Blogger's Note - Posting Schedule for the Summer

Its summertime and I have a lot going on! So I’m going to take a break from posting for a little while. I expect I will get a few letters posted in July. Sometime in August I hope to get back to the schedule of posting a letter daily. So for now, continue to check back for an occasional new letter.

And yes. . . soon Poops does get out of the desert and into the Air Corps! So we have that to look forward to. Thanks!

October 31, 1942 – All My Possible Prospects

Saturday Afternoon

Dear Mom + Dad,

I have two of your letters to answer today. At last nights mail call I received the one you wrote Tuesday and a back one came in from the Fifth field the one you wrote a week ago Thursday. I was very glad to hear from you as I haven’t been receiving very much mail lately. In fact I’ve had only one outside of the ones you have written me since I’ve been here. I’ve been going up to Station Hospital to get my mail and I’m going to continue to do so until I get some down here which should be in the next few days. As you know it has been messed up now for almost two weeks and I guess it has to be that way.

I went up to the office today to check on my status. My records are all here so this is finally the correct place where I should hibernate until they decide they want me in the U.S. Army Air Corps. I also asked about the chances of getting a furlough and there is no chance. I think I told you about them calling 25 and only 5 were here. So since then air cadets here cannot get furloughs. I thought as much but I thought it would be at least worth a try. Thus it doesn’t look like I’m going to get home for awhile unless I get some break in the meantime. You mentioned that you hope I’d come east. I don’t think there is any chance of that as I’ll probably be sent to Santa Ana if anything further away from home. I don’t mind that to much as that is a nice section of California. I might just as well be there as anywhere if I can’t get time off to come home. You know that I’d love to come home and see your new house. However, if I can’t that all there is to it. I’d just as soon come home and come home to stay for good. Until that day when this is all over I will try to make the best of the situation. Of course if I can get the chance I’ll be glad to come home.

I still have a long way to go through before I actually become a flying cadet. I have another tough physical to go through before I become an actual cadet. I started this with the idea of going to Officers School in the Air Force. Now I’m thinking very seriously of giving a try at flying if I can make it. If not my first job will be to try for Officers School again. I hope if it comes through again that I’ll make it this time. If I don’t make the flying cadets I become a private in air corps. My present corporal ranking will be lost when I transfer over. However, if that has to be I don’t mind that either as I feel I can work up pretty fast in the air corps. All of this is pure speculation but I’m trying to give you all my possible prospects of this air corps deal of mine. Whatever way it turns out I feel I’ll be a lot better off.

Mac and I are not listening to the Wisconsin Ohio State football game on the radio. I can’t get much out here during the day as the nearest radio station is 150 miles away from here. So this is the only one we can get. It is a good game and one of the best in the country so I don’t mind. It sure seems good to listen to them, it is the first game I’ve heard this year.

It is getting cold as the devil during the night around here. The nights drop down to very near freezing, the days run between 80 and 90. Naturally the sudden drop in temperature makes it seen much worse. We have no way of heating the tents so we almost freeze. I’ll sure be a thrilled guy after I get out of this desert. I’ve been out here now for over four months. Well maybe soon I’ll be out. Here’s hoping.

I guess I’ll quit now. I’ll write tomorrow.

Love
Bob

October 30, 1942 – Ducking to Avoid Work

Friday Evening

Dear Mom + Dad,

Another day another letter to you. This place here is rather getting on my nerves. You have to keep ducking all the time to avoid details as K.P., guard, etc. It rather makes your life insecure and jumpy. You can never tell from one minute to the next just what they want you to do. Your rank as corporal means nothing and you can still get the lousy details that I got when I was a buck private. Oh well, that’s the army for you. I guess I can make the best of it.

