04 Jun June 4, 1945

letter
from: PFC George W. Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
Compiegne, France
4 June 1945
Monday, 6:30 P.M.

Dear Alice and Ronnie,

Three very nice airmail letters from you and a V-mail from Dad today.  Your
letters were dated May 20th to May 27th and 28th.  And one of them had Norma’s
letter enclosed.  It’s a good thing I received them too because they have
helped me over a pretty rough day.  Yesterday I thought my head was better, but
today I have known differently.  I went to the dispensary this afternoon and
the major told me to come back in the morning and he would send me over to the
hospital for an x-ray.  We have a station hospital here in Compiegne.  Can’t
for the life of me figure out what can be wrong.  It doesn’t seem to be a boil.
Yet I haven’t hit my head against anything

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or been hit.  The only thing I can think of might be causing it is possible
strain.  Last Sunday a week ago while we were cleaning our new office, a ledge
I was standing on while washing a window, gave way and I nearly fell over
backwards.  As it was I caught myself going in time and jumped.  But that was
only about three foot drop and I certainly thought nothing of it at the time.
Oh well maybe after tomorrow I’ll find it’s nothing more than a little pain
which is a part of everyday life in the ETO. (European Theatre of Operations)

There is some USO show in town tonite which I think I’ll try and see.  About
three painkiller pills should get me through it.  How do you like my new pen?
We sign up for one at the PX, wait a couple months then we finally come up for
one and

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take what comes.  Cigarette lighters the same.  I was lucky my name happened to
come up right after they got a new shipment of each and I was able to buy this
lifetime guarantee, $8.75 pen (Schaefer) for 206 francs, or $4.12 cents.
Also, a pre-war finished Ronson lighter.  Of course Ronson lighters are the
envoy of all the GIs <? need> here.  I’ve seen men turn down $20 for one.  This
one cost $106 francs, or $2.12.  It is really very nice.  A French man offered
me eleven dollars for my old one.  The one that used to belong to you, remember?
It has been banged and dropped around considerably since leaving the States so
I’m half tempted to sell it to him.  However that and my pocketbook are about
the only things I still have that crossed the pond with me originally so I
might keep it just as a keepsake.

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One can’t ever grow rich on keepsakes though can you?  Boy I’m getting worse
than a Jew.  It’s the environment.  It seems all the ambition anyone has around
here is first to get out of the army and second to make as much money as we can
as quickly as possible.  It’s a great world.

Dad’s letter along with yours and everyone else’s I have received since VE Day
asked when I will go home.  All the other boys get letters asking the same
thing.  It’s quite a laugh over here because it sure as hell looks like we are
stuck for some good little time yet.  We sent [home] a lot of big pointers
through here today though.  Someone is getting to go home anyhow,  Those boys
all deserve to go though, so I don’t feel too badly about it.  One fellow had
42 months in the ETO.  Guess he will

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be glad to reach New York.

I’m sorry to hear about your cold.  Certainly hope it’s better now.  It seems
to me that there is nothing as important around there but what you would kinda
let things go a little and rest up a bit when you are not feeling too good.  So
Ronnie’s starting young with his gals.  If I remember correctly the Johnson gal
is not bad.  He learns young too.  As for my old flames, guess I did have one
or two and Miss Elliott was one of the nicer ones.  Wonder where she is now.
Somewhere along the line I lost track of her - after I had started to I.U. I
think.  Ronnie’s doll and Mother’s Day card is very cute.  Can hardly believe
he is getting big enough to do those things.  Damn it if I don’t get home
pretty soon I won’t even know

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him myself.  As for the pressure cooker.  Believe Edith Hayes knows how to work
it.  Also, I know Gladys does.  One thing you can be sure of, food cooks much
faster in it than anything else and as scarce as meat is around there, I
certainly wouldn’t risk ruining any experimenting.  As for the old dresses [I]
believe I gave you a solution to that problem in one or two of my back letters.
However, don’t try and send them all at once.  Some of your packages never
reached me it seems.  Of course use any of them you can for making things for
Ronnie.  I can think of no better use they would be put to.

I’m still very much behind in letter writing.  Had good intentions last nite
then the boys started a poker game and needed another, so

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I forgot letter writing to the extent of winning a few hundred francs.  I lose
too once in a while.  I’m afraid I could never become very rich as a gambler.
I usually know when to quit though so don’t think I’ll ever lose much either.
That seems to be my trouble I play too cautiously.

About time to go to the show now so must close.  Looks like we are going to get
wet.  But it won’t be the first time over here so I’ll see the show anyhow.

Your letters were all three very nice and really they are the only thing that
counts these days.  So keep them coming.  Maybe same day yet the gap between
us will be narrowed to the point where we can do much more about it than write
letters.

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Oh for that day.  Until then all my love to you both.

Your, Daddy

Addendum.

letter
from: Louis Chamberlin
to: Pvt George W. Shonkwiler
May 23, 1945

Dear Mr. Shonkwiler

Your letter written early this month was received on the 21st.  I mailed a
letter to you on May 14th to [the] address given by Mrs. S.

Replying to your question: "is this a good time to sell (?) or will I be able
to get more when I return home?"  I am convinced that the real estate market
will be STRONG for at least five years; it will require considerable time to
get building activities in full swing and during that period the demand for
houses will continue and prices will be maintained at high levels.  Yes, it is
a good time to sell, BUT YOU MUST HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE ALL ARRANGED FOR BEFORE

YOU SIGN A SALES CONTRACT, because your chances of renting are practically nil,
and if you buy a house that has a tenant you do not know when possessions can
be had: if you buy from an owner then possession can be secured.

In my last letter I said that new listings continue to come in and there is
always something to sell.  Just as I started this letter a lady phoned and said:
"I want to buy a 6-room house priced at eight to ten thousand dollars.  What
have you got?"  I found that she has a bungalow to sell at $5,000  and I know
of another owner who wants to sell her 6-room house and buy a bungalow.  Now my
job is to see if there’s a chance to make a double deal.  It is not easy
because you have to suit four people with both the house and location.  AND THE
PRICE.  Sometimes we accomplish this miracle.

Glad to hear that you have seen Paree! and Napoleon’s castle - did you have
dinner in the dining room and French attendants serving the viands?  (You see
I’m drawing the best picture I can.)

There is some inquiry for vacant lots.  You will have plenty of building
contracts to work on when you return, which I hope will be very soon.

Mrs. C. continues to have plenty of health problems; not having help at home
creates many difficulties, but we manage to keep going.

Yours sincerely,
L.A. Chamberlin.