04 Jul July 4, 1945

letter
from: PFC George W. Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
Compiegne France,
4th of July, 1945, 11 p.m.

Dearest Alice and Ronnie,

Fourth of July, over, and a very lively one it was for me, too.  I spent most
of the morning sleeping, the afternoon playing a very successful game of poker,
the evening seeing a lousy show, a lousier Red Cross party, and the last hour
playing a successful game of poker again.  I am some fourty dollars richer
tonight than I was this morning.  Consequently think, I’ll get fifty dollars
of it off to you in the morning then I’ll know regardless of the rest of my
poker games here at the hospital, I will be in the black.

It’s now dark outside, and somewhere not far from the hospital here they are
shooting off a lot of flares.  Celebrations, no doubt.  They are the kind used

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at night in the front lines to light up the place, or for signaling.  Very
pretty but not so nice when used for what they are made for and you are caught
out in the open when one goes off.  There are white ones, green ones, and red.

Well we got another new doctor today and since my face has started breaking
out, now he has put me back on medication.  Off again, on again.  This
time, it’s penicillin salve.  If we keep on getting new doctors every ten days
I know very well I’m here for the duration.  About the time one gets tired of
having me around, in comes another doctor, and I’m good for another week or so,
it seems.

I’ve been wondering all day what you two have been doing and how you have spent

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the fourth.  Certainly would like to have at least received a letter.  But no
such luck.  Didn’t <? loui> have a visitor, and all the boys were off.  Guess
I’ve been forgotten, or something, by everyone.

I never did hear from Evers nor did he come over as he promised.  It’s
probable though that he has shipped out.  If they went through the States,
which I doubt, he might even be home right now for all I know.  Nor have I
seen or heard from Marge’s brother.  Guess they both have left.  Now, if I
were still with the 95th Division, I’d be home right now, too.  Wouldn’t that
be something?  Such is my luck, it seems. Good and bad I don’t know yet. But
it’s luck anyhow.

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We played cards out on our balcony all afternoon in the sun.  I’m rapidly
getting a nice sun tan but tonight my eyes hurt like the devil.  Too much
glare, I guess.  Anyhow, the sun is good for me, I hope.  I haven’t been
getting any too much of it of late.

Some of the men in here, now with skin trouble, really make you sick to look
at them.  Mine at its worst was never half as bad as some in here.  I really
never knew people could have such horrible looking skin trouble.  One would
think this is the VD ward or something.  But it isn’t.  It’s just an
infectious skin ward.  I think the main trouble is coming from this country
itself.  It’s full of infection and disease and sleeping under the conditions
so many have to here doesn’t help any.  Penicillin seems to work wonders

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though and I have yet to see one case that it hasn’t helped.  In fact I’m
about the oldest [of] many in this ward now as far as number of days here

are concerned and I’m definitely much better.  It’s just that it keeps
breaking out again in a new spot.  They don’t seem to be trying to find the
cause anymore.  And if they know now, certainly haven’t told me what it is.
Still believe my theory is the right one.  No doubt if they ever came to that
conclusion also, I might stand a chance for a discharge someday.  But that’s
beyond hope.

Well my dears, the fireworks outside are over, so is all the news of the day
so there really isn’t much more to write about tonight.  Perhaps I’ll get some
of that overdue mail tomorrow and that would certainly help.  So now, good nite
and I dreamed I got a discharge last nite but my dreams never come true.

Anyhow, all my love to you both forever,

your Daddy