It to looks rather dreary for a quick transfer to the air corps. There are quite a few boys around here for the same reason I am and they have been here for 3 months. I guess it is just the breaks you get that decide your fate. Some only stay a short while others for quite awhile. I sure hope that mine is short and I can get out of here in a hurry. I’m getting anxious to get underway on the air corps deal. As I figure I’ll be a lot happier than I am now in my present set up. I think I told you that when I do go to the air corps that I’ll probably go to Santa Anna, near L.A. Most of the boys that have left from here have gone there so I don’t think I’ll be any different. The one consolation is that it will be out of the desert and near a nicer part of California. I don’t expect to get any breaks and get near home. I’ve rather given up hope for that move east I’ve always been dreaming off since I’ve come in this mess.

I have no chance of getting a furlough while I’m here. They won’t even let us out on pass as the air cadets are liable to be called in at any time. At one time they called 25 of them and only found 5 so since then they haven’t let any of the air cadets leave at all. That doesn’t bother me as I can leave anytime. I feel like it as there is no check up on me at all. When my money arrives I’m thinking of taking a trip to L.A. for a few days. I hope it comes in soon as I have no one to borrow from around here. “Mac” is my only friend and he hasn’t very much so I’m in a predicament. I think now perhaps I can get paid on the supplementary payroll which should come around the middle of the month. I’m going to check tomorrow and make sure that my service record is here and that this is where I really belong. I’d hate by some fluke of fate to mess up this deal. It is bad enough to wait around here.

That’s it for now. I’ll write again tomorrow night.

Love
Bob

October 29, 1942 (Eve) – Lost Soul

Thursday Evening.

Dear Mom + Dad,

Well here I am at it for the second time today although you will probably receive my morning letters a few days ahead of this.

As you know by this time I have been transferred to DEMY and hope that I’m at the right place this time. I could have gone over the hill for the duration and no one would have known the difference. I would have become a lost soul if I hadn’t checked in here. I don’t know yet if I’m not a lost soul but at least I think my records are supposed to (go) here and me along with them. This is a real messed up outfit. This is where they put all the boys waiting transfers discharges and miscellaneous items. There is one bunch down here just inducted at Camp Upton, who were supposed to got the 80th Engineers and be stationed here. Yet the 80th or no one else either ever knew about (it). So they are sitting around here trying to find out what is going to happen to them and where they go next. I’m afraid I’m going to have to check on my status and make sure I’m supposed to be here. I’d like to get into the air corps some time and not become a lost soul myself.

There is absolutely nothing to do around here. I have no job but run around all day and do as I please. I will get nothing to do either as time goes on. As soon as I get the money from home I’m going to take a few days trips and go to L.A. or someplace. I’m going to investigate my chances of getting a furlough tomorrow. I rather doubt if I will be able to get one but at lease I’m going to make a stab at it. There is no harm in finding out just what the score is, so keep your fingers crossed and maybe I’ll get a look at 694 Marion St. yet.

I got a kick out of Dad’s letter Sunday. It sure was crazy. You talk about messing up an address how about me, I’m not doing bad either. Except I really got lost and you knew where you were all the time.

So Jimmy thinks he’ll go overseas. I know that they do take the air corp boys over fast. Look at Russ. I’m afraid Fran may go soon to. If I ever mess up my flying cadet deal I may go soon. However, I rather have a hunch that I’ll never see this war unless it comes over here.

I hope you get my license for me. I’m not particularly worried about the forgery but I’m going to blackmail you.

Well that’s it for now. I’ll come again tomorrow.

Love
Bob

October 29, 1942 – New “Destination” (i.e. job)

Thursday Morning.

Dear Mom + Dad,

I finally have arrived at my destination and I hope that this time it is the right place. By the time you receive this letter I don’t know if you will have received my explanations of my change but it will arrive and clear it up later. I’m going to write just a short note now and send it out air mail. Tonight I’ll try and get off my regular daily letter in this way my letter should stay on schedule.

My new address is DEMY, S.C.U. 1925 Camp Young. That D.E.M.Y. stands for Detached enlisted men’s list. I just sit around here and wait until they call me + I have no job at all. So I guess I’ll get well rested up before I got into the air corps.

