28 Jun June 28, 1945

letter
from: PFC George W. Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
68th Station Vet Hospital
Compiegne, France
28 June 45
Thursday 9:30 P.M.
Noteworthy: Dad’s platoon, he could do that?

Dear Alice and Ronnie,

Just finished winning two out of three in pinochle so I guess it’s time to let
you know I’m still alive.  However it looks like I’m due to stay here in the
hospital a few days more after all.  My skin started breaking out a little
again and the doctor said to resume the treatments again.  That can go on
forever as they are not giving me anything to stop the trouble at the source
and I’m convinced that just using medication on the irritated places will never
clear it up entirely.  Oh well it’s a pretty soft life here and from the Stars
and Stripes today it looks like I haven’t got a chance getting out of the Army
until after we defeat Japan so who am I to want a change.  Who knows maybe they
will

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give up on me some day.  However I know better than to even think such a thing.

We’ve had more rain today which of course always makes my headaches much worse,
plus meaning we are cooped up in the ward.  Did get to see two shows.  The 11th
Special Service Platoon, the one which I was formerly in, put on a show for us
this afternoon.  It was very good.  Only about six of the original bunch are
still with the show.  I talked with them afterwards.  They have done a lot of
traveling and are going back to Germany now.  Still don’t know if I did right
getting out of that or not.  Would have gotten to see a lot more of the country
here.  That is, of course if I had stuck.  Then tonite there was a very poor
movie.  After that the pinochle and that brings me up to now.  Of course, after
all the mail I received yesterday hardly

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expected any today[,] and there wasn’t.

Our ward is filling up a little now.  We have sixteen patients in here now, all
skin trouble like mine or worse.  Guess I’m not the only nervous man in the
service.

Of late, our chow has not been as good as usual.  Tonite though we had steak,
dehydrated potatoes, beans, lettuce, onions, bread, butter and coffee and one
half peach.  Everything very good except the potatoes.  Don’t imagine you have
ever eaten dehydrated potatoes so you have no idea how lousy they are.  They
cut the raw potato in[to] about 1 / 4 inch cubes and then they are dehydrated.
And that simple little process just about ruins all food, certainly as far as
flavor is concerned.  And potatoes is [are] one thing it does more than ruin.
It makes the taste like so much well[,] you know what.  Carrots are the same
way.

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We also get dehydrated apples, beets, beans (not so bad) lima beans and
powdered milk which is also tasteless.  If I ever get home and you pull any of
that dehydrated stuff on me you will soon be looking for a new home and that’s
for sure.

One of our new patients is a new divorcee and a newer newly wedded man.  He is
in 16th Hq and married one of the WACs stationed here with the Air Force.
She’s not bad, a bit on the hefty side, but does give the boys something to
talk about.  They were only married a couple [of] days when he had to come here

- and old leg injury and some skin trouble, too, I guess.  Kind of rough on
newlyweds huh?  She comes up to see him every nite.  Now wouldn’t that be nice
if you could come and visit me?  No, that wouldn’t be any good, either.  Time’s
up.  It’s too crowded here.

Love, Dad