1943 Letter Index

Click on the links to read my letters, listen to audio too!

June 26, 1943 — The First Correspondence The Train Away From Home.
Jun 27, 1943 — Took I.Q. tests, issued uniform, etc., Got shots – arm hurts
Jun 28, 1943 — Cleaned barracks. Dug post holes. Some guys pulled out today. Eat meat and butter!!
US Army Reception Center • Camp Upton, NY
June 29, 1943 — Funny description of K.P. – One swell Corp. – Prisoners drafted. Meet Hawaiians, Philippines, Chinese, etc.
Jul 1, 1943 — 1100 recruits came today. Funny to see WACs driving great big trucks while we shell peas in the kitchen.
Jul 2, 1943 — K.P. not hard, just the hours. Phone line too long to call you.
Jul 3, 1943 — “Why in hell don’t you write?” Ben hopes to leave for permanent camp soon.
Jul 4, 1943 Description of train ride to Camp Croft. Starts 13 wk basic training. Field equipment. Leggings lace up.
Jul 5, 1943 Picture Card First of many requests to family for many items.
Jul 6, 1943 South Carolina heat. No cameras allowed. College men here.
Jul 9, 1943 — Camp Croft Marching with light pack, gas masks, cartridge belt, bayonet & rifle. Interesting training films.
Jul 10, 1943 — Camp Croft — Ammunition training. Rifle is Infantryman’s protection.
Jul 13, 1943 Camp Croft –Writing letter in latrine – lights out. Jewish U.S.O. Is Army building us up or making us all 4-F?
Jul 13, 1943 — Camp Croft Letter from Jewish Chaplain to Ben’s mother
Jul 15, 1943 — Camp Croft Many A.S.T.P. tests. Rifle sighting – Not with bullets yet. Three hour lecture re: moving undercover.
Jul 16, 1943 How to kill a man with the palm of a hand or bayonet. Movie “Why We Fight” makes you want to!
Jul 17, 1943 Camp Croft — 6 Jewish boys in my barracks, plenty in camp. They keep us busy so we won’t get homesick. It works!
Jul 19, 1943 Ran through 4 gases – Mustard Gas, Lewintin, Phosgene, Chloric Pictron. Then gas chamber.
Jul 1, 1943 — 1100 recruits came today. Funny to see WACs driving great big trucks while we shell peas in the kitchen.
Jul 2, 1943 — K.P. not hard, just the hours. Phone line too long to call you.
Jul 3, 1943 — “Why in hell don’t you write?” Ben hopes to leave for permanent camp soon.
Jul 4, 1943 Description of train ride to Camp Croft. Starts 13 wk basic training. Field equipment. Leggings lace up.
Jul 5, 1943 Picture Card First of many requests to family for many items.
Jul 6, 1943 South Carolina heat. No cameras allowed. College men here.
Jul 9, 1943 — Camp Croft Marching with light pack, gas masks, cartridge belt, bayonet & rifle. Interesting training films.
Jul 10, 1943 — Camp Croft — Ammunition training. Rifle is Infantryman’s protection.
Jul 13, 1943 Camp Croft –Writing letter in latrine – lights out. Jewish U.S.O. Is Army building us up or making us all 4-F?
Jul 13, 1943 — Camp Croft Letter from Jewish Chaplain to Ben’s mother
Jul 15, 1943 — Camp Croft Many A.S.T.P. tests. Rifle sighting – Not with bullets yet. Three hour lecture re: moving undercover.
Jul 16, 1943 How to kill a man with the palm of a hand or bayonet. Movie “Why We Fight” makes you want to!
Jul 17, 1943 Camp Croft — 6 Jewish boys in my barracks, plenty in camp. They keep us busy so we won’t get homesick. It works!
Jul 19, 1943 Ran through 4 gases – Mustard Gas, Lewintin, Phosgene, Chloric Pictron. Then gas chamber.
Jul 21, 1943 — Some fellows keeled over. Didn’t take salt tablets. Have guard duty tomorrow.
