25 May May 25, 1944

letter
from: Pvt George Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
5-25-44, 8:45 p.m. Thursday,

Dear Alice and Ronnie,

Two letters today, but none yesterday.  The one you wrote Mon. night, I got
today noon and the one you wrote Tuesday night I received tonight.  You figure
it out.

Received a letter from Gladys yesterday -  She said Dick was in an intelligence
company which is part of a communications battalion, so is Message center.  So
you see he is in same type work only in a different company.  However, I
wouldn’t want his job for anything.  It’s very important work and you have to
be good in many things to get in it but it is very dangerous work.  As I
understand it, intelligence men go out on patrol in front of the front lines
to secure the information that message center men who stay just behind the
front lines receive

Page two.
and pass on to the right officers.  They usually work at night and travel very
light.  Very often don’t even carry rifles.  I imagine Dick will like it, but
as I say, he can have it.  Don’t tell Gladys what I have just told you as she
probably is worrying enough already.  It’s too bad he wouldn’t have been sent
here because if he had and had been placed in an intelligence Co. here, he
would be less than one block from me.  We are in 226 BN here and 227 BN is
intelligence - right next door.

We filled out our furlough papers last night.  That doesn’t necessarily mean
we get furloughs though as we all filled them out and we all signed a
statement saying we understood that filling these papers out didn’t necessarily
mean we would get a furlough.  If we get one, we will get 10 days plus
traveling time.  Airplane is out of question.  We buy our own tickets, and then
they reimburse us most of it when we reach our destination after furlough.

Page three.
Our papers were all made out for Fort Meade, Maryland.  But they said they
could be changed on a minute’s notice.  As you know, Fort Meade is a P.O.E. or
the last stop before Europe.

Also got a letter from Forest yesterday.  He is now a third class seaman,  I
think he called it.  Anyhow, he gets $76 per month, and he said comparable to
a Buck Sargent.  Which is a damn sight better than I have.  I am convinced that
I am either a damn fool for not taking the Navy or am a pretty poor soldier.
And if I am a poor soldier there are 180 more in this Co. just like me.  As
we are all still privates.  Oh well maybe I am better off at that, I don’t
know.  All I know is the conveniences that he tells me he is now getting is a
damn sight more and better

Page four.
already than I will ever get in the Army.  Besides being stationed only 1/2 hr
from home.  And can call any time for five cents.  That’s even better than if
I were stationed at Fort Sheridan.

That Russell Jaybird that called is a minister and a very good friend of mine.
He was my roommate and fraternity brother at Indiana U.  Besides, I worked at
Marshall Fields the same time he did  for a while.  He is about the most
intelligent young man I ever knew.  I lost track of him about three years ago
when he left for the East and was supposed to go to Scotland on a Rhodes
Scholarship.  The war started about then and I never heard what happened to him.

I am glad to hear I have a package on the way but I hope it isn’t my

<? bivance> party because if it is I can’t take it with me.  You see we are
not allowed to take anything out with us.  But they have to deliver all
packages that come through the mail.  So you see packages are our only hope.

Page five.
Too bad about Eleanor - did she <? come> anyway?  How did you like Betty and
who does the baby look like[?]  I can’t imagine Betty being thin.  How does she
seem to act about the baby?

Glad you got over to Campbell’s.  I can imagine what kind of an evening you must
have had once Ben got going good.

Please don’t forget about sending me the money.  I must have it by June 24th or
a couple days earlier.  $40 or $50 should be plenty.  Suppose you will have to
raid the bank again.

Well my dears, as we get up at 4 a.m. tomorrow and as we were up at 4:30 a.m.
this morning and as it is now about 9:30 p.m.

Page six.
I think I shall put a stop to this and <? hit> the hay.  Tomorrow is another
tough day.  We fire at moving targets all day and eat C rations in the field.
Next week infiltrations course.  That’s where we go through some kind of a
course under actual fire.  After that bivouac and we are about through with
this place - then home.  Just a month to go now.  You had better start resting
up - now.

Lots of love to you both,
Daddy