12 May May 12, 1944

letter
from: Pvt George Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
Friday, 9 p.m. 12-5-44
Noteworthy: Dad discusses basic training.

Dear Alice and Ronnie,

Just a few minutes before retiring after three hard days in a row.  Wed. we
worked until 10 p.m., Thursday, 11 p.m., and tonight we have just finished.
Tomorrow, Sat., we get up at 4 a.m. for a five-mile speed march and 50 caliber
machine gun range all morning.  Anybody who says our training cycle gets easier
as we go along is crazy.  Thur we went through the obstacle course with packs
and rifles.  That was the hardest thing I have done since entering the Army and
the only time I have come close to not making it.  There were plenty who didn’t.
Besides having plenty of trouble I strained a muscle in my knee broke my watch
and have been so stiff ever since that I can hardly navigate.  I am sending the
watch home to be fixed since I am absolutely lost without it.  I wish you would
do everything you can to have it fixed and return as quickly as possible.
Especially by June 5th.  Better take it to

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Van Sipona and tell him the circumstances, maybe he will make an exception and
fix it in a hurry.

I have contacted [contracted] a cold along with practically all the rest of
the hut this week.  One of the boys went to the hospital today with a 102
degree fever.  The weather has been lousy and then our tough training combined
is doing it I guess.  Yesterday and today it rained at least a dozen different
times and we were out in all of it.  Good old Florida sunshine.  Tomorrow we
eat the first of our C rations.  Tomorrow I don’t eat.  They say we have to
eat a minimum of <? le cous> before the end of the cycle -- I don’t know???

We hear everyone over 30 are exempted from the draft.  Certainly must be nice
to be a civilian and know that the Army is no worry to you.
Especially if you are making from $100 to $200 per week.  Oh well -- some day
maybe I will laugh at all this.

I am taking 12 words per minute in code <? runs> and I think that is tops for
me.  Enough for tonight.  Good night to both of you and I am waiting patiently
for that package.
Daddy.

5-13-44.
Sunday 9pm.

Dear Alice and Ronnie:

I have been trying to start a letter ever since 5pm. but ever since 5pm there
has been from three to a dozen men who didn’t go out on pass this week sitting
around talking and discussing everything from soup to nuts and mainly how to
get out of the Army.  For me they almost have me convinced I should go on sick
call on account of my skin trouble.  Anyway the heavy talkers are thinning out
a little now and maybe I can concentrate enough to write a little.

We fired 50 caliber anti-aircraft guns this morning and then speed marched six
miles.  I came very near not makihg that one.  We have been on C rations all
day.  This morning I didn’t eat anything.  Today now I downed one can and
tonight practically the entire hut went over to

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the service club.  We got a pretty fair meal there.  Monday we have C rations
again all day.  This time, we eat it or go hungry as we will not be allowed to

go out of Co. area.  Guess I will go hungry for sure.

One of the best ways to stop Judy from shedding so much is to give her a
trimming and then a couple good baths.  If you don’t do it that way, she will
be shedding all <? suin> over.  There is a screen for the North and South
windows upstairs.  All you have to get [are] screens for the two West
windows and the bathroom window.  That’s three in all.  The screens are all
numbered or marked.  Be sure you get them right or they will not fit.  If you
have them right, they will fit easily.  Otherwise, they won’t.  So, Ronnie has
a[n] army truck and bus to take to bed with him now.  Guess he is going to be
a real boy after all.  I suppose he hasn’t missed

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Daddy any since he got home again.  Suppose it’s really better that way because
if he does, if he remembered without understanding why that wouldn’t be good
either.

Well, we have three more weeks of training and then two weeks bivouac and then
one week of cleaning.  It really isn’t going to be long now when you break it
down that way.  There are plenty of rumors floating around about what is going
to happen to us.  The latest is we pre-Pearl Harbor fathers over 38 and under
19 will be kept here.  Heaven forbid that if I had to look forward to from four
to 16 weeks more done here without getting out I think I really would go nuts.
Each week seems to get harder to stand. Especially now since we hear that all
men over 30 are deferred.  You probably didn’t realize the reaction that has
caused in this camp.  It seems like no one seems to give a damn anymore.  Me

I think the same way.

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Especially since it’s all for purely political reasons.  Of course, you being
a Democrat wouldn’t understand that or be able to see it but nevertheless, it
is true.  And will most certainly bring a few more much needed souls into the
Democratic camp next fall.

Well, I guess it’s time to ring off.  Ronnie, old boy, I hope when you grow up
to be a man that we will have managed to elect someone else president and have
the country some way near back to a normal basis again.

Anyhow, I am glad you love me as much as you do Mommy and I certainly hope, as
you do, that we all will be able to live decent normal lives soon again.  Right
now it doesn’t look too encouraging for an early realization of our hopes.

Love to you both,
Daddy