Jul 24, 1943 Had to relieve a guard with bad feet. Up & down hills. More A.S.T.P. tests (bio, chem, phys, math, etc)
Jul 26,1943 — 7 mile hike on rocky, hilly, rutted dirt roads wearing pack, gas mask, rifle belt, bayonet & rifle. No pleasure.
Jul 26, 1943 — Camp Croft, SC Dance in Rec Hall. 10 girls for whole battalion. They dance 2 steps & get cut in. Went home.
Jul 26, 1943 In town. Delicious steak dinner – $2.00. Then to Jewish U.S.O. – waffles & iced tea
Jul 29, 1943 — Camp Croft I don’t think Mom should write the Chaplain about my tonsils. Don’t want to miss work.
Jul 30, 1943 — Camp Croft — Been in Army one month. Camouflage demonstration. Compass & obstacle course drill.
Aug 1, 1943 — Camp Croft — Jewish guys story. If Germany had known how little equip England had in1940, England would be out of war now.
Aug 3, 1943 “Rhett Butler” is trying to take apart & put back together his rifle blindfolded. He’s pretty good. Movies.
Aug 4, 1943 — Map reading & marksmanship. A.S.T.P. interview. Want engineers, language, medicine, dentistry.
Aug 6, 1943 Camp Croft — Going out to dig foxholes. Even going to eat C-rations. So Mom got her hair cut. Probably looks younger.
Aug 7, 1943 — Camp Croft –To sister Ruth. Description of camp, drawing of foxhole. Dig firing stoop to sit on when tank goes overhead.
Aug 8, 1943 — Camp Croft Take a look at the firing range. Made expert. Thanks for the packages. Here’s my next order.
Aug 9, 1943 — Camp Croft — Latrine rumor – course extended to 17 weeks. Send Brillo soap pads in next box.
Aug 10, 1943 — Camp Croft – Firing range scores above average, but I’m worried about rapid firing. Took your orange & pear for lunch.
Aug 17, 1943 — Shooting at targets resembling human body. Most non-coms shipping out. Some replacements from Panama.
Aug 22, 1943 — Post Card – Camp Croft — In town tonight. Sent you some pictures.
Aug 23, 1943 — Camp Croft — Dug slit trench – so dark we couldn’t even see where we were digging. Tripped in holes – bumped into trees.
Aug 26, 1943 — Camp Croft — Obstacle course, demolition demos. Once we started crawling, we didn’t even pay attention to the bullets.
Aug 30, 1943 — Camp Croft — Thanks for all the fruit. A lot of guys are broke cause they visit the bars.
Aug 30, 1943 — After lights out, we set up obstacle course with foot lockers in barracks. Guys coming in did a lot of tripping.
Aug 31, 1943 Flash!! Have been accepted in A.S.T.P. Math, Physics, Chem, English, History, Geography. –GULP–
Sept 2, 1943 — Camp Croft –Very Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad – Though you’ve had your little quarrels, you’ve stuck together 28 years.
Sept 4, 1943 — Camp Croft — Here 2 months. Only 4 wks to go. Maybe after I get to college I’ll change my ideas about the farm.
Sept 5, 1943 – – Camp Croft Regimental parade with 4000 men. Marched with colors & band played. Then passed in review.
Sept 7, 1943 Studying the light machine gun. Setting it up & taking down. Have speed trials in it.
Sept 11, 1943 — Fired tracer ammunition over our heads while we were attacking enemy. Beautiful sight of colors in the darkness.
Sept 13, 1943 — Camp Croft 15 mile hike. Feet didn’t hurt as much as the 6 mile when I was walking on the side of my feet. Getting cold.
Sept 14, 1943 — Camp Croft — Rolled packs. Heavy field, then light, & combat – raincoat only. Periodic Doctor physical check-up.
Sep 15, 1943 Camp Croft Company B, 35th Infantry Training Battalion Dinner – Menu – Officers – Trainees List
Sept 16, 1943 — Camp Croft — Didn’t make expert on machine gun practice. Jewish Holidays – Chaplain will let us know plans. Just got back from the party.
Sept 17, 1943 Camp Croft — Felt lower than I’ve ever felt. Trouble from the Inspector, Exec Officer, Battalion C.O., Col., Company Commander.
