August 4, 1942 . . .no use to my country being here

Tuesday

Dear Mom + Dad,

Your letter came yesterday after I had written to you so I’ll answer it now. As I told you I have been writing everyday as it helps to pass my time away. I know you don’t mind if I do that.

I finally signed the payroll today for the first time since I’ve been here. I will get paid on the 10th of August. I don’t know for sure just how much it will be. It should be about 90 or 100 dollars.
I’m going to send as much as I can spare home. I’d appreciate it if you could keep it in reserve. Perhaps I can build up an account for my next furlough, if and when. I don’t really need so much money here as I can only get off to L.A. once in awhile to spend it.

You can send me those cigarettes anytime you like. It doesn’t look as if I’m going to move for awhile yet anyway. I’d sure like to but there is no notice of it yet. I’ll just have to wait and hope for some break.

I’m so glad that you finally obtained a nice home. I know just about where it is and I imagine it is swell. I sure hope you can move in soon. I’d like to be home to help you move but I trust you can manage. It is about time that you had something. It makes me feel happy to know that at last you are getting something I know you wanted. Let me know all the details when you move and get set up.

I’m getting more and more disgusted with this outfit everyday. I’m of no use to my country being here. I sure wish they would send me where I could be of some help. It is a shame the time that is being wasted on us. I want to get this war over and return to a civilized life again. I can’t understand all this delay on this countries part. We’re ready now and yet they refuse to do anything about it. On well what’s the use of griping it doesn’t get me anywhere. It just gets under my skin and it helps to let off a little steam once in a while.

That’s all for now. I’ll write later.

Love
Bob

August 3, 1942 - L.A. Weekend Excursion Details

Monday Morning

Dear Mom + Dad,

I’m back in camp again after my weekend excursion. I sent you cards from L.A. and Hollywood which you should receive before this letter. All in all it was a good weekend.

I finally got my pass at 12 Saturday and started hitch hiking to town. I had the intention of thumbing my way into L.A. But after I got into Indio and saw the line of soldiers hitching I decided to take a bus. I picked a bad weekend to go as everyone had been paid on Friday and were all taking off to spend it. I finally arrived in L.A. at 6P.M. I then went and got a shave and a haircut and then something to eat. I started looking for a room and tried the “Y” first but they were filled. The man there told me of a few good places and I got a nice room for $1.25.

I ran into a man who treated me all night and I had quite the time seeing the night life. I got to bed about 2 A.M. and slept to 10 Sunday A.M.

I then grabbed a trolley and went over to view Hollywood. I went first of all to the U.S.O. club. They plan their trips for you through studios etc. but as it was Sunday there wasn’t much doing. While I was there I met Larry Gallo, who is in the Navy. I almost keeled over when I saw him. He is stationed in California. We had quite a talk about dear old Peekskill and things in general. It is funny how you run into people in all parts of the country.

I walked all around Hollywood and saw the sights as much as possible. I didn’t get to see but one studio but I saw a great deal of town. It is a swell town. I then went back to L.A. and went to a show. I saw Count Basie’s orchestra on the stage and I enjoyed that very much. I finally caught a bus back at 5 P.M. and came back to Indio. I then caught one of our G.I. trucks and came back to camp and so to bed. All in all a good weekend.

I enjoyed traveling all around and seeing the nicer parts of California. All along through the coast it is really nice and it reminds you of dear old New York State. If nothing else the army sure helped me see my country.

I still don’t know what is going to happen to this outfit. As everyday draws by it looks more + more like there will be no maneuvers for us. There seems to a strong rumor with some foundation that we are going to Boston soon. It has been all around the office and I’m almost beginning to believe it. Of course if we do move there it means that we are getting ready to move out overseas. However it will take some time. I wouldn’t be surprised though, if I begin to see some action very soon now. I would like to go up Boston way as then I could get home before I moved out. I guess though it will have to await developments. So far it is only a rumor and they are really terrible in the army. You can take it for what it is worth. It seems to make a little sense so thats why I’m telling you.

I guess thats all for now. I’ll write again later.

