Politics influence who gets transferred home

310.275.1-3.2017 Transcription

[This letter is written on Red Cross paper, with a thick, red cross and the words “AMERICAN RED CROSS” printed on the top of each page.]

Paris (241^st Genl Hsp)

7 Nov 45 Wed

Dearest,

For several letters now

I’ve refrained from boring you

c̅[1] the repititions of Med.-Chain-

Inadequates——even though

they multipl[y] (& repeat) daily.

Em! its all such a cl crime,

such a disgrace! Today was

marked by [another!][2] example of

guys getting transportation home

via politics/drag/pull/“brass.”

There are a number of us who

have patiently, silently, & in

fairness awaited “our-turn” in

this Z-I[3] channel for 6 to 11½ weeks.

Today guys c̅ “politics” got the

“break” over us—& they had

“sweat-out” only days.

[2]

This business of literally wasting

ones life staring at a hosp. ceiling

[needlessly!][4] is something just too

disgraceful & disheartening to

adequately express on paper.

Before I forget, let me “rep”

again that you needn’t write

any more letters to Europe.

The constructive act I did for

the day was to wash some clothes.

Again I blessed your getting

Fels-Naptha through to me.

If it hadn’t been for Dad’s

letter containing 2 (undetailed) words

about the Mayo-verdict, I’d

probably be even more fit-to-be-

tied c̅ this Z-I stalling. He did

write that you telegraphed “very

encouraging, but oh how I

wish I had one of your letters

to give a more detailed explaination.

[3]

The beatitudes that “Foreward”

is covering these days are, as

always, food for thought. In view

of millions of soldiers [daily][5] lives these

past few years, some of the

beatitudes seem kinda ironical.

Infact from a fox-hole to a Z-I

ward, one has their philosophy

plenty puzzled by militarism’s

corruptness & inadequacy.

Someday remind me to

“bull” c̅ you about ¶ 5 page 45

in “Foreward” for 5 Nov 45. When

I started to write on this page

I thought maybe I could write

about some various points but

now I see (“feel”) how futile it

is on paper.

I owe so many people letters,

based on either reciprocation or

[4]

common decency, that I’m

ashamed of myself. However, c̅

all this Uncertainty the past 7½

to 8½ weeks, I havent written

to anyone but you. I guess its

just one part of “withdrawal-from-

Life,” which is {emotionally constructively “chronologically”}[6] true. 

Ya know what——it

just doesnt seem fair/just that

you, Cornelia Crail, Mrs. Skolfield,

& 40⁺ million others should

have to “go-through” the 10,000

ramifications you have had

to go through.

Allmylove,

Dave

[1] Medical abbreviation meaning “with.”

[2] Bracketed text is part of original.

[3] Refers to being sent back to the Zone of the Interior (The United States).

[4] Bracketed text is part of original.

[5] Bracketed text inserted into original with a caret.

[6] In original, “emotionally” is written above “constructively,” which is written above “’chronologically.’”