These letters make you think of so many things.
It was a different world in 1941 and most guys had never been
far beyond their home towns. Going "on maneuvars" was a big
adventure to them (little did they realize what was to come after
Dec 7th).
You could often go home for weekends, but it'd likely take up
most of your free time getting back & forth. People could hitchike
in those days. If Dad couldn't get a ride with a buddy, or get on
what they called "the milk train" (a freight train that left at 3AM),
he'd hitchhike. Imagine that in this day & age! People weren't afraid
to hitchhike or pick people up.
The hospitality shown to the GIs in the Carolinas was phenomenal.
My dad always talked about it. He got lots of cards & letters throughout
the war from people he met there - even a youngster named Leon who
clearly looked up to my Dad.
Some of these letters are funny, some have a poignancy in hindsight -
knowing they were looking forward to mustering out Dec 8th.
My Dad loved Thanksgiving and usually
attended the Needham/Wellesley football game with his brother Joe.
I believe it's the oldest high school rivalry in the U.S. He wasn't home
for Thanksgiving in '41, and little did he know it'd be another 4
yrs before he'd enjoy the day with his family again. If he were here,
I know he'd say: "But I DID get home after all and SO many poor fellows did not."
Excerpt from his letters:
7/23/1941
Dear Ma,
I'll be able to go home this weekend, my name isn't on the list.
I just got through KP at 7:30pm from 6am - and you work all that time & then
have to hurry up so you won't have to stay even later. THAT's over for a month or more!
Monday we hiked at night about 9 miles. Our platoon was picked to guard the Post and
we had to take turns of two hours each & only got about an hour sleep.
We had breakfast at 2am & then hung around , ready to move at 4. From then on,
we were on the move till the war ended at 8:30. Finally they brought us back to camp in trucks at 9:30 tues morning.
I'm going to get a ride with that fellow from Natick...so don't meet me at Framingham
this week.
So long till Saturday!
Francis
8/6/1941 Camp Edwards
...They say that we might move to Fort Devens next week....
Monday we had 52nd Brigade maneuvars and they got us moving out at 7am...
9/24/1941 POstcard from Provincetown
I'll be home saturday - if I don't get guard detail.
P.S. We're leaving for the south on Monday morning
9/28/1941
Dear Ma,
I got back to Camp alright, in plenty of time. I got a ride right away that took me
beyond Buzzard's Bay, then another ride right into Camp....I'll write when I get a chance to
9/30/1941 postacrd (on the way south to Carolina Maneuvars)
Ma, just entered New Jersey after crossing the Bear Mountain bridge. Weather
is fine - sunny, nice.
10/3/1941
Dear Ma, Just left Frederick Maryland after spending the night at Hanover Pa.
The weather is wonderful, quite a change from Monday night in Peekskill NY.
It's getting warmer all the time! There are the most beautiful farms and rolling country,
nothing but cows & horses. Next place VA.
10/19/1941 USO Stationary Abermarle NC
Dear Ma, I went to Abermarle this weekend with another fellow & we had a great time.
A young couple invited us out to supper and after that we went to another home
to spend the rest of the evening. Sunday morning we had Mass in the field due to the
crowd of soldiers here. We met this lady who is an Episcopalian and not a Catholic,
but she invited us to her home for breakfast . She ate breakfast with us & gave
us everything you could eat and then MORE! Her husband is a surgeon at one of the
hospitals here and we met her daughter who'se very nice. We were taken for a ride
around the town in her beautiful new car (MY Dad was absolutely CAR CRAZY all his life!).
You wouldn't believe the hospitality shown the soldiers here! They can't do enough for you!
Even the USO (where I am writing) supplies youwith anything you need : writing paper, soap,
showers,magazines - they even have a radio & victrola....I'll have to close now as I have to
get back on the convoy.
P.S. I spoke to the Commanding Officer the other day & he said that by Dec 10th, they were
going to start discharging fellows when we get back to Camp Edwards.
10/22/1941 Postacrd FT Bragg
Ma, will you send me my chino shirt? I'd like to have it for the weekend. We have no electricity
or cleaners here and most of the fellows get their things cleaned in town. I just got
back to Camp & found a box of candy in my tent. Thank Joe (my Dad's brother).. it was nice
of him to send them!
11/1/1941 Greensboro NC
Dear Ma, I'm sending $15 home. I have plenty of money and I don't need it.
