10 Oct October 10, 1945

Letter
from: Mrs. G. Shonkwiler
to: PFC George W. Shonkwiler
October 10, 1945
Wednesday, 8:10 P.M.

Hello, honey,

I s’pose if you already rec’d last night’s letter, you’re wondering how
Ronnie’s cold is coming along.  Well, he was well enough before going to bed
tonight to boss me around as per usual, so guess he was feeling pretty chipper.
He’s been sitting in the big chair and taking naps on the Davenport by turns
all day.  Doc DeYoung told me not to feed him anything, other than a teaspoon
or two of water when he asked for it, so he didn’t have anything all day, until
tonight when he asked for peaches, so I gave him a dish of them.  He seemed to
keep it down O.K., and now he’s sleeping and breathing normally, so his sore

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throat is gone and also the fever.  I got very little sleep last night and
guess Ronnie didn’t either, as his nose was stuffed up and it was hard for him
to breathe.  But today his nose ran freely and he felt O.K.  In fact, he
couldn’t figure out why he had to have so many naps.  I explained that he would
get well if he slept, so he agreed.  He’s so sweet!  He was pretty cranky all
night, but today he was a darling.

I only hope I don’t catch his cold, as I always seem to do when he has one.
He gets over his in a day or two, but for me it takes weeks, it seems.

I called the Gas Co. today, as it seems as tho the basement and even in the
house, there’s a distinct gas fume or odor.  The man came out and said the
pipe’s needed.

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cleaning and another fellow would be out in a day or two.  In the meantime he
turned down the gas, so we’ll only get half as much heat, to stop the worst of
the fumes.  I only hope it doesn’t get any colder (it was 32 degrees this A.M.)
so that it’ll be repaired (or rather cleaned) and we can have full heat by the
time it gets colder.

I didn’t get any mail from you today.  It sure is a letdown when I don’t.  I
did get a letter from Norma, which I’m enclosing.  (You can skip the mention
of the four children, as I don’t know what she’s talking about.  She must be
thinking of someone else, or did you tell her we’d plan on four?  I thought
there were to be six. (What am I saying???)

As I was unable to go out to

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shop for groceries today, I had rather scant rations. For breakfast, I had
toast and coffee; lunch-cheese sandwich, coffee and a couple cookies; dinner
-ham salad with lettuce sandwich, coffee, peaches and cookies.  I didn’t
starve, but did miss having a big meal. I think I’ll survive, tho, don’t you
think so?

I’m enclosing an article from the Calumet Index on, "restrictive covenances".
I thought perhaps it might interest you, altho I s’pose you know all the
angles concerning this already.

I finished ironing today and did a little mending.
The Salvation Army picked up my newspapers and old clothes today.
Have you heard anything concerning

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Your "8 points", or is it still unofficial?  I don’t s’pose you’ve heard
anything new from the Red Cross as yet?  I don’t know if I can live through
the suspense of not knowing whether you’ll get here for Christmas or not.  I’m
keeping my fingers crossed and hoping against all hope.  I guess it would be
too good to be true, at that.  I think I’ll just give up the ship if they keep
you there another 6 or 9 months as you mentioned might happen if you’re denied
that one deciding point.

Thursday, 11:00 A.M.

Ronnie is sure raising the Old Nick today.  First thing, he wanted something
to eat.  I gave him orange juice, but he wanted more than that.  I guess I’ll
have to let him have a lunch or he’ll chew my ears off.

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It’s a relief to hear him get "sassy" again.  Now I know he’s O.K.  Right now
he yelled "Mommy, I want the radio on - I want some music."

His sniffles are practically gone now and no fever.  He’s sitting in a chair
now surrounded by cars, marbles, books, etc.  He’s getting pretty restless and
wants to go outside.  Well, by tomorrow I guess he can.

The gas men are downstairs cleaning the furnace pipes.  They’re making a
racket, anyway and that’s for certain.

Mrs. Dixon is buying meat and milk for me today, so I’ll have a decent meal
tonight.

After I wrote you last night I went upstairs to a feast of cheese, crackers,
jam, cookies, apple dumplings, and coffee.

Well bye now, honey and hurry home.
Love from Mom and Ronnie

___________________

letter
from; PFC George W. Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
Compiegne, France
10 October 1945, Wednesday, 2 p.m.

Dearest Alice and Ronnie,

All caught up with my work so you benefit from my spare time even though no
mail again today.  I did finally get your v-mail saying you had received my
special delivery registered letter.  Like the letter it took longer than
ordinary mail <? no> can’t hardly say that either as lately I’ve been getting
very little mail of any kind. No one seems to be getting any around here so
it’s universal we are all crying plenty.

It’s very nice here today and quite warm.  Right now I’m out in the balcony
just outside our office sunning myself.  It has been crisp fall weather here
the last two weeks.  I certainly hope I’m out of here for good before winter
sets in. In fact, out of the army entirely as no matter what <? conveniences>
the army has to offer it’s a lot rougher than ones own fireside.

Well tonight is the first game of the World Series and I stand to gain or
lose twenty dollars on the outcome -- confidentially -- I don’t feel any too
hot about it right now as the Cubs have no good starting pitcher left while
the Tigers have plenty.  Oh well, long before you receive this, you will know
all about it.  Twenty dollars won’t make or break me and I’ve had a lot of
fun and it has certainly helped pass the

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time.  Right now, that is the big thing.
We were called together today and told that Oct. 28th the depot stops operating.
A lot of the low point men are going to Belgium to the second depot to operate
there.  As for me, I’m still not definite.  With a decent break here and there,
I may stay away from Belgium.  If I do, it will be good news for all three of
us I can assure you of that.  One thing I do know now, I haven’t much longer
to wait before I will either be in the driver’s seat or just another soldier
in the <? GTO> sweating it out.

According to today’s paper all two year men will be released in March as it
looks like I’m definitely getting closer to a discharge someday.  However, I
really have a hunch that I’ll be a civilian long before March, at least I’m
counting on it.

Saw a fair show last night after that watched a couple good ping-pong games
then went over to visit the <? Guilboie’s>.  Then home and to bed.  All of
our poker players almost, have either gone home or are on furlough so I’m
kinda lost of late without our usual game.  Maybe it’s just as well as one
can always lose

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you know.  Guess I have nothing to complain about.  At least the boys I play
with all say I have all their money.  Of course, some of them would say that
whether I did or not.

Guess I’ll manage to get one more hundred dollar money order to send you after
all.  Don’t ask too many questions.  But this one is all perfectly legal and
I was lucky to get it.  We still hear that the gov’t will cash only so much of
our francs when we get ready to go home so every bit I get home now is just
that much less I have to worry about then.  Hope you manage to save some of
this because I anticipate some "rainy days" immediately ahead after I get
discharged.


Well they say I have a little work to do inside so guess I’d better get back to
the army and my job.  How is my little Ronnie today.  And just what day would
he like to have Daddy drop in to see him in the not too distant future?  All

my love to you both,

Daddy

Thursday 8:30 am.  Just to let you know that the Cubs lost last night which
you know already.  I’m also enclosing this $100 money order.  That will
definitely be the last. Now until I get a letter or two good bye for now,
Wes