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16 April 1942

 

Dear Folks:

Time to write a few lines while everything is quiet after supper chow.  Just got a letter from you that was put in the wrong slot in the mailbox.

Well, well-founded rumors are astir that we are moving out perhaps tonite or tomorrow.  In fact all we have been doing today is loading and greasing trucks and getting our personal equipment in shape to pack quietly when the order comes. Where we are going is of course not known but the latrine rumor is to Los Angeles.  Whether this is in preparation for something bigger I can only guess.  The latest is that we may move after midnite tonite.

Tonite also we are having alittle battery party with talent supplied from our ranks to refreshments from the battery fund.  Suppose we will have a lot of fun singing and horsing around.

I wrote Dick a few days ago asking him to come up so we could both talk to you on the phone.  However if we move I’ll make the call, if possible, myself.  I haven’t been down for three weeks now and would like to see them before we leave but perhaps this won’t be possible.  The 19th will also be the monthly anniversary of my army induction—seven months.

I am sending my mail free, but because I had a little supply of stamps thought I just as well use them for airmail.

Don’t know exactly when our $42.00 will be effective but will probably effect our pay on the first of June.  I will send you $20.00 to use in coming out.  Wish you could come on the train.  I think Dick and I can arrange it that way.  If we each donate $20.00 or so you could afford it then.  It would be better for you than riding in a car.

Yes, even get to sleep late if we walk at nite—the usual tour is 4 hours on and 8 hours off.  We haven’t heard anything about furloughs for our bunch and are not expecting any—at least I’m not.  We took all of our shots in the arm and after about three they were nothing.

Right now I’m reading ‘Inside Europe’ and ‘The Green Lights’, but if we move won’t get to finish them and incidentally, I’m wondering how I can return them to the library.

Last Sunday I was on KP and while looking around the kitchen saw a carton of beef from Cook’s Packing Company in Scottsbluff.  Kind of surprising.

I gave up my job as assistant battery clerk for lack of anything to do in there so now I’m in the communications detail.  We string wire from gun phones to the switchboard to the observation point (OP).  From the OP the CO (commanding officer) relays his firing data to the guns which go thru the switchboard hidden in the brush somewhere.  It’s a pretty good assignment and more interesting than doing the cannoneer’s hop.  Pulling two or three miles of wire by hand is a workhout.  One of our trucks has a small gasoline engine for this purpose mounted on the back.

Well guess this is all this time.  Will write you all I can about what’s going on.

Love,

Harold Moss Signature

Categories: Books, Communications detail, Dick Moss, Furloughs, Guard duty, KP duty, Mail, Medical, Military daily life, Money home, Pay, Phone call home, Troop movement

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Harold’s Whereabouts

Escondido, California

Rank

Pvt. HG Moss 37086474

In the U.S. Army, a rank of private is used for the two lowest enlisted ranks, just below private first class. Most of the soldiers in WWII had the rank private or private first class.

Description

3 pages, handwritten in pencil, front and back to his parents in Minatare, Nebrsaka

Return Address

Btry C, 222nd FA Bn
Escondido, California

Postage

None-free

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