08 May May 8, 1944

letter
from: Pvt George Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
5-8-44, Monday, 7:30 p.m.
Noteworthy: more discussion about Junior, cardinal sin in the Army

Dear Mommy and Ronnie,

Rather an easy day today and since I have most of my work done for the
<? eomssy> will try to have a letter waiting for you - almost - when you reach
home.  Too bad you aren’t here tonight because we got off early and no extra
details.  I would have met you by 5:30 or earlier.  Seems like that’s the way
it always is.  I suppose from now on I won’t have anything today any evening
after 5 p.m.

I got a bus at 8:30 last night and was back in camp at 10 p.m.  Some of the
boys had received packages from home and were having a snack, which I just got
in on.  Was pretty nice.  Even had some cherry brandy that really put me to
sleep when I finally crawled in at 11 p.m.  Today I have felt pretty good, so
you see no ill effects from your visit.  I hope you can say the same for both
of you.

Well, it doesn’t hardly seem possible that you and Ronnie have come and gone,
and now I won’t get to see you for the Lord knows when again.  You know there
were lots of things I wanted to say to you that I never seemed to get around to
saying because I was either too tired or too something.

Anyhow

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maybe if I tell you now that I love you very much and I think you are doing a
swell job with Ronnie and everything else, it will do almost as well.  We did
get along pretty well too, even though we were all three usually tired out.
And I was continuously under a nervous tension worrying about my chance of
getting out of camp to see you after you coming all the way down here.  It’s
no fun - yesterday one of the fellows’ father came down and he couldn’t get a
pass from our first sergeant, so he took it upon himself to go see the company
commander without the sergeant’s permission.  Now that is a cardinal sin in the
army and he not only didn’t get his pass, but he caught plenty of hell besides
bringing threatened with court martial.  It was the Jewish fellow in our hut.
The one you met who I said was the <? but> one of our three Jews.  He certainly
has been a sick fellow today.  Anyhow it just impresses on me something that we
are in the army and can’t always do what we would like to do.

Well, how’s Junior coming along?  Suppose you know no more than you did, but I
am still hoping.  You know, my dear, if you find this time that it’s no go - why
don’t you go have a check.

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You know the next time I get to see you may be the last for a long time and by
the time I come back, if I am shipped across, neither one of us will be any
younger and soon may be too late.  You know, the two most important things I
hope for now is first, that this was be <? pud> and I get home and that we have
a little baby brother or sister for Ronnie.  Whatever is wrong may be so small
that it can easily be taken care of before the end of June.  Perhaps it’s just
rest we both need.  Perhaps it isn’t you at all.  If it’s me it looks like
there isn’t going to be much I can do about it for some time.  But if there is
something you can do now to help things along I really believe we should do it.
As for being afraid that I might not love you anymore should you find you could
not have a baby I don’t think you need worry.  After all we do have Ronnie and
if it’s meant that Ronnie is to be all then he will be all and it will just
mean he will get twice as much love and be twice as spoiled.  The doctor we had
for Margaret, I am sure you would like and I know if there is anything to be
done he could do it.  He is a specialist in that line.  He’s a man of about 60

years old, has a wife and two boys

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of his own and a kinder man you have never met.  I don’t know just what
your feelings are towards having him after he was Margaret’s doctor but I know
this I am sure when he meets you and sees all that you have done for me and
Ronnie he will agree that I have done the right thing and will encourage us
both in our desire for another baby.  Now please don’t get me wrong, I am not
saying you should go see him or am I even saying go to a doctor.  I am merely
stating my mind and if you should decide to see a doctor I am merely giving you
my first choice.  You see he probably knows about you through doctor de Young
anyway because doctor de Young is his prodigy and they both have offices
together.  And I know he would like to see Ronnie again and if you do go be
sure and take Ronnie with you.  Oh yes, his name is Dr. maple and he has
offices in the Woodlawn Clinic at 61st and Drexel.  That’s just one block east
of Cottage Grove on 61st St.  He also is the head doctor and part owner of the
Woodlawn Hospital which is next door.  Even Dr. de Young could be able to tell
you if there was anything we could do.

Well enough for that - I’ll just keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.
Let me know all

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the latest dope about Murray,  Schowalter,  Dick and anyone else around there.
And tell everyone that I owe letters to that since you have left I may get
around to answering their letter soon now, that is, if the army doesn’t
suddenly start taking all my remaining free time.  Hope you found everything
under control and Eleanor and Judy as fat as pigs.  Don’t forget to tell
Eleanor to plan on taking a vacation to Florida the latter part of June.  I
think she will be needing one about then.

I’d better close now and save of this for the next time.  I might even get
around to sending out a few cards although it is a 8:30 and I have two pairs
of shoes and some shaving to do yet.  Bye  now and and once again I love you
Mommy.  I love Ronnie too but as you know it is two different kinds of love
and one doesn’t conflict with the other.  So take good care of him for me and
of yourself too and maybe someday I will be able to come home and do it
myself.

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Tell Ronnie to God bless Daddy and I hope he remembers me the next time he sees
me.

Daddy