I received your first letter which came direct to Station Hosp. As far as mail is concerned I can pick up my mail at Sta. Hosp that was on the old address. It isn’t very far from here. But in the future address my mail to the address on the front. So I’ll get the money I hope you sent me up there so don’t worry about that. It’ll get to me and soon I hope as I have only 23c left. I think I can borrow a couple until I get yours. I’m still not sure when I get paid but it won’t be at regular time.

I’ll write again tonight.

Love
Bob

Blogger's Note - Happy Birthday to Bobbie & Richard!

Love John

And if he could, Poops would send his birthday wishes along too :-)

Enjoy your days!

October 28, 1942 - Letter typed on "this awful contraption"

October 27, 1942 – In The Wrong Place

Tuesday Eve.

Dear Mom + Dad,

I’m all messed up again tonight. I got called into the office late this afternoon and told I was in the wrong place. I guess I was supposed to report to a different area of S.C.U. than where I am at present. You see most of the permanent units around here are SCU 1925 or Service Command Unit. My orders just read S.C.U. 1925 so I took it for granted that it meant Station Hospital. My friend of mine who was transferred for the same reason is in the same boat I’m in. It’s all going to be checked up on tomorrow morning and maybe then I’ll get where I really belong. No one seems to know and it sure is messed up. If I get a break and got to D.E.M.L. where I think I’m supposed to go I may get a break and get a furlough. It is easy out of there. However, I’ll have to wait and see what tomorrow brings forth. I’ll write you as soon as I know just what the score is. I’ll write you air mail if I have a change of address.

I’m going to the show tonight to see Flying Tigers. So I think I’ll quit now and write the latest dope tomorrow.

Love
Bob

October 26, 1942 – Didn’t Get Caught

Monday Evening

Dear Mom + Dad,

Well here I am in again and tonight I have something to answer. I received my first letters today since I’ve been here. Your letter you wrote last Tuesday arrived today. Of course it is quite late but it had to catch up with me. I was very glad to hear from you as it seems like ages since I last heard from you but that is to be expected. I also received a letter from Emily today so you can see it was a good day for me. I imagine the rest of my mail will catch up with me soon to. It just takes time. I’ve advised all my regular correspondents of my change of address so results should be coming soon.

I wrote you a short note this morning requesting money. I don’t know when I’m going to get paid as my status and everything is all mixed up right now. If I miss pay day the end of the month I should get paid on a supplementary payroll. But there is a catch to it all my records have not arrived here as yet from the fifth field and I can’t get paid until they follow me. So I’m very liable to miss the supplementary to. It sure is a shame the way your finances are involved but I can’t help it. Then I may be transferred to the air corps any minute and that is liable to mess it up again. I’ll get it but it is a question of when. That is why I’m glad I have the reserve in the bank as it is on just such occasions that I can draw on it.

Speaking of the air corps I don’t think it will be very long until I’m called in. They have been calling in the members very fast now because of the large demand for them. I rather am inclined to think that I will be here only a month or so more. They can’t make it to soon. But at least I’m encouraged as indications seem to point to an early transfer. I’ll just sit tight and hope for the best.

Well my weekend is finished and I had a wonderful time. As I told you I wouldn’t get caught if I took off and I didn’t. They have no records on me and no check at all so I knew it was perfectly safe. I have it so arranged that I don’t even have to stand reveille because of the same reason. It is all fine and it if keeps up I’ll be fine. I’m developing a racquet on my job and all in all it is pretty easy. You see what a weekend did for me. I feel very good and my outlook on life is fine again. I guess it was just what I needed. I finally got back to Camp last night via bus around 10 o’clock and had a good night sleep on top of the weekend.

