Living quarters Archives - Page 2 of 3

30 June 1942

Dear Mother and Dad:

I better be writing soon or you will be thinking all sorts of things again. Monday we left Fort Lewis and came here to Yakima. This is the worst deal I’ve had yet. Our camp is stuck on a rolling prairie like in Wyoming and as hot as a Nebraska rye field. Man is it hot and dusty and then we live in pup tents. By four men joining their shelter halves we sleep four to a tent. Our sleeping bags are right on the ground where the dirt shifts into everything. This morning I put some boards under my bag in hopes it would keep it a little cleaner. Boy this is really rugged. Every time you take a step you raise a cloud of dust. I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re getting training for Africa. But one good thing is, it’s nice sleeping at nites, that is what there is of it—the sun does down about 9:40 and raises at 5:00. There are a couple thousand guys here all in pup tents. The canteen and theatre look like miniature circus tents. Guess that is the final conditioning. I think we will be allowed to grow beards too so we’ll probably be a hot looking bunch. If we get paid Friday I’m going into town and shower and slap on an ice cake. Anyway we all think it’s a mell of hess but it will probably be good for us.

Well I’ll write more later when I get better arranged and have some more news.

Love,

3 May 1942

Dear Folks:

I’ve wandered over half of the camp since supper and couldn’t find anything I wanted to do so here I am back on my bunk writing to you, which I should have done in the first place.

The box came about three days ago and did I have a good time opening it. The towels were just the thing and when I got around to the food I had about a dozen chow-hounds to get rid of. Everything hit the spot. Also got the Star Heralds and the Free Presses. I heard over the radio that there was plane wreckage with Bob [Redding from Minatare] among the crew. All were believed dead.

Well last Sunday we moved from the newer part of the fort over to the old section with the brick buildings. Our battery is sleeping in the usual wooden barracks but they are swell brick buildings all around. It was a heck of a time moving—the second Sunday in a row we worked and my morale was feeling pretty low. So for about all we have been doing is scrubbing, cleaning windows and the like. Everything has to be so darned perfect whenever we leave a place.

The building we eat in, and where a couple of batteries of our battalion are quartered is about the size of the Scottsbluff high school and fixed up elegantly. Finally after hearing and reading about the army’s modern equipment in the kitchen, I’ve actually seen some. The kitchen is a large room lined with brick tile and accessorized with Monel metal on most appliances. We have electric dishwashers and automatic potato peelers. And there is one machine that stands about four feet high and looks like a large drill, but is isn’t. It has a good size paddle on an off-center shaft that whips potatoes. Really a nice place. Seems too good to be true and I hope to break myself of the habit of grabbing my mess kit when chow sounds. We eat on Monel covered tables and use dishes and cups. All this reminds me of OP tomorrow. Report at 5:30 AM to work until eight in the evening. I’ll be plenty sapped tomorrow evening.

I have found a number of pit passes since coming to Fort Lewis and the first made its appearance last Saturday night. We were given eight hour passes from five until one so me and my pal decided to go to Tacoma. Well we waited from five-fifteen until eight-thirty, almost three hours before we got on a bus. I swear the ticket line was at least two blocks long leading into a postage stamp shack with but a single clerk selling tickets. I, and plenty others were pretty disgusted. An eight hour pass and three were spent getting a ticket and waiting for a bus. Finally about 9 we got into Tacoma and had a whopping supper but had to wait an hour for that. Every little place and large too was packed with soldiers. And repeat the above process on trying to get a bus home then getting up at seven Sunday. Tonite I tried to go to the show but the line there was inexhaustible, and the canteens reminded me of the May Company on Saturdays or trying to play polo in a submarine. I guess that’s about all of my peeves except the rain and KP.

The latest dope is that we will be here for at least eight weeks of intensive training.

This chilly weather here seems to have helped my appetite and am eating more than usual.

Have had a case of infantigo for the past two weeks. It is beginning to subside and is a lot cleared up. I looked like a guy out of a comic magazine with my face spotted up with the violet stuff the doctor puts on it.

