August 22, 1942 - “. . but to lose them playing war is worse yet”

Saturday Eve.

Dear Mom + Dad,

I didn’t go into town tonight as I went swimming this afternoon. It is nice to be able to go except that it is so far. You have to travel 26 miles each way on a G.I. truck and it’s no fun riding one of those things.

On arriving back at camp at 5:30 this afternoon we had to go to work. An emergency has arisen where they need room for 200 patients to come in to the hospital. Having no room for them we were called out on an emergency to pitch 30 tents to make room for them.

From all appearances maneuvers are being called off. In the first few days we have so many boys overcome by the heat that they deem it wise to call it off. That is one reason for our emergency tonight. Also four or five tanks have caught fire killing several men. I’m not absolutely sure that the maneuvers are called off but rumor has it that way. As I look over the hill I can see truck after truck returning to camp so there must be some foundation for it. I’ll know for sure in a few days just what the score is, as now the news is only trickling in. I do know for sure though that they are having a tremendous number of heat stroke cases in the hospital. You see the trouble is that a lot of these outfits have just moved in for maneuvers and aren’t accustomed to this heat. It takes at least a week and sometimes two so you get used to it. It doesn’t seem as the authorities have taken that into consideration. It is a darn shame in a way. It is bad enough to lose the men in war but to lose them playing war is worse yet. Well I’ll let you know what happens for sure in a few days.

I haven’t said much except about maneuvers but that is the main topic around here now. Please forgive me. I’ll write again tomorrow.

Love
Bob