Somewhere on the Anzio-Nettuno Beach Head
Dearest Gee.
I thought yesterday was the fifteenth so I dated all my letters that way. They should have been dated the fourteenth. Oh well, what’s another day.
What do you think of the stationary? We all got a box from the Red Cross yesterday. It had some candy, deck of cards, two packages of cigarettes, some stationary and an ocarina (where have I seen one of these before?) in it. I haven’t had anything with me except v-mail for me to write on till now. I expect you enjoy a regular letter now and then even tho they don’t get there near as fast, don’t you? Personally I don’t care what they are so long as they are letters.
Evidently you haven’t received the package yet. You should be getting it most any time now. I’m anxious to hear you scream when you see that spread. I had a few other things I would have liked to put in but they were vetoed.
I got your continuation of the Feb. 25 letter yesterday and also another package of funnies and a funny book. Thank ye kindly. Also got a letter from Mae. Poor Mae, she’s sure sweating out this war. Who isn’t?
So you are having [Gee’s niece] Linda with you for awhile. I got a letter from Es a while back telling me about her trouble. Hope she gets along okay. I didn’t exactly get what she meant about Harry. Did he lose his job, or quit, or what? She said he had another one for a week only. What’s the matter with that guy? He’s never settled down since he got out of the army. Maybe he’s bucking to get back in. If he is, he’s sho crazy.
Well, if Erv has told Mae he is at Foggia he sure has it made. I didn’t think he was there but she should know. Maybe I’ve missed out on a move. He’s told me it wasn’t bad there and if he’s eating pork chops — I know it isn’t. We aren’t doing bad on grub ourselves right now. We beg, borrow, or steal a few eggs now and then and cook them. We get bacon in our rations and use the lard to cook with. Once in awhile we even manage a steak. Yes, I said steak. Also get good cow’s milk. I’m enjoying myself after a fashion. Then there is always another side to the pictures. We won’t go into that.
Honey, you sure would get a kick out of the kids. They all have the idea that Americans go around with candy in their pockets all the time. And most of us do. Soap is a plain block of gold. Most of the country people are very nice and will do anything for you — for something to eat. Wash clothes, mess kits, mend your clothes, and then insist on you eating some of their grub. They have a salad they fix that is something like our dandelions. They oil them or something and serve it with little boiled potatoes. I didn’t go for it. You have to at least sample it whether you eat it, or not, because they get mad if you don’t. Their bread would keep for years I think. It doesn’t taste bad tho. I eat it every once in awhile. Everything would just be fine if I could talk their lingo. They all will come around and start talking to you just as serious as if you knew every word they were saying and about all a guy can say is “Si si” at the wrong time and get in dutch.
I sure do miss my pen. Hated losing it like everything. I’m running out of this black soft lead for my eversharp. I wrote Mildred for some as she was the one that got it the first time. It should photograph well on the v-mail — does it?
I haven’t heard anymore from Chick. I wrote him awhile back but haven’t got an answer yet.
Guess I’ll have to quit for now. I sure miss you, kid, and love you like everything. Be good.
So long now.
Snook
Letters From Snook 