I’m glad to hear Brother is on his vacation. I also hope you can get the old house off your hands soon and start out anew. You spoke of my getting a furlough around Christmas. I rather doubt if I can work it at present because of the mess I’m going through. I could have got one if I’d stayed in the Fifth but prospects are rather slim now. Perhaps something may break for me and I’ll get it. If not I guess I’ll have to make the best of it. As for Christmas presents I have no real desires. You see my wants are very simple in the army. So I’d suggest a carton of cigarettes and put the rest in the bank as I’ll need that more after this war is over and it will come in more handy then.

Well I guess that’s all the news for tonight. I will write tomorrow.

Love
Bob

October 26, 1942 – I Need Money

Monday Morning

Dear Mom + Dad,

I’m writing this in a hurry as I want it to get off for a specific reason I need money. I’d like to have you send me a money order for $25 as I need it and I’m not sure when I will get paid. I hope to be able to replace it soon but if not that what it’s there for. I’d appreciate it if you would send it out as fast as possible as I’m almost broke.

I’ll write more later this evening when I get some free time.

Love
Bob

Promotion Warrant to Technician 5th Grade

Here is the "Promotion Warrant to Technician 5th Grade" referenced in the 10/21/42 letter.

October 25, 1942 – Palm Springs is Swell

Sunday Evening

Dear Mom + Dad,

To continue the letter I started this morning and had to stop because of lack of paper. It is now early evening and I’m waiting for the bus back to Indio to come in. I have 15 or 20 minutes so maybe I’ll be able to get off another page.

I sure have had a swell weekend. It has cost be about $20 but I have really lived and I feel that it is worth it. I’m just about broke now but by the time you receive this you probably will have had my request for money so why talk about it.

Last night I met a girl and went out with her. This is the first time since I was home on furlough that I’ve been out with one. So as you can probably guess I had a good time. I actually haven’t forgotten how to act or anything.

I went to a show today and saw a double feature that wasn’t really so hot but I enjoyed it. I was drinking beer in a wonderful bar and it was real good. I can’t say much except that this change of scenery has really done me good.

This town is really swell. When I was over here a few months ago it was all closed up. But now the winter season is on and it has opened up. Everything that you buy is as high as the skies but you get the best of everything. I have had really good food all weekend and believe me I appreciate it after that army chow. I know you’d like this place if you could come here.

Did you read about that airplane crash that took place out here? I didn’t see but that mountain that plane hit is right in back of this town. I’ll write tomorrow.

Love
Bob

October 25, 1942 – AWOL in Palm Springs

Sunday Morning

Dear Mom + Dad,

I am now in the Palms Springs U.S.O. writing this letter. As soon as I quit work yesterday I washed up and come over here. I hitched into Indio and had no trouble at all making it. I then decided I’d rather take the bus over here than hitch as it would be more convenient. I finally arrived here in Palm Springs at about 5 P.M. I immediately decided to hunt up a room. I couldn’t get a darn thing any cheaper than $2.50. I figured though that it isn’t very often that I get out so I wanted to get the best I could.

After getting a room the first thing I did was go out and get me a steak about an inch thick. Another $1.50 shot. While on the subject of money I’m going to write you and air mail letter tomorrow requesting some. I’m afraid I won’t get paid until the supplementary pay roll comes out. So I’m going to need about $25. Then when and if I get paid I hope to send it back. I don’t know where all my money went to this month but I got out a few times and managed to spend it. Oh well I owe myself all I can get when I have the chance.

There is no more paper available here for some reason so this will have to be it for now. I’ll write again more but what can I do about it.

Love
Bob

October 24, 1942 – Typing Practice

Saturday Morning

Dear Mom + Dad,

I have some time to waste this morning here in the clinic so I’m going to practice my typing as well as get a letter off to you. Our traffic through here has been very light this morning and so we have not had much to do. As I told you I’m off at noon today with nothing to do. I told you I was going to Palm Springs. I still haven’t made up my mind for sure, but unless something comes up I think I will go. I know you don’t mind, or do you?

