22 Aug August 22, 1945

Letter
from: A. Shonkwiler
to: PFC George W. Shonkwiler
August 22, 1945, Wednesday
8.30 a.m.

Darling,

Was just too sleepy last night to write, so we’ll try to make up for it this
morning.  We got up at Gladys’ around 8:30 yesterday, had breakfast, then
Dick went back to cleaning his dad’s garage where he left off the day before.
Gladys says he’s quite ambitious since he’s been home, and she’s even had
him scrubbing floors, bathroom walls, and so on.  Gosh, honey, will you do
that for me?

Page 2.
We had lunch about 3:00, and I left around 5:45.  They said they’d be in
Chicago sometime before he leaves.  They’re going to a lake near La Porte,
Ind. for a week while he’s home.  Dick gave me two portrait attachments for
my camera, and luckily one of them fits, and he said to keep the other as it
might fit the one you have over there.

He brought cameras for both himself and Gladys and they are beauties with
carrying cases and all.  He also brought Parker, Eversharp

page 3
pens, and pencils, and so on.

He claims he didn’t receive any letter requesting film from you, and that
if he had, he could have sent you some.  He did get your letter about perfume,
but he said they had been unable to get perfume since January because of a
shortage of extracts.

Dick has a shrapnel wound in one arm, and Gladys says all he would tell her
was that a mine exploded, and a piece hit him.  And she also said he had been
under fire while delivering supplies and had

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spent more time under the trucks than on top.  He has two battle stars on his
ribbon, but he didn’t say what they were for.

Ronnie is sitting beside me eating his breakfast of egg, toast, milk, and
sliced fresh peaches, and just said, "Mommy, don’t forget to tell Daddy to
bring a Christmas tree".  That’s twice he said that.  I hope his request is
fulfilled -- and how!

When we got home at 6:30 last night Mrs. Page asked if Ronnie and I had
eaten and

page 5.
as we hadn’t, she asked us to eat supper there.  We had pork sausage, potatoes,
gravy, peas, tomatoes, coffee, milk, and homemade cake.  It certainly was nice
of her, as I was so tired and didn’t have anything in the refrigerator to eat,
except a few eggs.

Ronnie just told me that when you come home, he’s going to give you a "block
buster".  (Guess you’ll have to wait to find out what that is.) In fact, I may
even reward you with one myself.

Page 6.
At the table while eating yesterday, Ronnie looked at Dick and said, "I’m glad
you’re home, Uncle Dick, and maybe pretty soon my daddy will be home to play
with me. Won’t that be nice?"  I only wish you’d have been here to hear it,

it sounded so cute.

It’s Wed. today, and I haven’t had a letter since last Thurs.  Here, I was so
anxious to get home and I didn’t even have one letter -- fine thing!  You must
be slipping, or perhaps today I’ll get a half

Page 7.
dozen letters, I hope!  I’m anxious to hear if your status has changed since
"V-J" Day.

Well, guess if the war were still on and you’d been sent to Indianapolis for
OCS training I’d really have had a pleasant surprise.  Altho now it is
improbable that it will go through as they’ll have no more need for more
officers and you’ll probably get home sooner as a PFC anyway.

I heard a captain being interviewed on "V-J" Day

Page 8.
who, when asked what his post-war plans were, he replied, "To get rid of my
bars and become a PFC again".  Poor frustrated civilian.  I thought that was
rather clever.  In that case your post-war rank will still be PFC.

Well, bye now, and lots and lots of love and kisses from your ever-loving
wife and son,

Mom and Ronnie