18 Jul July 18, 1945

letter
from: PFC George W. Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
68th Station Hospital
Compiegne, France
<17> [18] July 45, Wed 9 P.M.

Dear Alice and Ronnie,

This is a little unusual for me to be writing at this hour as I’m usually very
deep in a game of some kind about this time.  Did get back in the poker game
this evening and I’m now some thirty dollars richer but the game broke up
because there were only four of us and one of the fellows went broke.  I was
just as glad as I was getting tired, and it’s no use playing if you don’t feel
right.

Well they got the report back from the glucose test this morning and the doctor
said it showed absolutely nothing wrong.  So we are back where we started.  The

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Major was in and he admitted that he did not know what my trouble is.  At my
suggestion he admitted that it might be nervous trouble.  He said if that was
the trouble there was no use fooling me, he could give me some pills to help
but it would not change my nervous condition.  They had started giving me
vitamin pills a couple days ago.  I told him they were making my stomach burn,
which they were so now he has suggested me stop taking my powders and he’s
giving me something for my stomach.  I’m also still getting some stuff for my
face.  There it stands!  I haven’t the slightest idea what happens from here.
My face is still very much broken out and the lump beneath my chin

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is present.  So now that’s the complete story todate.

I am between many problems here it seems beside my skin trouble.  I think if I
<? bucked> hard enough I could stay in the hospital for some time.  On the
other hand one of the boys came in to-nite and said they were starting sending
class 4D men home.  That’s my classification.  On the other hand, this hospital
is breaking up Aug 15th.  If I’m still here by then I will have been in sixty
days by then and some say that any patient staying sixty days go[es] home.  I
don’t know what to do.  If I stay here probably along about the fifty day they
would discharge me.  Then maybe

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by staying in here, if they do start sending the 4D men in my outfit home, I
would miss out on that.  Nice, isn’t it?  No wonder I’m a nervous wreck.

Anyhow they say I’m missing a lot of hot weather in hot OD uniforms.  In here
we run around in only pajamas and it’s not so bad.  Outside with OD uniforms
it’s plenty hot.  That’s nice too, huh?  Well, time will tell.  No doubt some
day it will all work out for the best.  Right now I’m very much interested in
getting this skin business cleared up a little.

So, Ronnie my little boy, I haven’t said much about you for a long time now have
I?  How did you like the little present Daddy made for you or have you received
it yet?

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And did you have a good time with <? Mainnie>  Uncle Claude and all your little
cousins at the lake?  I hope you did and I hope you were a good boy too.

What are you and Bobby doing these nice summer days to keep out of mischief?
You know your daddy has been shut up here in this hospital for five weeks now.
No place to go and nothing much to do.  How would you like that?  I don’t either.

You tell Bobby and all your other little playmates I said hello and for all of
you to be good.  Now run out over and give mommy a

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big hug and kiss for Daddy, and tell her I’ll be there to do it myself some of
these days maybe.

No mail today so nothing new from your end of the line.  And that’s about it
for today.

All my love to you both and keep hoping - someday something good might happen
yet.
Daddy