I feel a little better spirits this morning than I did when I wrote you last night. Of course that is to be expected as those blue spells of mine come and go every now and then. It just so happened that last night was one of the off nights. So every thing looks as fine as can be expected this morning from out here on the desert. It’s just that this secluded life gets you down every once in a while. It seems now that life has no real meaning as you have none of the pleasures to look forward to. But this can’t last forever and I’m willing to do my part so here I am. I really believe that I will be a lot better off then I get in the Air Corps as I think that work will be more interesting and that is half the battle.

I haven’t done a thing the last few nights except go to bed early. I usually read a little before I finally go to sleep. That is one thing I have done quite a little of since I’ve been out here on the desert as it takes your mind off the life you are leading. This certainly (is) some typewriter, have you noticed how it skips every now and then. It really is the fault of the machine and not my gosh awful typing. So there.

I haven’t received any mail yet but that is to be expected for reasons I have told you before. I imagine that when I do get it I will get quite a lot in one bunch and then I will have to work my head off to answer. I like to keep up on my correspondence for if you don’t it gets to far ahead of you and you have a terrible time catching up.

Well here I am starting a new page and ending a letter at the same time. That sure is a fine way to mess things up but that is the way it is. So until next time.

Love
Bob

October 23, 1942 – Going to go AWOL ! ? !

Friday Evening

Dear Mom + Dad,

Another day of my life in the army is almost as a close. It gets after while so that one day is just like another. You go through the same boring routine. Eat work and go to bed. I guess I need a little change from my present environment. I’m off this weekend and don’t have to work. I can’t get a pass however. I’ve just about made up my mind to take a few days (weekend) off on my own. I can get away with it very easily. You see I can go so far in this army and after being in for a length of time you get to know just how far you can go. I’m certain that I can get away with it. I don’t have to worry to much anyway as I’ll be out of this outfit soon. So I can mess up without hurting myself at all. However the odds are 100 to 1 that I will get caught. So I think I’ll take the change and spend a weekend in Palm Springs I know I shouldn’t tell you things like this but I’d rather you know just what I do so there it is. I make take off and I may not. I haven’t definitely made up my mind yet.

I get rather tired after my days work. I don’t have to work hard except I work for 2 officers who are hard to get along with. If it wasn’t only writing my own finish, I’d tell them where to get off. You can’t do that in the army. You have to take it. That’s one bad feature, if in civilian life you didn’t like a job or the man you worked for, you could quit. But not in the army. It’s things like that, that get on my nerves and that makes your work all the harder. Oh well, I’ve always been able to take care of it and now is no exception. I’m afraid this has been a rather griping letter but then I had to get it off my chest. So please forgive it.

I have no chance for a furlough here and that rather disappoints me. I thought maybe going on the detached service I could get one but there is no chance for us. Another thing I have to take.

I’d better quit before I get to involved. I’ll write again tomorrow and I’m sure it will be in a better vain. This is just one of those days.

Love
Bobby

October 22, 1942 – Mattress, Sheets, Pillows :-)

Thursday Evening

Dear Mom + Dad,

I can’t for the life of me remember if in that letter I wrote you this morning I still gave you the correct address. For some reason ever since I’ve been told I was coming down here SCU 1929 has been running through my mind and it is actually S.C.U. 1925. So just for the relief of my own mind if nothing else I’m going to write my address again, this time correctly. Medical Section, S.C.U. 1925, Camp Young. I hope I had it straight this morning but if not this will clarify the situation.

I don’t expect mail for a few days for several reasons. First of all the change over to a new situation and then as I told you before the 5th Field also had a change. So I imagine my mail will be all messed up for awhile anyway. It can’t be helped so I’ll have to make the best of it.

