Letters from George

Dear Ann

I was glad to hear from you. It didn't take quite so long this time for me to write. I've got a little news that you might consider good. I'm sure of being in this camp for eight months yet. We failed every inspection that I told you about. Our lieutenant told us we would stay here and train until September but I didn't know whether or not to believe him. This morning we had a speech by the Major General. He said he would not lead an army in actual combat that was not properly trained. He told us that we didn't do very good in company training and would need a months review. Then two months of Battalion training, two months of Division training, and three months of unit training with the corps. After all of this we still have to go on maneuvers for a couple of months. I guess this is as clear as mud but we are scheduled for almost a year of training in this country. I'm sure of getting a furlough in a month or so too.

You asked how far I was from the fire we had at the camp. It was caused from the wind we had the night I was on guard duty. I was about twelve blocks from it. For a while it looked as though the whole camp would burn down. All the buildings are made of light wood and the fire was spreading fast.

The negative from the picture I sent Sarah is all bent and scratched. I don't think a picture could be taken off it and it wasn't so good anyhow. Tomorrow I'm going to get some that I took last week. I will send you one of them. I bought the belt that one of the fellows in the picture had on for a half buck last week.

I doubt very much if Bucky will ever go over seas. By the time his training is over the war should be over too. They aren't sending men over this time without training to commit suicide like they did in the last war.

I guess I told you about the weather here changing so often that you are sick of hearing it but just as an example we played baseball all afternoon in our undershirts. A couple of days ago we were standing around shaking with overcoats on.

We saw a good U.S.O. Show last night. Jane Frazee the movie actress, Barbara La Mott? a radio singer, and the Rockettes from New York were in it. It was a relief to see a good show after staying in for almost a month preparing for inspections. Give my best regards to Charles.

I'll write again soon

As Ever George

George described this same U.S.O. show to his sister Marian — with a little on who was in it (Jane Frazee, the Rockettes, and a radio singer). Read that letter →