16 Mar March 16, 1945

letter
from: Pvt George W. Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
France
March 16, 1945
Fri. 7 P.M.
Noteworthy: Dad eats with a WAC.  Dad pontificates on the stresses (and gore)
of service as relates to life and fidelity and has advice for women at home.
Dad expresses the best part of Mom’s letters.

Dear Alice and Ronnie,

Missed writing you for a couple days for two very good reasons.  First: I got
another opportunity to go to Paris Wednesday and naturally I jumped at the
opportunity.  Again I spent a very enjoyable day in the big city.  Arrived there
about 8 a.m.  Took a Red Cross bus tour that we just missed last week at 8.45
a.m.  Saw many things didn’t see last week and saw a lot that I did see over
again.  This time with a man along to explain things.  It was a good deal nicer.
I am including in another letter photos and pictures of the places we visited.
This photo enclosed is one taken of the group standing before the Ark of Triumph
where the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is from the last war.  It’s also a very fine
memorial to many other famous French soldiers.  We arrived back a little after
eleven.  Had dough nuts, coffee and the sandwich the army was so generous to give
us before leaving that morning.  As I told you before we are not supposed to buy
anything to eat while on pass unless it is a three day pass[,] then we can eat at
the Red Cross.  Of course there are always ways and means and we found one and
took advantage of it all of which I will tell you of later.

After lunch had a very nice hot bath, the first in some time now.  Drank a couple
real Cokes at the R. Cross and then saw a very interesting French stage show at
the Allied Theater.  That brought us up to 4.30 p.m.  Oh yes I went in with this
fellow Jenkins again.  We then walked around

page 2
window shopping for about an hour before leaving [for] camp.  One of the boys who
had been in Paris a number of times before tipped us off on how to get something
to eat.  He said go to the hotel where the WACs stay and sit around in the lobby
until one of them asked [askes] you to eat with her.  He said we needn’t be
afraid they would ask you.  So we tried it and it did work.  We both got a very
delicious meal of roast beef, mashed potatoes and corn, pineapple and cocoa.  Now
I know that doesn’t sound like much to you, but after the stuff we eat out here
it seemed like eating at home almost.  We sat at a real table with tablecloth and
napkins and real silverware.  The WAC I had was a very nice girl about 25, from
St. Louis.  It seemed very nice talking English to a member of the opposite sex
for a change.  She was a stenographer for some Major in Ordinance and was a T4 -
(Sgt)

Went to a technicolor movie starring Basil Rathborn and Joan Fontaine at the
N.A.A.F.I.  By the time that was over [we] had to rush like hell to make train
connections back to camp.  The show was just fair and kind of dragged.  This
ended the day.  Not so exciting you might say but it was very nice getting away
from this place.

Now for my excuse for yesterday.  Upon arriving back back in camp Wed. evening I
really found something worthwhile waiting for me.  Yes you guessed it, sixty two
letters.  I’ve been reading letters steadily every available minute ever since
just finished the last one not over an hour ago.  They were dated all the way

page 3
from Sept. 11th to Feb. 12th.  Fourty two of them were yours the rest were from
just about everyone and many of them according to my many addresses on them have
certainly been around just about every place I’ve been since coming over here.

I received such things as another picture of you.  The one in <? Delcohani> card
for whatever it is (the tinted picture) a bit overexposed I though [thought] but
otherwise very good and I was very glad to receive it; some more pictures Of
Ronnie, you and Gladys and Joyce.  Another $5 bill which from now on you keep as
I am doing very nicely on what I am able to gather up here and there.  In fact
am considering seriously of helping out our money problems with another small
contribution.  Then there were many news items all very interesting.  A lot of
gaps filled in and all the latest dope on the <? pups>, your money troubles and
house utility troubles.  That is all the latest up to Feb. 12th.  Really I’ve
read letters until my eyes have practically given out.   Oh yes even the letter
telling about your little news item from <? WPS> [news paper telling about Dad’s
commendation activity].  Naturally that was played up a little, but essentially
the facts were there.  I guess of course if you have received the long letter I
wrote you about a week ago, you will know a little more of actually what happened.
It was very nice of them to write you any way.  What puzzles me is where they got
all their information.  When I was in the hospital, there was a GI reporter come
thru and asked a few questions of some of the injured men.  But he certainly
didn’t ask that many questions.

page 4
I received letters from Holmes, Dad, Norma, Claude, Forrest, Hayes, Joan, Scholes,
Betty Morrow, Martinsons, Gallicini, Evers, and many others all very welcome, and
someday hope I can get around to answering them all.  But at the present time
with my present job don’t have any too much time.  I am kept pretty busy most of
the day and at night by the time I clean up, write you and maybe go for a little
walk or something the day is over.  [I] Am pretty well fed up with the place and
now that I have received some mail am very very anxious to get on to wherever I’m
going.  Of course this work I’m doing here is a voluntary job and I could get off
it whenever I choose,  but figure Sweeney, my boss, needs someone so bad <? and>
he’s gotten so he can depend on me now.  I’ll just stick it out until I’m given
my regular job.  Besides it does have it’s compensations as you might guess or I
wouldn’t be here.