Everything is fine. I'm in the tailor shop now, waiting for one of the fellows who'se
having his clothes pressed. Greensboro is abig city about 90 miles from our Camp.
There's lots doing here. I was sort of anxious to see what it was like. We got paid yesterday,
so everyone went to town with money in our pockets. Glad to know everything is OK at home!
11/3/1941 Hi Ma! Here in camp for a change. I guess we're in Division Reserve...
I went to Greensboro with Paul Sullivan Saturday...We went to the home of a family
name Deboe - they own a clothing shop named "Younts Deboe Co" (This family wrote
to my father during the war). They took us to a country club, but the 181st regiment was not
alllowed there. .. They took us to High POint late saturday night & we met some fellows from our company who'd already found a place to sleep...At 7am, we went to get some breakfast &
saw our Top Sgt and company clerk eating there. I'd just started eating, when who should pop up but Ed Slamin (a Wellesley boy) - it's funny that I should meet him again. He was
with the same fellows from the 180th. I guess he never writes home at all! We all went
to church about 1/2 mile away, but Mass was already started when we got there.
An order came through by the General on friday that all men who reached 28 before they were inducted, were to be released in Dec when we get back, so it looks pretty good!
We don't know when we're going back, there are so many rumors going around - nobody
pays any attention to them.
We'll probably be striking the tens the 15th and heading back toward Maryland.
Anyway, everything is ok here. None of the felows seem any worse off and all are looking
forward to going back to Massachusetts. Bye now, Francis
11/9/1941 Winston-Salem
I guess this is our last weekend for going to town. I think the big manuevar starts
next week. No one knows how long it will last - some say 14 days.
All those who were over 28 before induction into the Army had to sign release papers on
friday. They say we'll be released in Dec. That's something to look forward to!
Did you get the money order I sent? It's awful cold here today & feels like snow. Those of
us who were wise enough to bring along our overcoats didn't feel them any too uncomfortable!
11/21/1941 Bakus NC
Hi ma, we're on the big and final maneuvar. It's quite a problem, at times you don't know
what's going on. We've been out for almost two weeks - getting to bed late & then up at 4.
There's so many different types of equipment here - from tanks to planes.
The weather has been fine without any rain - which though dusty is better than being out in the rain. The foliage is a mass of color right now.
Yesterday was THanksgiving , not much of a holiday for us. Up at 4 andthey gave us a couple
of sandwiches for the entire day. We were going all day, most of us are getting very little sleep. We started an attack this morning which didn't last too long (we're all resting now and they say we're going into reserve. its' about time!). Since early monday morning we;ve
been up at the front lines..I hope that everything is ok at home and that you all had a good
thanksgiving. How did Wellesley make out with Needham? Johnny Keris who lives in Needham
& is in my Compnay played for Needham in 1931. He's a very nice fellow!
I have to close now. I'll be back at Edwards by Dec 11th!
11/26/1941 Postacrd addressed to PFC Frank Howard "the best looking man in C Company"
Dear Frank, I inquired from the soldiers guarding Woolworth's on Main St - the soldiers
were signaling with a flashlight & they told me you'd left - much to my sorrow! You being
the best looking man in C company. I hope you liked our town & will come back next year. If you could possibly meet me next weekend about 2 o'clock saturday the 29th. Please try to come! Love, "your beautician".
(Good Heavens! Who is this dame??? a "working girl???) Hilarious!!
11/28/1941 Tradersville SC
We're in South Carolina after a night black out movement. The war is still on & we don't know
when it's going to end. They say today or midnight tonight. Everyone is waiting for the war
to end so we can go back to our base camp. We've been out since Armistice day (Nov 11th)
which is quite a long time.
One of the boys got a clipping from the Boston Post which said that we're leaving Dec 5th.
The fellows are now getting tired of it all. They all have bets on the different football games
& think about what they'd be doing back home. I see Wellesley beat Needham 6-4.
I have to close now as we are moving out suddenly. Glad everything is fine at home.
11/30/1941 Dear Ma, We arrived back in camp yesterday. Everyone is is glad
the Maneuvars are over! We have 6 new "selectees" in our company. Most of them
live down here in the South & they're going back with us. Today was payday - lots of money
floating around. We spent most of the day cleaning equipment & guns. Tomorrow & the next day, we get ready to go back, pull down tents etc. I just got the candy this morning. Thank
Joe!!!
12/5/1941Ephrata Pa
Hi Ma! We're on our way back. This is a beautiful little city, the whole city ablaze with Christmas lights!