Dearest Gee.
Well, I hit the jackpot again today, honey. I got your two letters dated Feb. 29 and March 5, one from Sis, one from L. Harry, and one from the War Department. Yours were a v-mail and an Easter card with a letter in it four double-pages long. Was that ever a doozy! Was glad you told me when Easter was because I sure wouldn’t have known.
I got a big kick out of L. Harry’s letter. He still wants his helmet and gas mask. That must have been the letter be wrote while you were there. I can’t imagine him being taller than you, honey, although he surely must be bigger than the last time I saw him. He’d better quit growing or he is liable to be in a position to get his own helmet.
Yes, kid, you’re right on Chick and that Third Division stuff. His is an Infantry division and the other is armored. The engineers are part of the infantry, that’s all. Don’t understand how your mother got crossed up.
It seems like every time I write Erwin Hanson he has s different address. I’ve written twice but neither one was this address you gave me. He’ll get the letters tho.
You mentioned in this letter you had received the fifty bucks and the Yank Magazine as tho you had told me before. This was the first I’d heard about it. Maybe I’m still a letter short. Sounds like you’re doing okay on the money situation, kid, and I’m proud of you. Do you mean you have bonds besides what’s in the bank or all together?
I was relieved to hear you hadn’t written to Doug’s wife. Guess she must be lots different than you are, and I’m glad of it. I’ll tell you the whole story some day. You’ll laugh I know.
By the way I sent two Yank magazines. Hope you got the second one too.
The badge you must have seen was the expert infantry badge. It has just the blue bar and rifle. You’re supposed to get it for running some kind of an obstacle course. They get five dollars a month for it. The one I have has a wreath around it. It’s the Combat Infantryman’s Badge and means ten bucks a month.
Honey, I guess you must think because I’m in a headquarters company that I’m pounding a typewriter or something. It’s a long ways from that. I’m no different from any other G.I. as far as I can see. I don’t know what you mean by safe. Any place a shell don’t hit is safe. I’ll let you know more on that score later on.
No, the Force never got any citation, or at least hasn’t yet so don’t guess they will. I have the European campaign ribbon and four stars, the Asiatic with one star, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and that’s all. I’m enclosing a commendation some of us got for the work we did in the last operation. All it is supposed to be is a morale builder and it doesn’t mean medal. I won’t be doing that kind of work anymore and danged glad of it. As you can see it’s from the major in charge of the third regiment medical detachment. The bottom was from our own company commander. All I want now is my discharge papers and a trip home. They can all have the medals.
Well, honey, I had better quit because with this other letter in here, this letter will be bulky enough. Hope you don’t have to pay more than fifty cents to get it.
Sure love you, honey, and miss you like everything. Hope I see you soon.
So long now.
Snook
Letters From Snook 