03 Oct October 3, 1945

letter
from: PFC George W. Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
Compiegne, France,
3 October 45, Wednesday 4 p.m.
Noteworthy: Dad discusses conditions in France

Dearest Alice and Ronnie,

Another day without any mail of any kind.  That makes three straight days.
Since there has been no change in rumors or news, I am writing this as I
have practically nothing to write about.

We have spent the day mostly talking about the World Series and football
games. I am betting heavily on both Indiana and the Cubs.  They had better
come in, that’s all I have to say. I pick Indiana to beat Illinois in
football and the Cubs to beat Detroit in baseball.  And that and when we
might go home is all we talk about these days.

The enclosed order has been a long time coming, but better late than never.
I was recommended for this months ago.  It doesn’t mean a darn thing, only
as far as the Army is concerned I’vi been a good boy.  The fellow Stupp is
the boy from Chicago I work with

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here at the office.  The way things look, now we should go home together.
He has 62 points.  He has two children, which brings him up in that
bracket. He came in the Army about the same time as I but never got in
combat.  Although he did get 5 points for a battle star.  Just another
unjust part of the point system.  Plenty of men got battle stars and never
came close to actual fighting.

Tonight I’m going to Peter’s house for dinner.  We had a lousy lunch, and
I never eat breakfast anymore.

We have 4,000 more men to process thru this depot then we are finished.  As
it is, we have practically nothing to do, and some of the departments are
beginning to pack up.  Our packing here will be very simple.  Most of our
files we have already destroyed.  What we have left won’t take long to get
rid of.

Will see you later probably.  Time to go now.
Love to you both. Wes

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4 October, 1945, Thurs. 8am.

Good morning.

Got in too late to finish this last night, so will get it off first thing
this morning.  Had a very nice time at Peter’s home last night.  Arrived
there at 7:30 pm.  We started off with a glass of wine in the living room.
About 8, we went in for dinner which was served in four courses starting
off with a tomato salad, then roast shoulder pork, cauliflower, and french
fried potatoes with plenty more wine and bread, a lettuce salad comes in
here, then preserved plums of some kind and cookies.  Then English walnuts.
After that we retired to the living room, where they had a nice fire going
in the fireplace, for coffee (very poor grade) and we finished the evening
with Cognac.  The meal lasted about two hours.  There were Dr. and Mrs.
Poiri, Peter, and his little brother, and a cousin of theirs.  This cousin’s
husband is also a doctor from near Belgium.  She speaks English fairly well
and seems very intelligent as are the Poiris.  We talked a little about a
lot of things.  They were mainly interested in America, our customs,

politics, and mode of living.  I don’t know but would guess they are
definitely of the upper crust in Compiegne.  Peter and his brother have
private tutors, and they seem to have plenty of money.  Although everyone
has plenty of money in France, apparently.

Regardless of money everyone is very poor when it comes to having material
things, such as clothes, good furniture, and so on.  But Poiri’s home was

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completely destroyed in the war and they were able to salvage very little
and have not been able to buy anything since.  I took them a few things.
The value would be nothing to you back in the States almost, but they
acted like I had bought them my most precious treasures. And they are
much better off than most people in France.  So now you have some idea
how conditions are.

The fire they had last night they told me was their first this year.  We
have had fire in our room for two weeks now and it has been quite cold
during the evenings lately.  Fuel is very difficult to get.  Even wood is
rationed, and there is practically no coal.  We get wood because the Army
gets just about what it wants.  And what the Army doesn’t get the GI will
get for himself anyhow.

Chicago [over] Detroit [in] first game and I feel pretty good this morning.
If that keeps up, I’ll be some $20 richer in a few days.

Now it’s about time to go.  Certainly hope I get some mail today, as I
haven’t heard from you since Sunday.  All my love to you and Ronnie, and
keep your fingers crossed.  Who knows I might even be home for Turkey,
but don’t count on it.

Love, Daddy