18 Oct October 18, 1945

Posted at 14:44h in Letters by 
letter
from: PFC George W. Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
Compiegne, France
18 October 1945, 10 P.M.

Dearest Alice and Ronnie,

Just to let you know, I’m still living in tents here in the 88th BN of the
16th Depot and doing practically nothing[,] which I intend to continue doing
for the balance of my army career.  Right now I have just finished playing some
fast games of ping pong after walking out of a lousy show here at the Red Cross.
My ping pong is improving rapidly and I now can hold any my own with some of
the better than average players.  However I’m far from coming close to beating
some who play here.  Ping pong is probably

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the indoor ETO (European Theater of Operations) sport as far as the GIs are
concerned.  There are six tables here at the ARC and they are all going every
minute.

This special order I am enclosing shows you how close I came to going home.  In
fact that was the order sending me on the way but a little later one has
cancelled this one and Monday we move back out to the 96th BN where we expect
to rot - for anywheres from four to six weeks they say.

Then today the blow that really killed us came out in the Stars and Stripes.
The one that said they would have to lower the discharge score to 50 so

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they could discharge more men back home.  Now even those who never even came
overseas can get out while we still have thousands of men over here with 60
- 70 - 80 and even 90 points.  And still you vote for those damn Democrats.

It doesn’t affect me but on top of all this they are now putting on an
<? entrance> campaign over here to get the men to sign up for regular Army.  As
crazy as it may sound many of the men are so disgusted that they are signing up
figuring that way they can at least get home for a furlough.

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Not me.  I’ll take my chances this way and if I only spend one more day in the
army it will be one too many.

I contacted the Red Cross about why I haven’t heard anything from them yet.  He
told me that everything is being handled through Washington now and I would
hear direct from them through army channels which means one hell of a long wait.
So it doesn’t look very hopeful from that angle either.

Got two packages today.  One from you with cookies, candy and the two Colliers
[magazines] and one from Claude which I have yet to open.  Thanks very much but
don’t send any more because the Lord only knows where I’ll be in the next

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month or so.  I took the package of clothes down to Peter’s house last nite but
they had guests so [I] left it there without doing any business.  Will go back
in a day or so and see what happens.  Since we are going to have so much
difficulty now in getting money home[,] I’m just about giving up my BM [Black
Market] dealing.  I have over three hundred dollars I’m carrying around now that
I can’t do anything with.  Can’t even go any place to spend it anymore.

No letters today so I still don’t know if Ronnie is entirely over his cold.
How is my little big boy any way.  It seems like sometimes I’ll never

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get to see either one of you again.  But I suppose there will be an end to
this force someday.

You might call Chamberlin and ask him what happened between he and the Red
Cross and see if they have followed it up in any way.  Also tell him I received
his letter and am still trying to answer which I must do to by the way.

This is just a thought but you might try it.  Dick Wessler’s at Sterling, has a
brother who is very high up in Red Cross affairs.  Perhaps through him my case
could be hastened a little.  It may be worth a try if you want to contact him.

Now it’s time to go to bed.  All my love to you both,
Daddy

Enclosure: an army letter giving a list of names under the headings below.

        Restricted
       Headquarters
  16 Reinforcement Depot

The following named Cadre, are released from AU-DET 96, Ground Force Replacement
Command and are DET 88 GFRC 221st RC, (Temp Billeting 362/96). Report 19
October 45, 15 P 1

[Headings]
        Name                 ASN      GR    MOS   ASR   PHYCL   SC

43. Shonkwiler, George W   36902856   PFC   055    60
         By order of Colonel Pedley

Official: Forrest M. Kelly
          Capt, INF

          Actg Asst Adj Gen

          Guiles Batchelor
          Major INF
          Actg Adj Gen

Q 32