Well I guess this finishes another issue. Hope to take advantage of the library if it isn’t like the ticket lines.

Given this letter is about all grip, well I’ll be more cherry in the next one.

Maybe I could elaborate a little more on the corny. In the first place you see fellows from all kinds of outfits. There are plenty of ski troopers here all abundantly equipped for mountain warfare. They train on Mt. Rainier. Then the other day I saw droves of good mules that are used by the pack field artillery. Guns [175’s] are bundled up in 250 pound pieces and packed by these mules. Of course there are tanks, mammoth railroad guns and half tracks. Some of the queerest names are attached to them, I mean the half tracks (lugs on the back and wheels on the front) such as “Cozy Coffin”, “Coughing Coffin”, “La Muerte” and “Chattering Coffin” etc. Then there is the Air Corps.

Well better quit now. 5 is awful early and I’ve got to wake up myself.

Thanks so much for the box. See you in the next letter.

Love,

28 April 1942

Dear Folks:

For some unexplicable reason I’m not much in the mood for writing but I better do it anyway.

Our tour finally terminated at Fort Lewis here in Washington—at least temporarily anyway. A large place accommodating ninety thousand men and set in a bunch of pine trees—very pretty but rainy. In fact it has rained practically all the time we’ve been here. But aside from the rain the sight of the barracks looked like a stream to a desert traveler. It seemed like old home week to sleep on a cot with springs, pull a sheet over you and go to the latrine all in one building. To eat in a mess hall and hang my clothes on a good rack and shave in a large mirror all rewarded the tiring trip. But one bad thing is the soot. The barracks and the mess halls burn a cheap coal and the chimneys lay down a heavy screen of dirt—especially in this damp weather. Gas would be a good thing here. The main part of the fort is pretty swanky with its red brick buildings and green lawns but our section is pretty drab. The rumor is that we will move next week to the new large barrack buildings. Today I was on divisional fatigue and was in the main fort cleaning a house where the general will live. You should have seen me cleaning woodwork and cleaning bathrooms. I never saw so many trucks—acres and acres and warehouses and all the rest connected with the operation of a place this size. Seattle, is about forty miles and Olympia about fifteen. Will have to see Seattle soon.

Hope you have sent my box by now. I’m waiting anxiously for it. By the way the address is changed again to:

Btry C, 222 FA Bn
APO 40, Fort Lewis, Washington

The package and your letters will reach me alright by the first address I sent though.

The nite we spent in Bend, Oregon was quite an experience. As soon as the churches and women knew we were coming they immediately broadcast a call for girls for a dance and other entertainment. It is a fairly small place about like Gering and when we landed there soldiers took over. We got free coffee and doughnuts and later a dance and the people were swell. But cold wow—the temperature went down to 20 degrees and when I got up at four in the morning frost was a half inch thick on my sleeping bag. I slept warm though even if it was on the ground in the open.

The next nite we stayed in Vancouver and of course it was raining and miserable. Got into town for awhile—also stood on the Columbia River bridge with one foot in Oregon and the other in Washington. Boy the country is pretty around here.

Tonite I went to a show to ease lying around and doing nothing. Also went last nite. I still believe we will be given furloughs soon, but for how long I don’t know. All kinds of rumors are out as to how long we will remain in this camp.

Well it’s fifteen until nine and still light outside. I can hardly believe it.

Enough for this time—probably I never mentioned a lot of things you are wondering about but I’ll take care of that next time.

Wish I was home.

Love,

24 April 1942

Dear Folks:

Well I’m a long ways from Escondido. This is the third day out and now I’m in Redding in northern California not far from Oregon. The first day we came through Pasadena, Los Angeles, and ended up in Bakersfield and stayed all nite at Minter field; the second day we came through Fresno and stayed at Modesto. Today we came thru Sacramento, Williams here to Redding. Our battalion met up with another outfit of quartermaster so our convoy is a plenty big one—well all three nites we have bivancaced on airports and covered nearly all the field so you see how large it is. They (the trucks) look like a great herd of pachyderms grazing. Here at the Redding airport we are surrounded by snow covered mountains and in the distance can see Mount Shasta. The airport is on sort of a rock covered plateau over which the wind is howling.

