13 Oct October 13, 1944

letter
from: Pvt George Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
Oct. 13, 1944
Friday 9:15 P.M.

Dear Alice and Ronnie,

Just lost all I won last night at poker so I decided writing you would be a
lot better than losing more.  So here I am once again.  I still have over $20
to see me through the month.  Last night I had over thirty.  Guess I’ll get
through alright because I always refuse to play past a certain limit.  May
sound to you that all I do is play poker lately.  Well, just about, but it’s
either that or mope around here like some do and worry or run around with some
<? luny>  women.  Guess playing poker is the lesser of the three evils.  All I
can do there is lose my money

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and I’ll never have much of that to lose.

No letters today, hardly expected any, so there isn’t much news besides the
weather.  We are getting plenty of bad weather now.  It’s either all coming in
a bunch or this is mormal.  If it’s normal I hate to think what winter is going
to be like.  I certainly would hate sleeping in a foxhole on a nite like this
over in Germany someplace.

Can’t remember if I ever told you that I recovered from my cold or not.  Anyhow
I had a pretty bad one last week but am fully recovered now.  I am really
surprised as I have every opportunity to have it get worse instead of better.
Maybe some of those shots I took back in the States did some good at that.

I just finished hearing the news and all about the bombing of Aachen.
Those damn Germans certainly are tough to crack.

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I don’t see how they hold out but they do and that doesn’t bode any good for
any of us over here.  Certainly hope they crack soon if they ever are going to.

Some time when you are sending me something you might enclose a tube or bottle
of hand lotion of some kind.  My hands and face get chapped pretty easily these
days.

Well my dears, it’s pretty late and there is no news so we’ll make this a
little short tonite.  Am sending this regular mail as I am running low on
airmail letters and they have none here at the local post office.  I am still
waiting for those you were going to send me.  Give Ronnie a big hug and kiss
for Daddy and have Ronnie give you one for me and I’ll be home yet to do that
myself someday.

All my love to you both,
Daddy