My friend Jenkins left today.  He also was in this Special Service Platoon that I
came over in.  So imagine I’ll not be here much longer now.

In a number of you [your] letters you mentioned something about going to Calif.
for a while.  Naturally I know it’s a litte rough there and a vacation would be
a great help to you[,] but under the circumstances it seems to me the trip would
hardly be worth it at this time.  Perhaps when I return we can all go

page 5
out there for a nice vacation and visit all the people both in Oregon and Calif.
who want us to visit them.  You also mentioned going out to see Chamberlin.  What
happened there?  I believe that was one the last letter you wrote that I received.

About Dick and Gladys.  I’m very sorry to hear about that.  Especially since Dick
is over here <? from> platoons are strong enough as it is with out any discussion
from back home lowering one’s resisting power and morale.  I believe your advice
was good under the circumstances.  I know that there are going to have to be many
readjustments when many of the boys over here go home and their wives find out
what has been happening while their husbands were over seas -- and vice versa too.
However, I sincerely hope in both our cases that we will have no such excesses to
have trouble over.  I know there will be no reason to do so for anything I have
done or will do and I have full confidence in you my dear.  I figure we both have
entirely too much at stake and so little time left to enjoy what we do here to
take any unnecessary chances of ruining it.  I for one expect to return home as I
left.  As for Dick, if he isn’t farsighted enough to see it that way, then there
isn’t much I or Gladys or anyone can do about it.  A little cognac and wine
quickly pulls down the weak <? loall> many but up between them and the women that
can be had for the mere asking in this and every other country I have so far been
in the E.T.O. [European Theater of Operations].

page 6
For Gladys it’s tough but now is certainly no time for her to weaken .  You know,
any man that spends any time in this godforsaken place especially if he is up or
near the front or has a type of job that the cadre have in this camp, it’s enough
to drive some of the best nutty.  Even should Dick do some of the things that she
is afraid he is doing, she might still find that he is far better than any else
she would ever find besides always taking the a chance that any such other fellow
probably will have done the same things himself.  Naturally, I know that’s no
excuse for Dick or anyone else but some don’t look at such thing as I do and it’s
possible that Dick may be one of those men.  Under no circumstances should she
make things worse now by trying to do something about it where she is
4,000 miles away from him.  A man’s life in the army has very little value
now days.  We all know it very well over here and to many that means live today
and let tomorrow take care of itself.  To many of you people back home that may
seem a bit crude but then you have never seen men you were talking to seconds
before killed or have an arm or leg blown off and beg to be killed because they
didn’t want to return home that way or felt they couldn’t stand the pain.  Such
things happen here every minute of the day and for that reason I can understand
why many men do things they would never otherwise dream of doing.

Enough of all that.  I don’t have to tell you all these things because you
already must appreciate what it means.  It’s the ones who don’t that burn us up
over here.  As you have seen, the Stars and Stripes keep us pretty much up to
date with local affairs back in the States.  There are a very large number of men
in this army

page 7
who have lost a lot of faith in the States, the people in it, and the world as a
whole.  We wonder what it’s all about sometimes.

I believe the best part of all your letters were those about our little Ronnie.
His bright sayings, what he does, how he acts and especially about his yearn
for trains.  All I can say is that his mother must be all that I ever hoped for
and is doing one bang up job of caring for Ronnie and things back home.  You know
my dear that’s been more consolation to me than any thing else I have ever had.
Just keep things going a little longer, the end is definitely in sight.  Now soon
we will all be together once again to take up where we left off.

page 8
Oh Ronnie my little big boy, I have certainly been getting some very good news
about you also about Mommie.  You must really be a very good little man.  And
Daddy is very proud of both of you.  You keep on being a good boy and someday I
will be home to play with your trains and marbles with you.  And you tell Mommie
we will go out to shows and dinners and do lots of nice things.  So now you both
be good and I do miss you very very much and hope that I will be home someday
soon now.

All my love to you both,
Daddy