06 Dec December 6, 1944

Letter
from: A. Shonkwiler
to: Pvt George W. Shonkwiler
Dec. 6th, 1944
Wed. 11:15 P.M.

Darling,

I had a nice surprise today, three letters from my honey.  Ain’t that
something?  Dated as follows, Nov. 13th, 26th, and 27th.  At least I think one
was the 26th, but I’m not sure as the sensors had torn the upper left hand
corner, where you usually place the place and date.  It was wonderful to get
those letters. The last two really made time, as the one dated the 27th got
here in 9 days, and that’s the fastest I’ve had a letter arrive

page 2
since you first got to England, when a couple letters got here in six days.
Since then of course some have taken 4 weeks.  All in all tho, the service is
on the whole better than I had ever hoped.  Just please write as often as you
possibly can and I’ll try not to worry too much, although that seems almost
impossible while you’re so close to danger.  I can’t tell you how glad I am
that you’re with a Hq. Co.  Of course I realize even then you’re not too safe,
but at least there’s

page 3
a better chance of your coming through O.K..

One letter contains the Stars and Stripes, and I read about your division.  Of
course it’s written up from day to day about the 95th Division and a couple
days they specifically mention the 379th Regiment, so you see I’m pretty well
versed in what’s going on over there.  Every once in a while they mention a
Chicagoan and I keep looking for your name among the ones that the war
correspondents have interviewed, etc.

I’ll bet you wish you were

page 4
sitting next to me right now.  I have a whole pound of chocolate beside me.
Forrest brought them for Ronnie and me yesterday.  Pretty nice, don’t you
think?

I’d better stop as I’ve had ten already and I’ll be getting a tummy ache.  Of
course they’re small pieces.

I did very little but relaxed today after rushing around all day yesterday.
I’m reading a book "Leave Her to Heaven," by Ben Ames Williams.  It’s pretty
good, altho I’ve just started it.

Ronnie and I had dinner with Mrs. Evers tonight,

page 5
and didn’t get home until after the 10 o’clock.  Of course Ronnie slept until
5:30 this afternoon so he had plenty of rest.

Our dinner there consisted of: tomato aspic and cottage cheese salad, veal
steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, creamed asparagus, buttered carrots, coffee, and
lemon cream cake, so you see I had plenty to eat.

Their little Donald is 2 yrs.old now, and is a cute little guy with big brown
eyes like his Mommie.  He has a tumor at the side of his neck,

page 6
pretty close to his first vertebrae of the spine.  She’s been taking him to the

doctor for observation every month, as they have taken x-rays and are keeping
check on it to see if it will dissolve and go away, get larger, or affect the
spine.  It certainly worries Frances (Mrs. Evers), and I don’t blame her,
although there’s nothing can be done but wait.

I have worries too, but they concern Judy, doggone her anyway!  Wonder what
will become

page 7
of her, poor pup, it’s her own fault for playing around, but why should I
suffer too?

I have a couple rolls of 120 film now, but don’t suppose the GI with the camera
is with you now.  Let me know if you can use it right away.

Frances told me tonite of a fellow who was a GI in China who made $35,000
selling black market items.  He said Chinese women will pay $10 to $20 for a
ipstick.  And he said,

page 8
a lot of the Chinese had plenty of money to spend.  She said a lot of GIs were
caught black marketing when they sent thousands of dollars home by money orders.
Others sewed the money into their clothes and brought it back to the States
that way.  What can I send you to make some money on?

I’m sending five dollars with this letter, but I have heard so much about how
money is stolen out of GI letters, that I s’pose you won’t get it anyway.  Let
me know, will you?

page 9
as soon as you get this whether you got the money too.

Al Evers is still in the hospital after having his hemorrhoid (hemorrhoid?)
operation, but should be O.K. soon, and he expects to go overseas soon.  He
said one x-ray technician is getting a medical discharge for stomach ulcers.

A colored minister came to the door today begging for money for his mission, so
I gave him a quarter.  I s’pose I shouldn’t have, as it might become a habit

page 10
for these colored men coming to the neighborhood.

It’s now 12:15, so guess I’d better get to bed and get some rest, as I have
loads of ironing to do in the morning.

Goodnight, Sweetheart and may God take good care of you and us, so we can have
a happy reunion after this war.  It’ll be like another honeymoon, and I’ll be
more bashful than ever, I s’pose.

Love and kisses,
Mom and Ronnie