Letter # 27 May 15, 1943

May 15, 1943
Sat. Morn.
Hi Sweetheart;
I sure have been neglecting you this week but I assure you it isn't my fault. I wanted to write but have had no chance until now.
We were out on the range in camp since Tuesday and they sure kept us busy. On duty 24 hrs. a day and caught a little sleep as we could.
I am writing this letter while waiting to go to the hospital for glasses. I got my own back Thursday, they brought them out along with the mail, but they were broken in the mail, one lens, so I thought I would have a pair of G.I. glasses made up. They don't cost anything, so I might as well. I will send these of mine back and you can have them fixed again. I'm a lot of bother honey, but you asked for it. I am not sure but think you will have to make the insurance claim from there. I will find out when I get to the post office to mail them. They say it will probably take 3 or 4 weeks to get the G.I.'s. Good thing I don't need them bad. Today is the first time I even missed them, due to lack of sleep for the past few days I guess. Anyhow when I do get them back I'll have two pair to go on.
I'll mail this letter today if I finish it or not so if it ends abruptly that is the reason and will be continued in the next. I'm a lot of bother aren't I, but I love you a hell of a lot if that makes up for it. I will let you know about the insurance in a letter I will mail with the glasses. The post office should pay the expenses but if it is too much trouble forget it, it's only about $4.00 and you say you are rich. I don't believe it but I'm glad you can be so confident of it.
From what you say it must be a little hard to live without me. I'm selfishly glad it is, because I find it hard to be without you. And it's nice to know.
Well here I am down at the hospital in South Camp Polk waiting for the ambulance to come and take me back. The camps are about 6 or 7 miles apart. This one looks much bigger and nicer. It has been established for about 2 years and have had time to fire it up. Nice lawns and everything. Even swimming pool.
This is a hell of a big hospital. They say they have about 8000 patients. they took the same prescription for the glasses that Reuther did and are going to have them made up as soon as possible. Very nice about it, no trouble at all.
This camp is the home of the 3rd Armored Division and also the home of the W.A.A.C.S. The W.A.A.C.S. are as thick as flies around here but my opinion hasn't changed much, although I have seen a few that didn't look so bad. Don't worry I won't look very hard, but I can't help looking them over, can I?
Tuesday night The Camel Caravan was at the bowl and put on a very nice show. I enjoyed it a lot even if it did keep me up until 11 P.M.
We had to roll out at 4 A.M. Wed morning, pack our equipment and left in trucks for our camping grounds out in the woods. Had regular classes out there all day, and set up camp under simulated battle conditions. Each vehicle had to be well hidden and camouflaged, I know that isn't spelled correctly but you know what I mean, against either land or air attack. Radio stations set up and hidden and that evening planes flew over taking pictures to see if we could be found. They spotted a couple of trucks and a few pup tents but the C.O. said it was very satisfactory for the first try. We were each assigned to vehicle and pitched our tents close to that vehicle and were to be on guard against any other company raiding us. There were 10 or 12 companies all camping in the same area and they all had raiding parties out trying to enter the other camps and capture equipment or men or anything they could get away with, without being challenged by the guards.
Wed. night I drew a 3 hour guard post. 12-3 and Thurs night we were all on guard until 1 when the game was over. It was a lot of fun.
Wed. evening "Pop" Curtis, we bunked together again, and I went down to the kitchen to get our canteens full of water, and got just in front of the kitchen when we saw a guard standing there, it was nice and moonlight, and as I walked past him he asked me the password, explaining that he had forgotten it. Something made me suspicious so I stepped up and took off his helmet, in order to get a look at his face. I didn't know him and neither did "Pop" so we called a couple of guards on duty near there and had him taken to Headquarters. He was a spy from another company that had slipped through the guard and wanted the password so that he could move around freely and get the lay of camp so the other outfit could send in a raiding party. It didn't work that time. There were three more caught by other guards that night, but we didn't loose a thing.
Walking guard in the early hours of the morning when you know you are likely to be attacked is a rather ere experience. In the half light of the moon, out in the woods every stump and bush looks like a hiding man, and every noise and rustle sends a tingle along your spine. However, my trick on guard was uneventful except for challenging and examining several of our own soldiers.
Thursday night was the busy night, but we were ready, everyone in camp was on guard until 1 A.M. and while a dozen or so spies were caught, not one succeeded in entering camp. One of our raiding parties was captured and another came back with 4 peeps and 6 trucks, the flag, and one officer from Service Company. After the games were over at 1 A.M. the C.O. brought out beer for the whole company and we had a celebration.
Thursday afternoon we had another tough hike with full equipment. About 10 miles of rough country and hotter than hell. The next morning first thing we took the same hike again but it was cooler and nearly all made it without much trouble. That afternoon we lost several boys due to overheating.
We had two gas attacks with tear gas during the march, just to give us practice in the use of our masks. Someone in the woods just throws the gas bombs in the middle of the column and if we don't get our masks on we have a crying spree. I haven't gotten any yet but I didn't like to wear the mask very well when in action, it cuts down the air supply and makes it hard to breathe. Just like having a hard head cold. We wear these masks all the time during duty hours and every so often have gas thrown at us. They are going to be sure we know how to use these masks if we ever have to.
I'm still waiting here at the hospital for a ride back to camp so you will have to excuse the note paper. It's all I have with me and I have time to write so I'll use it.
I am laughing at the getting stuck incident. I got your letter and Jr's both yesterday evening and he was also getting quite a kick out of it. If you had a peep the ashes under the front wheel would have been O.K. because they are 4 wheel drive but on the old Plymouth you will have to put them under the rear wheels to do any good. The rear ones are the only ones that have any power. Glad the boys were available to get you out. How is the drive? I gather you just didn't stay on it but if it is bad have some gravel put on. Joe Ream will probably do it.
Jr. says he has another call from the Draft Board but is still trying for a deferment.
I guess I didn't say much about loving you in this letter so far but I had other things to tell you that I thought might be interesting. Never fear, I still love you as much as I have said and more. You are such a sweet thing it's hard to find any way of telling you. I'll save some of it until I can show you and boy will I do that. I'll be a cave man.
From the rough life we live I may even loose the thin veneer of civilization I had and really be a cave man, so watch out I don't take you apart. I'm dangerous now, not harmless as you used to say.
I'm feeling swell even after the last 3 days and the knee seems to have gotten well, maybe all it needed was use, anyhow it's O.K. now. See how tough I'm getting. No kidding, while I wasn't in too bad shape when I came here, I'm a lot better man now. It'll either build a man up or kill him and it sure isn't killing me. The only thing bothering me is being away from you, but the anticipation of again being with you is worth the bother, to say nothing about the realization. It'll be swell honey. I love you so much. You're a sweet old thing. Glad I got you.
Well they ought to be getting me soon so I'll quit. I love you.
Your loving husband
Norm