Love
Bob

August 2, 1942 - Postcards for LA

“A Glimpse of Portion of the Business Section, Hollywood, California”

Home of the movie stars and it is really wonderful. Haven’t had a screen test yet but any year now. This has been a good weekend.

Love
Bob

“Fountain, Pershing Square, Los Angeles, California”

Dear Mom + Dad,

This is the real nice part of Cal. It is cool and nice. The town itself is wonderful and I’m having myself a good time. I’d like to stay here instead of going back to camp. I’ll write when I get back.

Love
Bob

August 1, 1942 - Before Going to L.A.

Saturday Morning

Dear Mom + Dad,

I’m writing just a short note before I take off for L.A. I’m waiting for that darn old office of ours to get them out. We have just received new orders about guard duty and everybody is getting stuck on it. I have avoided and will get my pass. But everything is delayed. I could have left at 9:30 if I could have gotten my pass, but no such luck.

I’m enclosing a letter from Hemenway that came in today enclose it with the rest of them. I may need them in three more months.

This will probably be my first and last chance to see L.A. so I’m going to make the most of it. I’ll give you all the details when I come back.

That’s all for now. I’ll write when I get back from L.A. I hope to have a lot of fun.

Love
Bob

July 31, 1942 - Gripping After the Let Down

Friday Morning

Dear Mom + Dad,

I feel a little better this morning than I did last night. However, I’m still down in the dumps and discouraged. I’m going to try to get it off my chest so if you’ll bear with me I’d appreciate it.

As you know from the letter I can’t apply again for it for three months. Right now I don’t care if I ever take it again. I tried to make something out of this army and I couldn’t do it. I have no aspersions of climbing at all now. I’m only here because I have to be. I’m just going to do all that is required of me and let it go at that. I have no desire at all to exert an extra effort to get ahead. I shouldn’t feel that way but the way this army is run you can’t get along on your ability so the devil with it.

I’ve been drilling a lot for the last few days. There is nothing for us to do but lousy details. Just to keep us busy they have you our marching up and down, all to no avail. It seems a darn shame that with men needed so badly all over that we waste our time drilling and sitting around. I can’t understand the rhyme + reason behind it.

Then too if you could see the ignorant dopes that are our sergeants you’d have a hemorrhage. It really hurts to take orders from them. They are impossible. It is the old story of a little authority going to a man’s head. They just get under my skin so much that a lot of the time it is hard to keep my mouth shut. I manage to do it though as it pays in the long run.

As you can probably see by all this griping that it has kinda got to me. Just bear with me and I’ll snap out of it soon. I guess it is just the let down. However there is a lot of truth in what I have put down here.

I hope to get a weekend pass and take off for Los Angeles this weekend. I can get on if I have no detail. As yet the list hasn’t gone up so I can’t be sure. It will be just my luck to hit one when I need something like that L.A. trip to snap me out of my rut. I’m still praying. All my luck in the army can’t be bad.

I borrowed some money today as everybody got paid except me. I hope to have a good time if I can get off. I’ll write you again this evening or tomorrow morning as let you know. Please write me soon as I need a little cheering up.

Love

Bob

July 30, 1942 - “. . .crash the whole thing fell out from under me”

Thursday Eve.

Dear Mom + Dad,

I don’t feel in any mood to write this letter and you can see why if you read this letter I just got in this P.M.’s mail.

I had been feeling so good as I hadn’t heard anything and I was just about sure I had made it. Then this came and crash the whole thing fell out from under me. I’m just about ready to cry but I don’t want too.

It is very discouraging to me as I know I have the ability and this damn army just won’t recognize it. Oh well I’ll just have to plug along and make the best of it.

I’m going to submit an application for the army air corp flying cadet. I’m so sick of this medicine show that I’m going to do all I can to get out of it.

Will you please forgive me if I stop now as I just can’t write. I think you’ll understand. I’m sending my letters of applications along via free mail. Please write me soon.

All my love
Bob

Received July 30, 1942 - By Command of Major General PATTON

July 29, 1942 - Indication of Good News?

Wednesday Aft.