Sept 22, 1943 — Camp Croft –Going to see the Camel Caravan. Rumor that we’re going to N.E. part of the U.S. I hope it’s true.
Sept 25, 1943 By the light of a flickering candle.” Tennessee Maneuvers – on the way to Fort Jackson
Sept 26, 1943 — Camp Croft — Don’t think about me getting a furlough, cause if I don’t happen to get one, you won’t be disappointed.
Oct 2, 1943 — On the Troop Train to University of Connecticut. Chaplain services – conservative. Then to orthodox Thur. & Fri.
Oct 6,1943 — Still on troop train. You know there’s a war when you see factories busy at work & trainloads of tanks and big guns.
Oct 7, 1943 — U. Conn – Oh, this is heaven! Good food, good mattress. 850 friendly women. 850 A.S.T.P. men & 250 4-F’s.
Oct 14, 1943 — Math & Physics – what we learn in one hour takes two weeks in high school. Last cycle 150 flunked out of 400.
Oct 16, 1943 All we do is go to class and study. If only they would give a little explanation before they start.
Oct 27, 1943 — All we’re doing is studying & slowly going nuts. We’re bucking for Section 8 (Insanity discharge). Cold story
Oct 2, 1943 — On the Troop Train to University of Connecticut. Chaplain services – conservative. Then to orthodox Thur. & Fri.
Oct 6,1943 — Still on troop train. You know there’s a war when you see factories busy at work & trainloads of tanks and big guns.
Oct 7, 1943 — U. Conn – Oh, this is heaven! Good food, good mattress. 850 friendly women. 850 A.S.T.P. men & 250 4-F’s.
Oct 14, 1943 — Math & Physics – what we learn in one hour takes two weeks in high school. Last cycle 150 flunked out of 400.
Oct 16, 1943 All we do is go to class and study. If only they would give a little explanation before they start.
Oct 27, 1943 — All we’re doing is studying & slowly going nuts. We’re bucking for Section 8 (Insanity discharge). Cold story
Nov 3, 1943 Sending laundry home. No facilities for washing anything here like they did at Croft.
Nov 5, 1943 — A close escape from death. Walking into pool one fellow not knowing I can’t swim, pushed me into the deep end.
Nov 13, 1943 A swell time on the train coming back from Willimantic. Met a bunch of girls going back to school in Boston.
Nov 14, 1943 — Didn’t have the courage to ask a girl to dance with me. Won’t happen next Sat. night, not if I can help it.
Nov 20, 1943 Lots of planes flying around here. One trainee was circling & banking low outside our window. Could see the pilot.
Nov 21, 1943 — Dear Ruth, different mood than my last letter. Went to the U.S.O. in Willi, ………….and danced!
Nov 25, 1943 Send me some photos of the family. Old ones will do, just anything I can look at when I feel like it.
Nov 28, 1943 Got a ride in ’31 Ford. Three in front seat, three in rumble seat & two on each running board, weaving down road.
Dec 1, 1943 — I got gigged last night for having lights on after taps. Imagine gigging anybody for studying late.
Dec 1, 1943 Sending photo proofs home. Select the ones you want. They’ll be done around Dec. 22nd
Dec 4, 1943 — One fellow got shipped out. Drew cards for his bed & I won. Warmer room cause the wind doesn’t blow through.
Dec 14, 1943 — If I had known you would have worried as you did, I wouldn’t have written you.
Dec 14, 1943 — The wind has been blowing again, harder than Saturday when it was blowing about 70 miles an hour.
Dec 17, 1943 — I happen to be the C.Q. (Charge of Quarters tonight) I’m on from 5 pm till noon tomorrow. Send skates.
Dec 19, 1943 — Restricted until further notice. Some Freshman girls complained we were waking them in a.m. Threw water at us.
Dec 21, 1943 — Post Card – Back from Hartford. Saw Vaughn Monroe.
Dec 21, 1943 Feel sorry for our C.O. In the Gilbert invasion, his Dad (a Col.) was killed leading his men forward.
Dec 21, 1943 — If I get home, have bean or cabbage soup, veal cutlet, baked beans & potatoes, lima beans, chopped liver, etc.