25 Sep September 25, 1945

letter
from: PFC George W. Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
Compiegne, France
24 July [25 Sept.] 1945
4 p.m. Tuesday.
Noteworthty: Army order declaring 60 point men "non-essential". Dad
anticipates being shipped home in November.

Just finished writing your yesterdays letter early this morning but will start
another one, even though there hasn’t been much of any consequence happen today.
The Enclosed Order came today but that merely confirms what the S&S told us two
days ago.  Even that doesn’t prove anything because to date they are still
sending men home with 80 to 90 and even 100 points.  However, we are catching
up fast and it’s possible that by the time Nov. comes they will be close enough
up todate with shipping men out on points according to schedule that I may get
started some time the latter part of Nov.  That will mean still a close race
for Christmas because it takes from four to six weeks once one starts.  Why, I
don’t know but that’s the way it has been working so far.

I also am sweating out that other point.  There’s been no official confirmation
of a flat eight points yet.  Until I get it I will have only 59 and definitely
fall in the cleanup group which may stay for three to nine months more over
here.  You see how close I am to being in a bad spot.  No wonder my nervous
condition doesn’t improve any too fast.  It seems my whole life

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has been made up of just such uncertainties. Boy, if I ever get home I hope I
never have to worry about another thing for the rest of my life.

I received no mail today, so that is that.  Either you are slipping or the mail
service is, must be the mail service because there are plenty others over here
now getting very little mail for some reason.

The sun is finally trying to come out from behind those clouds the first time
in about four days.  It can rain in France when it wants to too.  We have a
stove in the office, also one in our room now so it’s not so bad as long as we
can remain dry and warm[,] a little cold rain won’t hurt anyone.

Expect to see Basil Rathbone in some kind of a movie tonite.  After that
probably a game of cards.  Exciting isn’t it?  Just had a little discussion
with Stapp, my Chicago coworker here, about eating joints downtown in Chicago.
We decided the Henricas in merchandise mart was pretty good.  What I’d give for
a nice two inch steak there right now.  At least two packages of cigarettes.
And that’s not hay at present.  BM [black market] price 750 francs ($15).  Oh,
well, there will come a day.  As for now it’s quitting time,
Wes

.
Enclosure:
.
letter
from: HQ GFRC, APO 887  241811A
to: CO’s, 3rd, 16th, and 17th REINF DEPOTS.

    CO’s, 36th, 54th, 98th, and 104th REINF BNS.
UNCLASSIFIED  RIB 483  priority  24 SEPT 45

FOLLOWING IS EXTRACTED FROM USFET CABLE EX-87447 FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND
GUIDANCE:  "EFFECTIVE 1 OCTOBER 1945, ALL PERSONNEL WITH ASR SCORES EQUAL TO
OR ABOVE CRITICAL SCORES LISTED BELOW, EXCEPT THOSE WITH CRITICAL MOS LISTED
IN PARAGRAPH 4 OF OUR EX-84276 OR IN PARAGRAPH 7 OF OUR EX-84881, WILL BECOME
AUTOMATICALLY NON-ESSENTIAL AND ELIGIBLE FOR RELEASE (ALL SCORES RE-COMPUTED

AS OF 2 SEPTEMBER 1945):

MALE OFFICERS (EXCEPT MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OFFICERS) OF ALL GRADES INCLUDING
WARRANT AND FLIGHT OFFICERS - 75.

   MALE ENLISTED -- 70
   WAC OFFICERS -- 39
   WAC ENLISTED -- 36

THE PROVISIONS OF SUBPARAGRAPH A ABOVE RESCIND SO MUCH OF PARAGRAPH 4, EX-84881,
AND PARAGRAPH 7A, EX-84276, AS ESTABLISHES A CRITICAL SCORE FOR OFFICERS AND
ENLISTED PERSONNEL RESPECTIVELY.

CURRENT INSTRUCTIONS RELATING TO VOLUNTEERS ARE AMENDED TO THE EXTENT OF
PERMITTING PERSONNEL WITH ASR SCORES EQUAL TO OR ABOVE THE CRITICAL SCORE
ESTABLISHED HEREIN TO VOLUNTEER FOR CONTINUED SERVICE.  INSTRUCTIONS RELATING
TO VOLUNTEERS FOR PERIODS OF TIME LESS THAT THE DURATION PLUS SIX MONTHS ARE NOT
EFFECTED HEREBY.

CURRENT INSTRUCTIONS REMAIN IN EFFECT REGARDING RELEASE AND DISCHARGE OF
ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL MADE ELIGIBLE BY THIS MESSAGE.

EFFECTIVE 1 NOVEMBER 1945, THE PROVISIONS OF PARAGRAPH 1 ABOVE ARE CHANGED
TO REDUCE THE CRITICAL SCORES FOR ENLISTED MEN TO 60 AND FOR ENLISTED WOMEN TO
TO 34.