Dear Mom + Dad,

I have some indication of good news, at least it is a sign. My friend who took the exam with me has failed. His application came back to our office today which means it is rejected. Nothing back on mine so far. It looks like I’ve been accepted for if I had failed I think my application would have come back too. Of course I can’t be sure of this but at least it seems to point to the right direction. I don’t know whether I go on this months quota or next if mine is accepted. I sure hope it is this month. Keep praying for me as anything can happen yet. At least it appears good on the surface and I’m still optimistic.

Two letters have arrived from Mr Blackshear and one from Father Flemming. The only trouble is that they came in to late. I handed those older ones in and they may help. Please don’t say anything about them not being used to the persons involved. I have already sent out letters expressing my thanks for what they have done for me. I also want to thank you for getting them for me. All in all you have done on big favor and I sure appreciate it.

I walked guard last night for the first time since I’ve been here. It isn’t hard but it gets awful tiresome walking up and down.

I guess I won’t be able to go into L.A. this weekend as I’ll have to hang around and see if I get orders to move. If my application goes through I should be on my way about Sunday for Florida. I can’t take the chance of going away and missing the trip. Then too I’m not so sure I’ll leave this month but I can’t afford to take the chance.

If I move it will be bad as I don’t know when I’ll get paid. I get paid on Aug 10 but if I move out before then I’ll have to go without it. Oh well this is all idle speculation and will have to await results.

We’re not doing anything here except lay around all day. It is getting very very tiresome. That is the reason I have been writing you every day, because I’ve had plenty of time.

That’s all for now. I got your Sunday letter today. I figure about 2 ½ days for air mail letters to arrive. That’s not bad.

Love
Bob

July 28, 1942 - Interviewed for OCS

Tuesday Aft.

Dear Mom + Dad,

I wrote you a letter this morning telling you how disgusted I was because my application hadn’t gone through and my friends had. Discount all that now as I was called just about one half hour before the exam. I’m sending this air mail so it will come in first so you won’t have to worry about that letter now.

I completed my final step today in appearing before the board. There were only two men on it and it wasn’t very hard. They asked a lot of questions on current events, what I had done before, different parts of the army. All in all a general quiz. It is one of those propositions where you can make no definite statement as to how you did. It is very similar to an interview by a school principle. You can only get an inkling of what they think. I think I made out all right but I can’t be sure. At least I hope so anyway. I guess I’ll know very soon whether I made the grade or not. Keep praying for me.

You don’t need to worry anymore about letters of recommendations as it is all over now except the results. I’m going to feel awful blue if I don’t make it.

I never gave this thing a thought until I was home and then I guess it snapped me out of the rut I had been in. Now I can’t see anything but officers school and if I don’t make it I’ll be terribly disappointed. I guess you can understand that.

Well if luck is with me I’ll be taking off for Florida soon. I can’t be sure that I’m in on this month’s quota but I think so. Then too this giving me a belated exam speaks well too because there must be opening or else they wouldn’t have called us in. All in all it looks very favorable but as I said before you never can be sure.

It is funny how you can change you attitude this morning I was down in the dumps and this afternoon I’m all enthused.

I guess that is all for now. If anything comes up I’ll let you know right away.

Love
Bob

July 28, 1942 - Friend Goes Before Board, Not Me

Tuesday Morning

Dear Mom + Dad,

I’m slightly down in the dumps today as I have received some disheartening news. My friend who submitted his application at the same time as I did goes before the board today and I have no word yet of mine.

I know this though, that our applications arrived at the main headquarters too late for this month’s quota. They were in our office in time but the office didn’t ship them out in time. I don’t know why my friend was called but they are giving him a special interview today. For some reason or other his is being considered for this months and mine hasn’t. Oh well I’ll just have to wait and see what happens. There is nothing further I can do now it all awaits my call before the board. However I feel bad about his going in and mine not. Then too I had my heart set on making this months’ quota. It just makes me feel blue. I still feel that I have the ability to make it and now that I’ve decided to do it and I mess it up I’ll be awfully disappointed.

The whole trouble is right in our company’s headquarters. I’ve had my application in there on the 21 and the deadline was the 23rd. For some reason they kept them there and didn’t turn them over to the main headquarters until the 25th. Darn them anyway. I’m still holding out my hopes for the best.

