04 Mar March 4, 1944

letter
from: Pvt George W. Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
3-4-44
4:30 P.M. Sat.

Dear Alice and Ronnie,

Well 4:30 P.M. and I guess this week is finally over.  We have been going every
day practically every minute this week up until right now.  And then the first
thing I do is write you so you see how you must rate.  Tried to call you
Thursday evening but operators said there would be a three-hour wait.  So [I]
decided to postpone it until next week when I hope to have a little more time.
It is practically impossible to call from here over the week-end.  Those who do
have to wait 5 to 8 hrs for a call to get thru up north.

Just got and read your letter bawling me out for me bawling you out for not
writing me.  Of course I see that I was very much too hasty in my criticism and
am very sorry.  However,

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the reason they were held up was because you had failed to put Co. "D" on them
and I guess they floated around camp for a few days.  You know this camp only
covers 125,000 acres of ground, not counting the lake in the center, and can
accommodate 100,000 men.  They claim there are 80,000 here right now.  So you
see the Co "D" is very important.

I broke my glasses yesterday and am sending them home so you can take them up
to Dr. Busch and have the prescription filled.  I could get glasses here but in
order to do it we have to go on "sick call" which means a day lost plus turning
in all equipment.  We have to make up all lost time on our own time.  So far my
record is clean.

We all got three shots all at once about 2 P.M. today and right now I have a
pretty sore arm.  No other effects as yet.

Last nite we had a G.I. party.  A G.I. party here means

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scrub, clean, scrub and clean some more.  It happens every Friday nite after
chow.  And we didn’t finish until after 11 P.M.  Then on Sat. A.M. we have
inspections by Co. Commander.  Our hut must have been pretty good as we didn’t
catch any hell.  Some of the rest did plenty.  There are 14 huts in this co.
I am in No. 12.

We had gas mask drills yesterday.  If you think I look funny you should see me
in a gas mask.  We also had pitching tent drills.  My partner and I was [were]
among the first ten completed when we were timed.  We did it in about 4 1/2
min.  if you think we did any standing around you should try putting up a "pup"
tent in less than 5 minutes sometime.

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We still take a guerilla exercises every day and I am just now getting so I can
walk and get up and down without it almost killing me.  So far I have never
dropped out and that’s a hell of a lot more than a lot of the rest of them can
say.

While I think of it, I wish you would send me that small tube of pencil leads
I used for my eversharp pencil.  It is either in my top drawer or was in one
of my suit coat pockets.  Oh yes, I got the shoe shining equip.[,] thanks --
but you were a couple days late as I had to buy one just like that (65 cents)
a couple days ago.  We shine shoes all day long here - then go right out and
march them through six inches of sand and come back in and shine them all over

again.
Got a letter from Vita Campbell

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this morning.  If you see her, tell her thanks, and I will try to answer it at
the first opportunity.  It certainly gives a person a nice feeling down here to
receive letters, even though they are not all from one’s wife.  Of course they
are the best.

[I] Plan on going to a show tonite.  Tomorrow I think I will just rest.  Or
spend the day dreaming.  We can always clean, if it isn’t our laundry, our
rifle, our hut, they find something for us to clean.  However, I have been very
fortunate.  No detail work all week and no K.P.  I will get K.P. this week
though, as they take them alphabetically,

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if they don’t have enough violators, and they are now working on the R’s.

Have not used the radio yet as there are no "female plugs" here and so far have
been unable to buy any.  They just don’t seem to be had in this place.  May
have to wait until I can get out to buy one.

Well darling, I hope Ronnie and the home responsibilities isn’t getting you
down too much.  I know it’s pretty tough, but I also know that you can do it
and well.  And that you are doing a good job too.

As for junior, what do you mean you don’t know?  It’s either yes or know [no] by
this time - surely.

Ronnie, you still remember Daddy a little bit, do you?  I am sure glad because
I’d hate to come home and have you think your old man was a stranger - time for
chow.  So bye now and I love you both.  Would send more letters air mail but
the post office is one mile away and I’ve only been there once.

Daddy