March 19, 1945
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310.126.1-5.2016 Transcription
Somewhere–France
19 Mar 45 @ 8:30 PM
c̅[1] 7th Army
[A.S. The #2 “Foreward” came—
thanks so much!][2]
Hi, dearest,
The past 3 times I have written
about the “Mess Called Moving”—its
still occurring but I am one of those
left c̅ pts who are too sick [yet operated][3] to as yet
be evacuated. However, 24 hrs from now
I’ll be sitting in a tent. Just as long as
mail service doesnt get snafued they
can sit me in a tent or cave or hole. I
feared mail would be snafued even
already but your Feb 25th’s & Mar 5th’s came
today so Im not kicking. [Might as
well explain right here—being the first time
in 3 ½ months that no really imminent
patient-responsibility has been forthcoming,
a number of us have had a little to drink;
the blended whiskey & beer have done nothing
but make me dopey-lazy—but starting
tomorrow night again we will have
serious patient responsibility back on us so
now is the time to drink if ever. But I
still am [not] going to drink any more than I
have had right as of now—thus no “binge”].[4]
Your Feb 25th’s:—Boy! you were
figuratively & “literally” a “dray-horse” this
day of moving out the east room for reception
of Weace’s furniture. I’ve heard re: the
furniture only twice before & then you
feared it was lost or snafued by a
Twin City’s truck driver’s layover. Anyhooo,
[2]
even though belated (too belated by arrival of this)
don’t wreck your dorsolumbar musculature
by “dray-horsing.” Remind me to verbally
tell you about my 3 AM “dray-horsing” after
returning from D.S. c̅ that Field Hospital
back in November 1944 after “draying” mud all day.
I shouldnt say a word about that
“central-incisor-white-dot-zone-thing”
(not having seen it), but stretched mucous
membrane can take on a funny look &
still be nothing but mucous membrane.
Thank Beth on my behalf for the “Teeter B.”
Rep:- I was tickled pink by both batch #1 & #2
of the “teeter-buggy-snaps.”
Nope! I know nothing about either
my teething order or dates. That the [Thump’s[5]][6] uppers
were almost simultaneously errupted c̅
the lowers seems normal to my very
dim [←SONOFABITCH!][7] medical memory. Em!,
its just awful what this war does to
bodies, educational-memories, property, minds,
& lives/Lives! Ü! ⋆! 卐! Anyhooo (to get “back”)
isn’t it a real coincidence that Feb 25, 1917 D
Feb 25, 1945—yousah!
What you wrote about Thump
waving-“Hi” was cute. Please send me
a cablegram when he says “Hi Jackson” or
“Hi George!”—“Whereinhell” is that ol’
man of mine—pissed-off c̅ a can
of ether someplace I suppose—whumpf!
I dont really mean to be vulgar[8]—a very common phrase
meaning—almost any disgusting-disheartening emotion.
[3]
P.S. I too, could [plagerizing you][9] almost
just cry after those cute “Firsts” of Thump’s are over
& I’ve missed them. but PLEEEEEEEZZZ
dont ever stop relating them as they mean more
than you can ever guess, even though “seen”-on-paper.”
Your Mar 5th’s:—Im pleased that the
allottment check lands every 5th. Does
the envelope bear a Chicago postmark?—
so I’ve heard. Despite what you say—
I still want you & Thump to have a Class “E”
allottment of $250. Apparently (tho not certain)
that “Captain’s-½-month” worth of money
will be paid to me. 12 days from now
will tell. [Rep.- Tell about Thumps $50 PTA[10] to go
see Arley Barnes—guess this $50 was a slow
moving type; sorta like the first one I ever sent.][11]
⋆⋆⋆→ Heavens, darlin’!, forget about cooking
things to send overseas! Even fudge
arrives mildewed. Sardines, cheeze,
anchovies, etc can really be used IF
they dont cost you points these days. I
can really use hair-lotion every so
often too, dear.
Rep.- Along time (seemingly) ago I wrote
that Doris will contact you in some way
when she lands in the U.S.A. It has been
reaffirmed by her several times since I
first wrote it. They stalled her for weeks
but I imagine she is now finally gone.
Gosh! how I wish I were home so you
could sleep over 4 ½ hours for F I V E M O N T H S.
L O R D I E ! ! ! ! ! ! !
[4]
Its almost like it was diabolically
planned! 卐!Ü! ⋆! ––––if your (this) letter
had arrived 24 hours sooner I could have
c̅ ease gotten transportation to go buy crystal.
Now I’m snafued for awhile, at least, altho
I should be able to get a ride back from
our new tent-town someday after a moderate
amount of finigeling.
If water were more regularly available
I could do a better job of combating that
“hair-knocking” seborrheic dermatitis. Again
your pkgs. (P.S. I’m glad coins & 7th A patch made-it-through)
Dear—your fine & sincere
attitude-reaction to the {K.C. letter Cowan inlaw etc}[12] is
just another reason why I will be so
Godsendly-“blessed” to come home to a girl
like you. Again (c̅ you) I saw why couldn’t
some of those KC guys have tiped-me-off
so 3 years could have been converted to
3 (or less) months[13] (P.S. I never knew—& few
Elkoits either—the F.B.I. predecessor to Jack Daley).
[Oh! oh! the Country-Doc’s rusty “memory-wheels” just
creaked-out the only connection c̅ that FBI-family—
the 42-52 yr old mother of Mr. “FBI” saw me once weekly for
syphilis-shots & though I never saw her [W. Pac.][14] railroad-husband
or her FBI {son or d.-in-law}[15] they heard of me because this woman
thought my “painless-syphilis-shots” & equitable fee were
(QUOTE) “marvelous.” This naturally is a “doctors-secret.”
They all left Elko after a residency of 8-14 weeks.][16]
Oh! oh! 3 days later
(2?)
[1] Medical abbreviation meaning “with.”
[2] Bracketed text written in the upper left-hand corner of the original.
[3] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[4] Bracketed text is part of original.
[5] Nickname for their infant son, Terry.
[6] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.
[7] Bracketed text is part of original.
[8] In the original, there is an arrow pointing from this phrase to “pissed-off,” two lines above.
[9] Bracketed text is part of original.
[10] Personal Transfer Account for sending money back home.
[11] Bracketed text is part of original.
[12] In original, “K.C. letter” is written above “Cowan inlaw,” which is written above “etc.”
[13] In the original, there is an arrow pointing from “months” to “years” on the previous line.
[14] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret. W. Pac refers to the Western Pacific.
[15] In original, “son or” is written above “d.-in-law.”
[16] Bracketed text is part of original.