04 Sep September 4, 1945

letter
from: PFC George W Shonkwiler
to: Mrs. Alice Shonkwiler
Compiegne France
4 Sept 45
Tuesday 3 P.M
Noteworthy: Dad sends a Czech made 38 caliber pistol home through the mail.
Dad has it pretty easy.

My Dear Alice and Ronnie,

Received a very nice letter today.  Guess you were feeling a little sentimental
or something since it was written on our anniversary.  [I] think I told you I
spent our anniversary riding a very miserable train back from Nice to Paris and
Compiegne.  I got even less sleep than I did two years ago and felt very very
much more miserable.  Well it now seems pretty certain that we will at least be
able to spend the next one together so perhaps this time next year all will be
well.

Today they officially announced discharge for all over 35 which is what I had
expected and once again I’m apparently just missing the boat.  Any more lowering
of the age will get me and I now officially have 60 points so might even get out
on that score someday.  That is officially down to 80 and I’m sure will be
lowered from time to time.  We are working on 80 point men now so are pretty
well up to date.  I believe within another month it will go down to 75 and

page 2
possibly 70.  And by December it should be somewhere in the 60s.  There is still
a slim chance that I’ll make it by Christmas[,] who knows.

I was very much relieved to learn you had gotten the two packages.  I was just a
little bit worried about sending the pistol.  The pistol is not a luger.  It is
an automatic 38 made in Czechoslovakia and taken from German prisoners.  I have
another one just like it which I plan on giving Barney if I get it home now that
that one arrived safely.  Lugers and German p38 pistols are harder to get and so
far I haven’t been willing to pay the price.  Although as souvenirs they are
more desirable.

Glad you like the other stuff.  It wasn’t much and you needn’t worry.  I’d see
that I always have plenty of money on hand.  Many problems over here are a very
minor thing.  It seems to grow on bushes.  One just has to be careful and not
get caught in the methods of getting it.  Right now we are limited to the amount
we can send home each month to the extent of two per cent above our pay which
means about 25 dollors for me.  So until that ban is lifted don’t be expecting
too much money in the near future.  Right now

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I have a little over a hundred dollars and expect to send the limit home in the
near future.  [I] sent you $75 a few days ago and I have as yet to hear from
you about one $60 money order mailed while I was in the hospital.  Nor have you
mentioned receiving 24 bonds in the last year.  How about them?

It really was nice to have been taken out by the Holmes and Tostis and it sounds
like you ate royally.  Even though you do think certain people are a bit cheap.
Guess that’s the Swede in him - or is it?  You still don’t say much about what
either one of them are doing.  Or are they doing anything?

Believe it or not, yesterday we had an unexpected holiday, Labor day.  Only a
skeleton crew had to work and I was one of the lucky ones.  However, we weren’t
notified until after we had already gone to work so the morning’s sleep was
already ruined.  It rained all afternoon and evening so we had a good long poker
game.  Loss [Lost], 500 francs.  Got it back already today so no loss.  In fact
there is a slight gain to date.  Thursday and Friday I go to Paris and Sunday

off again.  Not bad for this week.  Is it?

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I am going over in a little while and mail your package.  The one with Ronnie’s
toy.  Also some more little items.  Thought I told you that I had a package
waiting for me from you when I returned from Nice.  The one with the film and
cookies and candy.  The cookies were very good so the boys say.  I only got a
couple pieces myself and that was hardly enough to find out for myself.

So Fred has finally decided to get out of the Army.  Sounds like they are going
to settle down in Washington.  Well that’s another stop on our trip out West
next year.  Must be a nice place at that.

Well Ronnie, sounds like you were a big man in letting Mommy go out without
raising any fuss.  Now that’s what I call alright.  Of course when Daddy gets
home, guess we’ll just have to take you out with us all the time.  Well nearly
all the time anyway.  Right now though you still are pretty small to be going
out all the time.  Besides it must be nice staying and eating up stairs with the
Pages.  I’ll bet they gave you something special to eat.  Didn’t they?  By the
way what’s new with them and has the war’s end affected his job any?  I shouldn’t
think it has.

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There isn’t much more to write about now.  We are still working enough to know
that we are still in the army and that’s about all.  There should be eight in
the office here working.  Right now there are only four of us around.  One
reading a book and I’m writing.  The other two have work to do.  The other four
are off somewhere.  Two of them to a ballgame, I think.  It’s getting so we
spend most of the morning working and the afternoon - well the afternoons we
just spend.  Usual army efficiency demands so many men on a job.  My partner is
in Paris for two days and I finished his work and mine too for the day about an
hour ago.  And without too much effort and without using any intelligence.

Time to go mail that package now.  Think I’ll mail this letter too and so if you
get it any faster.   So that’s all for now.

All my love to you both and hope to see you soon,
Daddy