Dearest Gee.
Got your Sunday letter yesterday but went to town with Close last night so didn’t write any. Also got an A.P.O. one from Mom dated August 21 and a letter from Sis. She wrote 4 pages type written which is a record for her, I believe. Am writing this at noon so I don’t know whether I’ll get to finish it until tonight or not.
Boy, was it cold this morning! Real heavy frost last night and it’s been cold all day even with the sun out. We all went out and drilled and had our usual 3/4 hour of calisthenics. When we came back we haven’t had anything to do. They’ll find something tho never fear.
Guess you and Mel musta really throwed a good old gab fest. Would like to have been a mouse for awhile. Judging from your letter the confab musta got down to bare facts.
Why the rubber shoes for Chick? I’ll bet his feet are so calloused and tough he could walk on glass. My dogs ain’t never gonna be the same.
As I said before, Close and I went to town last night. We had Italian spaghetti and then he went to the show where they had Katy Hepburn in “Little Women” and I went to see Bob Hope in “Let’s Face It”. It was fair. I suppose you’ll go see it. Got a big kick out of that dance team. When we got out of the shows we met at our usual hangout — the Vermont Tap Room and I got there first so I sit down with a staff sergeant in the Medics that is stationed here. They aren’t out here but someplace in town. Come to find out he was stationed at that Vet Hospital in Montana when we were there. He’d just had 15 days furlough. How do they do that? I tried to find out. We had quite a nice visit and then Close came so we had another drink and then left. We got in a little after 10. Sure was cold too.
We sure are having a time today. We’ve got a new Major and a new Captain as I told you before. The Captain is, or seems to be, allright but the Major — wow! He’s an A-hold from the first water. Today Close and Willy and just finished doing a little policing in the barracks and came into our private room and sit down. Pretty soon the Major walked in the door with a Lt. and the guys just sit there. He asked Close if he’d ever attended a lecture on military courtesy and Close said he had. He was supposed to holler “Attention” and stand up, you see. It would up with them getting extra duty tonight. Now comes some more. Hoffman was out in the area coming in when the Major walked out and he didn’t salute him. The Major really ate his ass out and gave him extra duty. Then a looey [I believe this means lieutenant] has a rifle inspection in the gun racks and picks out mine and another guy’s for being dirty and we get it too. They sure cleaned house today. Now we’re riding each other about it. Sooooo, s’pose I’ll be kinda busy tonight.
Kid, I don’t know what to do about Xmas. Can’t imagine what you could give me. A pipe is about the only thing I haven’t got. Shoulda brought back my old one from home. However, I have no craving for any five or six dollar pipe. A dollar one is plenty good. Short + stubby, they won’t break so easy then.
Kid, the guys were wrong about me having a dirty rifle! Because the looey took my rifle to the supply room they thought I was getting gigged but it was because there wasn’t room for the squadron rifles in the rack. I have to take mine to a barracks next door. Close and them gotta do extra duty tho. Oh, is he mad! He’s calling that Major all kind of bad names.
Guess I’ll quit now. Want write a few more tonight. Still can’t say where or when we go. May not even go across yet. Hope a Hope.
So long and I sure love you.
Snook
P.S. I think I got the bestest wife too. Me again.
This diary entry of Chick’s from just a little before Snook’s letter asking about rubber shoes answers Snook’s question. Chick was in Italy and the rainy season was just beginning.
Letters From Snook 