21 Jul July 21, 1945

letter
from: PFC George W. Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
68th Station Hospital
Compiegne, France
21 July 45
Saturday 6 P.M.

Dearest Alice and Ronnie,

Still very much in the hospital and nothing much new to report.  My face is
considerably better today, as is the lump under my throat.  The doctor was in
and looked at me but said nothing.  Did I tell you that he has prescribed
Amphogel four times a day for my stomach?  Not that my stomach is any worse,
but said he thought that would be better for me than the procedures I’ve been
taking - me - I’m willing to try anything.  Still have no idea what they are
going to do with me or how soon I’ll be getting out.  I’m just hoping that
whatever they do with me will be for the best.  After today’s rumors,

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and it’s claimed they are not rumors, I don’t much care what they do.  A couple
of the boys came up to see me today.  One of them was the one who mimeographs
all the orders and usually has the straight dope a couple three days ahead of
anyone else.  He says the 16th depot has been placed in category four and is
scheduled for deactivation here in France.  And that isn’t good.  It would mean
instead of the personnel in the Depot or HQ Co. going back to the States as a
unit[,] it would be disbanded here and the men would be sent all over to other
outfits wherever needed.  Of course yesterday I heard from not such an
authorative source, that all 4D men would be sent home by Sept. 1st.  I am in
classification 4D, so now you see how really

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mixed up one can get by listening to rumored facts??, and more rumors.  Anyhow
you know the latest.  All I know for sure is that physically I am no closer to
home than I was six months ago.  I hope I can say something better will [happen]
within another six months.

Yesterday I took up a new sport - Badminton.  I have played it once or twice
before but I am far from expert.  It is similar to tennis - in fact a ladies
tennis game I would say - but still stiff enough for me in my present poor
physical condition.  That with my usual games of ping pong, shuffle board and
poker continues to keep me pretty well occupied.

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Yesterday I had very good success at poker but today so far I have Lost it all
so that’s a lot of for pleasure only - on someone else’s money -  still.

Saw a pretty good GI show yesterday afternoon.  They had a real good band and a
couple good specialties.  If I had stayed with the 11th Special Services
Platoon[,] that’s what I’d be doing now.  Might have been alright at that. They
get to see a lot of Europe.  However that kind of personnel making up those
shows is not exactly what I would call the best in the world.  And morally I
know I’m far better off away from there.

Received Dad’s Christmas pkg today.  It had been rewrapped.  Wasn’t much I
could use in it but they tried which

pae 5
makes it worthwhile.  Everything was still in good condition.  The pkg was the
only mail I have received since your two letters three days ago.  From that you
know I have had no news from you since you were halfway through your vacation
at the lake.  will be somewhat relieved when I hear that you both are safely
back home.

There was a show tonight but I had already seen it plus the fact that it is so
very warm so I didn’t feel like sitting through it again.  Our theater here is a
small tent on the hospital grounds and it really gets warm in there when the
sides are down.  Right now I practically have the ward to myself.

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and it does sound very peaceful.  As of tomorrow, I will be the oldest man in
the ward.  The fellow who came in a couple days ahead of me is being sent back
to duty tomorrow.  I’m rapidly beginning to feel like this place is my home.
Three more days and it will be a full six weeks.  That’s really being shut up
in one place for a long time.

Well my dears, I can’t think of much more of nothings to write about so guess
it’s time I told you once more that I still love you and miss you both very
much.  And regardless of the present turmoil and confusion I guess, without
much doubt, I will be seeing you again some of these days.

All my love to you both,
Daddy