05 Apr April 5, 1945

letter
from: Pvt George W. Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
5 April 45 [5 May 45]
France
Sat. 9:30 P.M.
Noteworthy: Dad once again urges Mom to sell the house, move to Glen Ellyn
and work for Chamberlin, this time as a spy for information he wants to know.
Dad talks about getting hit resulting in his injury - five of his fellow squad
members were killed.

Hello My Dears,

Received some very nice letters today.  An even one dozen in all and the latest
mailed April 26, just written the 24th.  Certainly is good to have news that is
only about one week old.  That’s the first time that’s happened since I came
over here.  This one was especially nice because it told of you taking Ronnie
to the doctor and how well he is.  Can’t get over how much he has grown.  Six
<? mekis> seems an awful lot.  Guess he is really pretty much a man at that.
Certainly was good to hear that he is so healthy also to learn that you are
putting on a pound or two.  Had no idea you resented me telling you how I felt
about how well you are taking care of him.  Will say no more about it although
I am sure you have misunderstood my intensions.

All the nice things you tell of what Ronnie says and does certainly goes over
big with me. Even some of the things he picks up from the neighbors is cute but
I realize that they are not always exactly what

page 2
he should be saying.  However he wouldn’t be natural if he didn’t learn some of
the bad things along with many of the good ones.  I had expected to go downtown
to the show tonite but we had chow late, then I read your letter and by the
time I finished it was almost too late to go.  Besides it was raining a little
so have stayed in except for a short walk.  Am now in my room alone, except for
one other stay in, writing you.  My Saturday nites are about as gay as yours.  I
get my two days off Mon. and Tues. though, and am expecting to go into Paris as
sort of a vacation.  I plan on taking advantage of those trips as much as
possible as there is always something to see and it’s very inexpensive.  Guess
I don’t average spending over 100 frances a trip.  In fact unless one does a
lot of drinking and running around with women he can’t spend much so practically
everything is either free or given us at cost price or less.  Of course if I
were to try and get by on just my legal pay of $16 per month (especially when

page 3
I haven’t even been paid that - they say I’ll get paid now though) I would
probably find it a little tough.  As you know I am managing all right though.

Certainly glad to get Sweeney’s letter you enclosed in one of yours and to
learn he sent you the money.  I thought I could trust him but was not quite
sure.  He came through though and that’s what counts.

I also got the letter with Mr. Chamberlin’s letter enclosed.  Of course that
answered my question about you working there.  I’m very disappointed, especially
since you stated that you wished there had been some thing you and he could
have worked out.  I am still very much interested in you going out there.
Especially if you can sell the house for fourteen thousand.  Why don’t you take
a drive out there and have a talk with him.  You could offer to work there part
time for a few dollars a week plus maybe do a little selling, and believe me
that would not be so hard to do, and still have

page 4
a good opportunity to find out what I want to know.  The information that you
might get could very easily be worth a great deal to us and be far more

important than the little money you may or may not make there or working
someplace else.  You know I feel pretty optimistic about my chances of coming
home some time in the next six months.  What you could learn between now and
that time working out there could very easily mean the difference in making the
right move towards getting settled after the war and making the wrong one.  I’m
too old to make a wrong move now even if he has allowed someone to take over
part of the office I’m sure if you were to tell him you would like to try your
hand at selling a little too on a commission basis he would be glad to work out
a deal with you.

I also received two old letters from Murray.  One written last Dec. the other
Feb.  Since I just answered one I received from him written in April you can
tell him I received them but will probably wait until I get a letter <? one>
now before writing again.  I also got a letter from

page 5
my Sgt. back with [the] 95th division.  I had asked him how many of our squad
were injured when I got hit.  We were all together at the time.  He said he was
the only one not injured and he was shaken up considerably.  Five of them
killed.  You remember I told you about the chicken dinner I had cooked for the
boys the evening before we were hit.  That’s what he referenced to.  Well that’s
one chicken dinner I’ll never forget either.  I am enclosing the letter.  Hold
on to it.

Glad to hear Tostis are getting a house.  Unless I’m badly mistaken Murray is
making something in the deal.  However, that’s all right because after all if
he sells them a house he is entitled to a commission.  I wouldn’t have paid
$6500 for the house they were living in either.  Whether or not they are
getting a good buy on the new one is something else.  At least they have to
have a home to live in, and they can’t go far wrong on a new house.  By the way
should you sell our house [I] would advise not living upstairs.  For many things
they might want to come back on you about it’s best to get out altogether and
under no circumstances sell for anything less than all cash.

page 6
Boy it really burns me up to[o] when I hear how many packages you have sent me
and how few of them I have received.  If they are worth what you say they are[,]
they are worth four or five times that amount over here.  oh well maybe I’ll
get them yet - someday.  I was able to buy one roll of 120 film today - a real
break.  Hope to take some nice pictures while in Paris Monday.  Send me all the
120 film you can possibly buy.   Will soon know now how this cheap camera I
bought is.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed.  It looks like maybe a few pictures
will be the only souvenirs I’ll be able to bring back with me.  All I had were
left at the front and I’m too far back here to get anything worthwhile now.

Must close now my dears, as I still have to shave and I want to answer Sgt.
Lave’s letter also write one to Sweeney.  Oh yes[,] got the letter with Paul
Smith’s letter enclosed.  Norma writes me he got married a short time ago.  I’m
glad.

All my love to you both and Ronnie old boy your Daddy is going to be home to
play with you and your trains someday yet.

Until then bye for now,
Daddy