Dearest Gee.
Well, what do you think of the picture? Do you think you can have it made bigger, and more copies made from it? They only allowed us one picture apiece and I imagine Mom + Dad would like one. The names of the fellows are as follows; reading left to right, first row: Sansome, Cooper, Jones, Wingert, Anderson, Me, Hoffman, Allen, Morris, Douglass, Evans; second row: Whitaker, Pond, Jolliff, Behne, Merha, Bradford, Bish, Bourgoeis, Garcia, Lee, Wernmack; third row: DiGiacomo, Vanston, Moreno, Rogers, Perry, Nelson, Stanton, Holtorf, Britz, and Linn. I have six more men but they weren’t present when the picture was taken. They are: Crabbe, Harriman, Patania, Johnson, Junteman, and Pagotto. Would liked to have had the shots of the other sections but no go. We’ll have to be satisfied with those other snapshots I sent you.
I got a letter from Chick today and two packs of funny books and papers from you. Thanks honey. Chick didn’t have much to say, but who has? Think I must be getting that old feeling that comes to the G.I. at Christmas time. One thing tho, I have a lot of company. Sure do miss you, honey. Got out all my pictures of you and looked at them. Sure do have a flock of them too. The one in the nice leather frame is taking an awful beating but as these French say, “c’est la guerre”. As I said before, my French is limited to saying, “one cognac” or “one vermouth”. They understand that in any language.
This week it has dwindled down until now I just say “one beer” as beer is only seven francs a glass. There is about as much kick to it as a drink of water — and the same effects. Boy, this money stuff really has me stopped. Everyone owes everyone else but that’s life. I’m a month ahead myself but consider myself pretty lucky, I don’t suppose you understand it, but if you were here you soon would. Cognac is generally around thirty-five francs to forty francs a drink, vermouth is twenty-five francs. That doesn’t go far when fifty francs represents a dollar. After all, that’s about all a guy can do in the line of entertainment. Doug and Kelly and I usually go together.
Doesn’t seem possible that Christmas is so close, or that it could happen in times like these. Don’t imagine the holidays are very cheerful back there either, are they? Hadn’t ought to be too long before we can get together again. I’ll squeeze you to death — almost anyway. Wish I could have had a letter from you today, Never have received your package, honey. Sho hope it gets here okay. Let me know if it was the one from Chicago will you? You’ve even got me wondering now.
I’ve managed to snag myself a cold but nothing serious. Hope you are getting a good rest and feeling better.
I’m also enclosing a picture of Close’s section that a guy snapped but as you can see, he picked a poor time to snap it. Guess you can find Close in the middle. Rizzi is the second one over to the right from Close and is fixing his hat. Will enclose more later. Goodnight for now, honey, and I sure love you, and miss you.
Be good and Merry Christmas.
So long now.
Snook
Letters From Snook 