Mid-February 1944: Basic Training Begins & What About Wayne?

 

Postmark Feb 16, 1944

Sun

Dear Ma

I guess I ought to slow down for a few minutes and try to drop you a line. 

We start our basic tomorrow morning so I'll probable be worn out for about 3 weeks. I guess that's all the longer we will have. It sure looks like it's going to be nice day to start with,. It looks like it's getting ready to storm and is getting colder out all the time. I sure wish it would clear up while we go through basic because it gets so darn cold that early in the mornings. 

We got passes last night so went into town, we had a hotel room & I think it had bed bugs because have have bites all over me. 

Tue

I haven't received any letters from you yet but guess I ought to soon. I got a card from Glady & a letter from Tuck today so I haven't done too bad.

I was going to finish this yesterday but was too tired. They wore us out marching & on physical training. To day wasn't too bad but I didn't exactly like it. It started off a very poor day the wind was blowing & it was snowing at the same time. That's one reason we didn't do too much, it did turn off to be a 1/2 way decent day the sun came out & it warmed up some.

Margaret didn't have much to say, I guess she has written you all that she wrote me. She did send me her picture but I didn't think it was a very good picture of her but may be it is. After all it's been almost 3 years since I last saw her.

Well I have to take a shower (tell Nene) so will close for now. 

Jack. 

Feb 17, 1944

Dear Ma

I got a letter from you yesterday with all the income tax forms: I don't need them but will send them back.

We have been walking our legs off & really getting a good work out. I was going to write you last night but my legs ached so much I just went to bed. We just march here & then march there & then back again.

We have been having some weather lately & I mean some weather. It as snowing this morning but wasn't very cold well this afternoon the sun came out & cleared up then the sun went down & it started snowing again.

We didn't do much to day because of the snow "thank God." We just had lectures & a picture show today & then we got off a whole hour earlier. we got off at 4 o clock believe it or not.

I don't know if I wrote you telling you I got a letter from Glady or not.

I can't think of any more to write so will close now.

Jack. 

Note: Glady is his mother's sister. 

Feb. 19 1944

Dear Ma 

So you think you should have gone to Albuquerque for a change. Well maybe it's all right that you went this time but lets not let it happen again for another 6 years. I hope you had a nice trip & saw a few of the people you use to know.

Well we have one week of Basic over with now so that means only 15 more days. We have had it a little bit easier the last couple of days. We had a exibition this after noon on chemical war fair that was very interesting. I got to talking to a Louie (just a young fellow who was connected to chemical warfair and he was very nice about it in fact the nice officer I have ever talked to. He never called me down for not saying sir & such. I did get called down on the drill field by a Louie for having a smile on my face while we were marching. I didn't like it but theres not much I could say about it.

It sure was nice out today & we had to stay in all but 2 hours listening to dull old lectures. There telling us all about firing guns but up to yet they haven't told me much that my dear old uncle hand't told me or beat into my head. Say while I am talking about Wayne you can inform the Folk that I said Wayne wont get married to Malc so for them to stop worring. I think I know him about as well as any one does & I don't think he would do something like that in fact I just wrote him pertainning to such & you should have read what he wrote so tell them not to worry. 

I got a pass tonight but am staying in for a change. I can't afford to go in more than once or twice a month.

Well I have to shine some shoes & etc so will close for now. 

Jack. [with a flourish]

To remind you: Wayne is his uncle, his mother's brother. Malc is Malcom Irene Codding, a friend of my mother Maggie (and who was instrumental in introducing Jack and Maggie).  

Feb 22

Dear Ma

I'll try to write you a little note to let you know just what is happening.

We haven't been doing a while lot of interest just listen to some old dry lecture  & maybe see a movie & march. We did see a couple of pretty good movies this after noon in fact we stayed on about 10 minutes on our own time to finish it they tried to run us out but it was interesting so we demanded to see it.

We had a snow last night but it didn't amount to much. It was all gone by this after noon. It did turn of cold & windy today, we are out on the flat so when the wind starts blowing it sure comes in. It also got rather dusty while we were out practice firing.

I don't remeber if I told you I want into Denver Sun & spent the whole sum of 20 cents. That was spent on getting part way into town. I thummed the rest of the way.

about my income tax you said I never included the doctor bill & etc. I tried but it didn't work this kid isn't so dumb he will try any thing to beat it but it didn't do so good this year. I tried to get more deductions but thats all I could get.

So you had quite a time in Alb. Well happy day you never did say if the runts went with you or not from what I took I guessed they did.

So Wayne wrote & told the folks that he was single--well I didn't think he would do it & was right.

Well I'll close for tonight.

Jack

Next: Biovac and shooting guns. 

Mid-February 1944: moving barracks and laying around

Jack mailed a postcard to Bo mailed on February 12, 1944: 

Dear Bo

I got your letter so will pen you a letter now but I don't have time to write you a whole letter. I moved again and you probable have seen. I sure hate this morning but I guess that's the way things go. I wrote ma about her sewing so will find out out how we come out. I hope she listens for a change. It has been cold here & we have had a snow the last couple of days. I haven't been doing anything the last few days but will start basic Mon. so won't lay around much after that. You ask if I needed any thing, well if you can live on $25 as a civy I think I ought to get by on $16 in the army. 

Jack

Note: $25 is about $373 today; $16 is $279. 

Things might get confusing now, because the postmarks indicate that Gram received them in a different order than they were written. But, because later in the war postal service from the front was not as efficient as in the states, I'm going to go ahead and post them in order of their postmark, which is most likely how Gram read them. If they are out of order, I'll try to indicate this. 

This letter was written before the last one in the last post, but it was postmarked after. It's obvious that will all the moving around the mail got a little cattywampus.

postmark Feb 12, 1944

Feb 9 1944

Dear Ma

I got my income tax figured out this morning & they owe me the whole sume of $12 or whereabouts.

I moved again yesterday & look for another move again tomorrow so you better hold your letters until I get located. I think we will starting taking our Basic about the first of next week.

I got the N. Mex. mag & that article about Dee was all right. I also got letter yesterday from you yesterday.

It had also turned off nice & cold the last 2 days it tried to snow yesterday but didn't quite get the job done. It still looks like it might snow but I hope it doesn't because it makes it too nasty to get out in.

All we do now while we are here is lay around in the barracks & do nothing. If we leave the barracks we have to sign our names & where we are going & when we return. It sure makes it inconvention but I guess we can take it. 

Well that about all I can think about too much noise and guys talking to try to write.

Jack

Note: The Dee he mentions, Dee Bibb, was a family friend, the husband of my Mom's long-time best friend, Mabel. It would take a lot longer to find an archive of the New Mexico Magazine Jack mentions, but I did find this in the February 5, 1944 edition of the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper:

Dee Bibb was an colorful fellow. Here is a tribute from his buddy after his death in 1968. He had 700 people attend his funeral services.

Next: Basic Training Begins