June 6, 1942 - In charge

Saturday Thursday Aft.

Dear Mom + Dad,

I’m writing you this letter on my new job. Don’t worry it’s perfectly all right. As I told you I’m working in the hospital in the general surgery ward. It isn’t at all hard and for most of the day there is nothing to do. I don’t like the hours from 7 to 7 as it makes for an awful long day.

I’m in charge of my group from school, of 10 fellows. I’m responsible to see that they get jobs and they do their work. I get the orders from the ward master and pass them on. I have to spread them out on different jobs as the purpose of this is for us to get a little experience. The captain from school comes up every morning to talk to me. I may get a little recognition this way. I hate to take the job of ordering the boys around but I have gotten along with them very well so far. I try to be nice about it and not boss them and they realize my position so everything works out. I’ve seen some guys turn into heels when they had a little authority. I don’t intend to be one of them if I can help it.

The main part of our job comes is the morning up until about ten o’clock. We have to take temperature pulse + respirations of all the patients, give them baths, prepare the ones for operations that are to have operations, help in dressing their wounds. By the time everything is finished it is just about 10 o’clock. The rest of the day is spent in helping the ones who need attention and most of the time that amounts to nothing. Thats what makes the time hang so heavy on your hands. I’m doing just that now except I’m writing to help pass the time away.

I arranged a schedule for the weekend with the ward master as half of the boys could get off tomorrow and half today. I’m one of the ones who are off tomorrow. We both have to work in the morning but a least you get the afternoon off. It sure will help. As I said before I don’t like it too much as it is a lousy job. I’m nothing more than a ward boy. To think I spent pretty near two months in school to do something I could have learned in two days up here. Oh well that’s the army way. Sometimes I wonder if it is all worth the effort.

I presume you got my last letter about the socks. I’m also going to be broke in another week or so. I’m not going to say anything as you have done enough for me already. I’m sure will be glad when Congress makes up it’s mind about our pay raise.

I guess that is about for all I’ll write you again soon.

Love to all
Bob

P.S. Air mail is fairly fast just about 2 ½ days to here otherwise it takes 5.