Yesterday I told you I thought my outfit might move on. I have a little more on that. Our colonel is trying to have us moved to a different camp. The latest report is that we’re not going on maneuver. So far we haven’t been equipped with anything and all signs seem to point to it. However one can never be sure. I sure hope we do move out of here cause I can’t get a worse deal than I have now.

Incidentally I handed in those letters for recommendations as I thought they might possibly help me get in on this month’s quota.

We had a free movie last night sponsored by the U.S.O. I went and enjoyed it very much.

I hope I snap out of this mood I’m in. That bad news has made me feel blue. Perhaps things will break yet so I’m keeping my chin up.

Love
Bob

July 27, 1942 - Praying to make OCS

Monday Afternoon

Dear Mom + Dad,

Your letter arrived today and it came in 2 days which is very good time. I’ll have to note other air mail letters and see how fast they do come. I know my free letters take quite a time but I trust you don’t mind.

The letters you sent me may come in handy in case I go before the board before the others arrive. If I don’t use them I will ship them home to you as requested. Thank you for going to all that trouble for me and I sure appreciate it. I haven’t heard anything yet about going before the board but my guess would be around Wednesday. I’ll just have to wait and see. It is getting rather hard now as I would like to know my fate one way of the other. I’m still praying to make it. It will mean a lot of hard work but it will be worth it as you will have something when you get out.

I wrote a letter to Jimmy to try and get a little dope on just what he is doing. I expect to hear from him soon and that will give me some idea of what to expect when I get there.

I still can’t figure out the purpose of my present organization. The whole outfit is still on paper and no one seems to know its purpose or function. We have no equipment and none seems to be coming to us. We are supposed to go on maneuvers but we have nothing to work with as I don’t see how we are going to do it. I have a hunch the whole “shebang” will be shipped soon and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was overseas. That too will have to wait and see. They sure have this whole outfit all screwed up. My only hope is that the rest of the army isn’t messed up like the medical corps. For if it is we might just as well start having peace conferences right now.

If I’m not ready to leave for Florida this weekend I’m going to borrow some money and take off for L.A. I owe myself a few good times for if I go on maneuvers it will be about 2 months that I won’t even as much as get out of camp. Thus I’m going to have my fun while I may. I still hope I’m taking off for Fla.

I’ll write again tomorrow.

Love
Bob

July 26, 1942 - Palm Springs Visit

Sunday Afternoon

Dear Mom + Dad,

I went into Indio last night to break up the monotony of hanging around here. There is nothing doing in the town at all so I decided to go over to Palm Springs to look the place over. I got a ride there and when I arrived was very disappointed as the place was like a ghost town. Most of their business takes place in the winter time and right now it is closed up tight. There are really some beautiful homes there and I imagine it would be a nice place when it is open.

I didn’t get much of anything done except see a little of the country and it helped a little to get out of the rut. This place is getting on my nerves as there is nothing to do except the rotten details. Since I left K.P. I haven’t done one iota of work. Especially in a place like this with nothing to occupy your mind it gets on your nerves. I’ll sure be glad to get out of this place.

I haven’t heard anything new on the officers business. I imagine I’ll go up before the board the first part of this week. I’m getting anxious about it as I want to know whether I’m going to make it or not. I thingk I should but there are so many factors to consider that one can never tell for sure.

If you could send me a carton of cigarettes I would appreciate it. They are my biggest item of expense and if I get a carton from you I will be all right until I get paid. Wait until the end of this week before sending them as I should know my fate by then. As soon as I get word I’ll send you a letter air mail.

Have you found a place to live yet? I hope you find a nice little place for a change and get out of the old fire trap. When you move let me know all about the details.

I’m sorry I just messed up the letter by sweating again. This is really terrible.

I hope you have obtained my letters for me. I figured if you did it I could get them much faster than if I wrote for them. I know it is an inconvenience to you but I think you want to help me all you can. I also wrote to Mr Hemenway, my old boss for one. I hope they come in before I go up before the examining board.

I guess that is all for now. Write me soon.

