04 Jan January 4, 1945

Letter
from: Mrs. G. Shonkwiler
to: Pvt George W. Shonkwiler
Jan. 4, 1944 [1945]
Thurs. 8:30 P.M.

My darling,

Eleven days and no letter from you.  If it only means you’re on your way home,
it’s worth waiting, but then again I get scared thinking you may be back in
combat, again.  Guess I shouldn’t cross my bridges until I come to them.

Rec’d a letter from Irene Siventaen today.  It would be a coincidence if Elmer
should be in the same hospital you are.  He evidently didn’t get into a Hq. Co.
Sounds like he was a rifleman.  Imagine, getting a Presidential Citation!  Come
to think of it, you should get a purple heart, or am I wrong?

Just like Sam’s to go, A.W.O.L. isn’t it?   Do you suppose he’ll get shot for it?
You’d think he’d have more sense than that in battle.

We’re still having below zero weather, and today, when I was

pag 2
all set to drive up to the Avenue to pay the electric bill, the car wouldn’t
start.  Mr. Dixon came over and tried to push it with his car, but there’s too
much ice and snow for it to get traction, so it was a failure.  Guess I’ll have
to wait until warmer weather, then take the battery to have it charged, as I
evidently don’t drive enough to charge it up.  Everything happens to me.

The letter I wrote you yesterday came back today, as it didn’t have enough
postage.  The package I intended to send today will be delayed, until the car
will start.

Did I tell you that the "duchess" next door came over yesterday and gave me 20
red points, so I can buy meat for Judy and her family.  Isn’t that something?
You see rationing has tightened up again, as we’re now allowed 50 points per
month,

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and butter has gone up to 24 points a lb., and meats accordingly.  In other words,
with just two ration books, Ronnie and I have to get along either without butter
or meat.  They also invalidated all red pts we might have had on hand that we
hadn’t used.  I’m not complaining, however, altho I sure hear a lot of it.  I’d
go without anything gladly for this war to end, and have you back, again.

I’m reading "Rogue’s Company" by Harry Knoll.  It sure is a "squirrely" book.  Mrs.
Dixon brought it over yesterday.

This letter sounds pretty dull, doesn’t it, but being home all day, with no
visitors, doesn’t give me much to write about.

Murray never did put my storm doors up, altho he kept saying he would, so I
started to do it myself, but didn’t succeed very

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well, so I called Mr. Dixon, who came over and put them up for me.  Pretty nice
of him, wasn’t it.

Darling, Ronnie and I still pray every night for your return, so keep us in mind.

All our Love, always,
Mom and Ronnie

Addendum, page 1
letter
from: Irene Siventaen
to: Alyce Shonkwiler
Jan. 2, 1945

Dear Alyce,

Your letter came to the office, and I was very happy to hear from you.  I hope
you enjoyed the holidays.  I know I miss Elmer more than ever.

So many things happened to Elmer within the last month.  He was in combat and was
awarded the Presidential Citation.  He wrote me that he didn’t do anything, but
he told his mother that his platoon captured one hundred and thirty Germans.  He
had some rough experiences while in combat.  Right now he is in England in the
hospital with trench feet.

Did you celebrate on New Year’s Eve?  I was at a party, and the liquor was
flowing freely.

Was Santa Claus good to you?  Ronnie must have enjoyed Christmas.  Children
certainly spread the sunshine these days.  My sister’s little girl had us daffy
talking about Santa Claus.  One of the gifts she’s received was a nurse’s set,
and all of us have been her patients ever since.

page 2.
Have you heard from your husband letely?  Elmer was with the seventh army.  A
beautiful bouquet of flowers arrived on Christmas Day.  I never expected anything
like that, because I knew Elmer was the the hospital.  Elmer’s folks had dinner
with us on Christmas Day, and when the flowers came they had tears in their eyes.

Well I’m hoping that 1945 will bring peace.  I can’t wait for Elmer to come home,
so that we can settle down to routine life again.  He talks about coming home in
every one of his letters.

It’s been rather cold here, but I suppose it is much colder in Chicago.  Give
Ronnie my love.  I just feel in love with him.

Elmer wrote me that Sams had gone A.W.O.L. in France, and was supposed to be
court-martialed.  Did you remember him?  He was rather witty.  I feel very sorry
for him, his wife and two children.  I hope they are lenient with him.  This life
is full of tragedy.  We all hope the New Year will bring everything good.

As ever,
Irene