I was assigned to my new job this morning. I hinted at it this morning so now I’ll amplify it. I work in what they call the out patient clinic and dispensary. My job is supposed to be the first aid man in the dispensary but I also fill in on the records. We handle all patients who go on sick call for several outfits here in camp, plus getting exams + check ups on everybody that needs it. There are anywhere from 150 to 200 patients going through every day. So you can see we are kept rather busy. I would rather have a lot to do as it makes the day pass much faster. We have it so arranged so that we quit at 5 P.M. instead of seven. 2 men stay until 7 P.M, every 4 days for 2 nights so that means you are on 2 nights out every six until 7 P.M. which isn’t bad at all. Then too you only work 1 out of every three weekends. I don’t know if you can get passes every weekend you’re off but at least you can get one every other weekend. This won’t be such a bad set up if I am kept on it. I’m afraid through that I may get changed for some ungodly reason. You know how the army works.

I have a mattress and sheet plus a pillow issued to me. After sleeping on the ground, tents and every place imaginable it sure seems like heaven. Then to we have showers even though they are as cold as ice. I guess it is paradise, at least it seems like it after what I have just gone through.

Well I guess that’s all for now. I’ll try and write as near everyday again as I can. I now have a little time and feel a little more like writing. Hoping to hear from you soon.

Love
Bob

October 22, 1942 – Address Correction/New Assignment

Thursday

Dear Mom + Dad,

I have a few minutes off so I want to write to you and correct my address. IT is Medical Section S.C.U 1925 Camp Young, Indio, Calif. I left the 1925 off last night when I wrote. I just plumb forgot all about it. So please note the change.

I’m assigned to the outpatients clinic and dispensary here. It isn’t so bad although we have a lot of work to do. You see we service most of the sick calls for the outfits. I think I work every third weekend so that’s not so bad. I’ll at least get a little time off. I’ll write again later.

Love
Bobby

October 21, 1942 – Transferred Back to Camp Young

Wednesday Eve.

Dear Mom + Dad,

I finally arrived back at Camp Young after fooling around for two days waiting for my transfer. I’m at the Station Hospital here again and here I’ll probably stay until they make up their mind that they want me in the air corps. I haven’t as yet been assigned to any job so I don’t (know) just what my duties are going to be. I would like to get into the operating room so I’m going to put in a request for that tomorrow morning.

I’m sending this via air mail so that you will have my new address as fast as possible. I wrote you a long letter yesterday telling all about what I did but this one will probably arrive first. Here’s the new address: Medical Detachment Section, S.C.U. Camp Young, Indio, Calif. You see I already made a mistake so please forgive the scratching.

As I mentioned in my letter yesterday I was supposed to have gone then but I didn’t get off until late this morning and arrived here in the middle of the afternoon. I’m all set up now and ready to go to work. I’m lucky in that a friend of mine from the Fifth Field was transferred over here a week ago for the same reason I am. I am living in the same tent with him so at least that will be a help until I get acquainted all over again and make some new friends. I won’t mind this so much if I can get some time off now and then. Since I worked over here they have acquired a new bunch of men and I think they have enough now. So I may be able to get some time now and then I hope. If I can get a weekend off now and then and go to L.A. it won’t be so bad. I guess everything will work out pretty fine. Even though I’ll still be glad to get into the air corps finally. There is one consolation if I can complete this flying deal I will be here another year without any overseas duty. I would like to become an instructor if at all possible. I intend to work out with that in view. I don’t know how you go about it but I’m going to try if I can. I’m happy about the whole deal and the sooner it goes through the happier I’ll be. In the mean time I just sit tight and hope for the best and speediest entrance that can come about.

Your Friday letter arrived in the mail this morning and I was very glad to hear from you. The carton of Camels arrived in last nights mail and thank you very much. I sure can use them. I suppose my mail will be all messed up for awhile but it will have to be because of the transfer. I’ll plug away at my letters to you as often as possible.

Did you ever receive my driver’s license? I have heard no mention of them. I sent then as I need a renewal and I hope they didn’t get lost.

I don’t know if I get paid this month as I’m messed up. If not I’ll have to write for some. I have to go down and see finance about it and I hope I can get it. If not I’ll call for $25 or $30 and send it back later.

Well that’s all for now.

Love
Bobby

P.S. I sent out a warrant signifying my promotion to tech 5th it should arrive soon.