Love
Bob

July 25, 1942 - If I Get Into OCS

Saturday Afternoon

Dear Mom + Dad,

I’ve been pretty good about writing since I’ve been back. I think I have written you nearly every day. They haven’t been much in the line of letters but - . I’ve been expecting another one from you but it will probably be along soon. The mail takes so long to get here.

I got a card from Em today and she’s now on her vacation at Cimmeron Ranch. I guess she’s having fun. It is wonderful to get some time off to do things like that.

My application for O.C.S. is now up in the proper hands. I’ll go before the examining board sometime next week and then I’ll know the results. If I make it I’m going to try to make arrangements to get home for a few days. I’ll probably know one way or the other next week and if I have to be there on Aug. 7 I can try to start for Florida a few days earlier and come in through New York. I get all my expenses to Florida paid so it won’t cost me too much extra. Of course all that will have to await the boards decision. Then too I might not make this months quota and will have to wait until the next quota comes up. Of course all this is pure speculation and probably won’t work out at all.

I get paid on Aug 10 and my paycheck should almost total $100. I told you I missed signing the payroll but at least it is accumulating for me. I still have three bucks left and I have acquired canteen checks so I have pretty near enough. I expect to get $6.60 ration allowance which is allowed me for my furlough soon. I don’t have to worry too much about money as most of the fellows have money and I can get it if I want it. Of course if I move out I get paid before I go so it will work out fine.

I’m going into Indio tonight just to get away from here for awhile. I don’t know what I’m going to do but I’ll find something at the U.S.O.

I’m going to try for a weekend pass and go into Los Angeles. I could have had one this week but I don’t feel like going right now. Probably next week I’ll have some duty and can’t go. I just have to take a chance on that.

Since I got out of my K.P. duties I haven’t done one thing except to loaf around. There is not much for us to do right now. We’re almost ready to move into our own area as soon as we get out tents up. I imagine something next week we’ll go down there.

I guess that is all for now.

Love
Bob

P.S. This letter is messy because the sweat rolls off on to the paper. Sorry.

July 24, 1942 - Back from Colonel Interview

Friday Morning

Dear Mom + Dad,

I have just come back from seeing the colonel. It really doesn’t mean anything as the important thing is the examining board which I go before next. I don’t know when I’ll hit them but it will be very soon now. I still have my hunch that I’m going to make it. I sure hope so as in the last week I’ve worked up a terrific enthusiasm about it. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what is going to happen.

I’ve been on the go so much lately that I haven’t had the time to do anything at all. I know my letters have been terrible as they’ve been written in between duties, examinations, seeing colonels, sergeants, etc. so please forgive me.

I finally got myself out of my K.P. duties. I talked to the first sergeant into letting me go so I’m a free mean again for awhile until they stick something else on me. Oh well I can take it, I hope.

I haven’t got much more to tell you as I wrote last night and it is early in the morning now. I have neglected my correspondence too. To illustrate what I mean I was just interrupted to clean out the tent. This paper is sure messy as you sweat so much and ruin it. I sure have a tough time. That’s all for now

Love
Bob

July 23, 1942 - KP, Swim, Grapefruit, & Interview Tomorrow

Thursday Eve.

Dear Mom + Dad,

Another day another letter. I had a half day off from my regular duties of star K.P. today. I don’t have to go back to work until tomorrow noon. I may get out of it by that time if I can talk the sergeant out of it and don’t think I won’t try. I have it rather easy though as I managed to fall into the easy kitchen and I can loaf a lot. Even with that it isn’t a pleasant job and I don’t like it. Well maybe tomorrow will bring a change of fortune.

I went swimming this afternoon in a private pool just outside of Indio. Someone has a winter home there and the soldiers are allowed to use the pool now. It is one swell place. I picked grapefruit from the trees and ate then and were they good. The oranges and dates weren’t ripe yet so I didn’t have any of them. It was a very nice relief to get away from camp to something I enjoyed.

I have an interview tomorrow with the colonel concerning O.C.S. My application is in and the next step will be to go before the examining board. If I pass that I’m in and off to Florida. I still think I can do it so keep praying for me. I’ll keep you informed of all that happens as soon as I can.

I’ll write again tomorrow after I see the colonel.

Love
Bob