HIGH SCORE MOVEMENTS TO THE UNITED STATES IN OCTOBER AND SUBSEQUENT THERETO
MAY CONTAIN MALE OFFICERS (EXCEPT MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OFFICERS WHO WILL BE
INCLUDED IN HIGH SCORE MOVEMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR ELIGIBILITY FOR RELEASE
AS DETERMINED BY THE APPLICATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF PARAGRAPH 5, BELOW, WITH
ASR SCORES OF 75 AND ABOVE AND WAC OFFICERS WITH ASR SCORES OF 39 AND ABOVE.

SUCH PERSONNEL WILL BE LISTED ON SEPARATION CENTER ROSTERS. IN NO EVENT
WILL OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER SHIPMENTS CONTAIN MALE OFFICERS WITH ASR SCORES OF 74
OR BELOW OR WAC OFFICERS OF 38 AND BELOW, EXCEPT THAT WAC OFFICERS WHO ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR SEPARATION BECAUSE OF THE SEPARATION OF THEIR HUSBANDS MAY BE SO
INCLUDED.

IF OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER QUOTAS CANNOT BE FILLED USING THESE CRITICAL
SCORES, MAJOR COMMANDS WILL REPORT THE UNFILLED POSITIONS THEREOF TO THIS
HEADQUARTERS FOR REALLOCATION. IT IS STILL DESIRED THAT PRIORITY BE GIVEN
IN ALL SHIPMENTS TO THE OUT MOVEMENT OF THE HIGHEST, HIGH SCORE PERSONNEL.

EFFECTIVE 1 OCTOBER 1945, MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OFFICERS WITH ASR SCORES
EQUAL TO OR ABOVE THE FOLLOWING SCORES, OR WITH AGES EQUAL TO OR ABOVE THE
FOLLOWING AGES, OR WITH OTHER CRITERIA LISTED BELOW WILL AUTOMATICALLY BECOME
NON-ESSENTIAL AND ELIGIBLE FOR RELEASE (ALL SCORES RECOMPUTED AS OF 2 SEPTEMBER
1945): MEDICAL AND DENTAL CORPS OFFICERS WITH ASR of 80, OR AGE 48 TO NEAREST
birthday.  MEDICAL AND DENTAL CORPS OFFICERS (EXCEPT THOSE WITH ABC or D 3152;
AB or C 3303) WHO ENTERED ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY PRIOR TO 7 DECEMBER 1941.
MEDICAL CORPS OFFICERS WHO HAVE PRIMARY OR SECONDARY MOS LISTED IN SUBPARAGRAPH
B ABOVE AND WHO ENTERED ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY PRIOR TO 1 January 1941. VETERINAR.
CORPS OFFICERS WITH ASR OF 80, OR AGE 42, NEAREST BIRTHDAY, OR WHO ENTERED
ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY PRIOR TO 1 JANUARY 1941.

MEDICAL ADMINISTRATIVE AND SANITARY CORPS OFFICERS WITH ASR SCORE, 70, OR
AGE 42 TO NEAREST BIRTHDAY, OR WHO ENTERED ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY PRIOR TO
7 DECEMBER 1941.  NURSES WITH ASR SCORE 35, OR AGE 35 TO NEAREST BIRTHDAY, OR
MARRIED, OR WITH DEPENDENTS UNDER 14 YEARS Of AGE.

PHYSICAL THERAPISTS AND MEDICAL DEPARTMENT DIETITIANS WITH ASR SCORE 40,
OR AGE 40 TO NEAREST BIRTHAY, OR MARRIED, OR WITH DEPENDENTS UNDER 14 YEAR OF
AGE.

page 2
THE PROVISIONS OF PARAGRAPH 5 ABOVE RESCIND SO MUCH OF OUR EX-84880 and EX-85395
AS RELATES TO THE PRIORITY FOR THE SELECTION OF MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OFFICERS.

MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OFFICERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE SELECTED ON THE BASIS
OF 60 POINTS OR 24 MONTHS OVERSEAS, BUT INSTEAD OF GIVING PRIORITY TO FIELD
GRADE OFFICERS WITH ASR SCORES OF 100 OR ABOVE, AND TO COMPANY GRADE OFFICERS
WITH ASR SCORES OF 85 OR ABOVE, PRIORITY WILL NOW BE GIVEN TO NON-ESSENTIAL
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OFFICERS (AS DEFINED IN OUR EX-86213) IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THE CRITERIA LISTED IN PARAGRAPH 5 ABOVE."

USFET CABLE EX-84276 REFERRED TO ABOVE IS CONTAINED IN TWX THIS HQ DATED
8TH SEPT 1945, CITE RSAG-2092 AND USFET CABLE EX-84881 REFERRED TO ABOVE IS
CONTAINED IN GFR CIRCULAR 142, DATED 11th SEPTEMBER 1945, CITE RIB 483.

(signed) DAWLEY

DISTRIBUTION:
  "E"

(Handwritten note)

Nothing has happened tonite except a rotten show and a little more successful
poker.  So, Goodnite now and all my love,
Daddy