Leuit said no break so we went dry until noon.  They had fuir over the hill last Monday and by God I don't blame them.  They drive a fellow to it.

We took a 25 mile hike last Friday and was it hot bastard.  At noontime we didn't have any water and they gave us two dried up sandwiches (hamburger) and a half a canteen of water, not even any catsup for flavoring.  It would have taken two canteend full to have washed them down.  I chucked mine over the fence and went hungry.  We almost chuckled at that.  the life saver was that about 4 miles from camp it started to rain and did we get a good soaking, but it really felt good.

To make matters worse I have athletics foot, on my left foot and it ever and still is about all raw on my toes but piss on them.  I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of me dropping out if you drop our you do extra detail at night from 6 to 9 PM for a week or two.

Where my pack fit on my back has all broken out with prickly heat and dow it itch and burn when you sweat.  I never in my life saw such a county as this place is.  I sure will be glad to get out of it and thats no shit.

We wear our tin hats now all the time and they have to sit just so on your head and the chin strap in a certain place.  To top it off they came out today and told us that there would be no more cussing or sweating on or around the battery area.  Even if your joking with one of your buddies and start cussing you catch more detail.  Detail that all you have in this dam outfit.

Say by dam I thought your ouce told me you guaranteed boys for 20 bucks or your money back.  I guess you r foot must have slipped.

Anyway rip I think it's swell and I don't blame you for being a proud papa.  You and Madge are really lucky and two of the swellest friends I ever have had.  I don't blame you for bragging about it.  I would too if I had one of my own.

They say it looks like you and I sure would like to see it, but I guess you are just a anxious to see you daughter if not more so.

You done some very nice timing to have it born on the 4th of July.  That was surely nice.  She can make two celebrations for her birthday in one.

So they are getting tough at your place too.  I don't blame you for not screwing off when it means you rating.  Take all you can get Rip as it is for your benefit.  I have given up trying.  The more a fellow does here the less he is appreciated.  I guess I will stay back as a private.  I can't get busted anyway.

You can't screw off here.  They call roll at every formation we have, about 5 or 6 times a day and then we are split up in gun sections and each chief of sections knows just who is on it and so we are struck.  When we get together sometime I will really give you a earful of all the shit that goes on in this place and then they call it an advanced training camp.  Boy thats really shit for the birds.

I wish we could both get our furloughs for Xmas but, where I will be by then is dam had to say.  Probably across the pond.

As for Jerry I think also that he is chicken shit.  he was supposed to go on the 10th of July but I guess his company fixed it up.  I guess you and I should have went to work up there.

From what Uncle Lee said he expects to make Staff Sgt next month.  He sure has went flying along.  I wish I was in your and his outfit.

Did you know you were 278 miles from Ken?  He is at Abelene, Texas.  I didn't know it until the other day.

It's about 400 to 450 from here and then we are another 110 miles farther away.  He wanted me to meet him half way someplace, but I guess it's out now.  I couldn't make it on a weekend pass as they are only good for Sat night and Sunday here.  Rip we even have to get permission from our 1 chief of our gun section, 2 Platoon Sgt and 1st Sgt to get a dam pass.  So as I say it's really a Prison Farm, Texas.

Every dog his is day tho and yours and mine are coming up soon I hope. 

I suppose you know Shorty Balton from "Suttans" is home for a visit.  He states.  It should have been Chuck instead of him as it was Africa when they came from.  I'll really bet old Chuck is homesick.

How about Alf?  Is he deffered too?

Wanda or it was Madge said Paul was going into the navy or something.  He sure stayed out a long time.

The whisky finally got old Don Alger.  They called it heart failure as he dropped over dead the other day.

So Papa Carter, we have a dam meeting at 7:15 tonight. (Just som more bull shit). So I hd better close.  Everyday we go on the gun range here we spend from 12 to 15 hours on our feet so I really do get tired of this shit.  I even believe at times I could go and feed them burned beans, thats all we get here.

Rip plugging for the cpl rating, Rip you have earned it and you have it in you.  Your a real buddy.

Your Uncle Devan (?),

Scotty

P.S. Write and let me hear your bitch.  I'm pretty good at it now.