I think this trip will be remembered in my future years as one that took plenty of patience and roughing. In the back end of our truck our six men with fourteen barracks bags, rifles and equipment besides wire pharaphenalia. It is one constant effort to keep everything together. The first thing we do upon getting into the nite area is to set up the kitchen and get it going, then put up pup tents, and finally after a cold water shave and bath crawl into our sleeping bags. We get up at 4:45 and have chow at 5:00, pull tents, police up, and leave again at seven. For noon dinner we have two sandwiches but we make up for it with a hot supper meal, and do we eat.

Our ultimate destination is Vancouver, Washington so will be on the road for four more days. Tomorrow we go thru Klamuth Falls stopping at Bend, Oregon. Perhaps you can follow our itinary.

Tonite there is a show at the high school so a few of us are going in and perhaps get a shower and get this letter mailed.

You should see the guys shaving in a truck mirror while the wind dries the lather as fast as it is put on. I was one of the first ones to get to the small waiting room in the airport building, but with about a thousand guys on two sinks that didn’t last long.

Well I better wind this up so I can walk into town a couple of miles away and get back fairly early. Four o’clock comes around early. Remember my address:

Btry C, 222 FA Bn
APO 40, Los Angeles, California

Well goodbye for now, write you tomorrow if I can get to a post office.

Love,

21 April 1942

Dear Folks:

Well this will be my last letter from Escondido. Tomorrow morning we are pulling out for—I believe—Fort Lewis, Washington. The officers intimated it would be a long trip so I believe that is the place. It is around 1,500 miles and we make about 200 (miles) a day so it will be quite a ride. Of course I hate to leave the folks in San Diego behind—I will really miss them. We have been sleeping in pup tents the last two nites so of course it would have to rain continually and on top of that my tent leaked—adding to my consternation.

There seems to be a lot to write about but somehow I can’t think of it. There will be about 700 men in our convoy of seventy or eighty vehicles and they are plenty loaded down.

Gramma sent me a beautiful English made scard today—feels so good.

Hope you have recovered from the phone call—guess it leaves on a little shaken by the miracle of it. Wish I could call you every week.

My new address is:

Pvt. HG Moss
Btry C, 222nd FA Bn
APO 40, Los Angeles, California

You can send the box now—if you send it when you get this, it should hit me about right.

I’ll write you often to let you know everything.

I believe after we get there we may be given furloughs—let’s hope.

This is a pretty gential letter but I’ll have a lot of time to write on the way so you’ll be hearing from me again soon.

Lots of love,

10 April 1942

Dear Folks:

Suppose you will be surprised by the series of lots of letters but I’ve had so much time to do nothing that letter writing becomes a good recourse when the time drags.

Finished my tour of guard duty at Carlsbad so I’m back in Escondido. Two letters were waiting for me—one from each of you. When you send me a box again will you include a heavy bath towel and perhaps a couple of hankies? I know you will send a box as you always have so I just as well make my suggestions. Some other things—hair shampoo, whole peanuts, that’s just about everything. I’m as proud as pie over the sweater and hate to have to wear it underneath. I can wear it on the outside only on unofficial formations.

Guess I’ll dig up your letters and take care of your questions. First—the actual temperature doesn’t seem to get so low but somehow the nights are very chilly and invariably we wear jackets and overcoats on nite guard duty, and then we still get cold. Yes, I sleep in my sleeping bag every nite. I would freeze without it—or I feel like I would. Usually in the evening we have a fire going in our little cone shaped stove so it’s comfortable in the tents. In fact your Easter card and the letter about the suit—take your pick—and I also hope Dad is making use of them. When the day comes that I will be handed that precious little document inscribed with the word ‘discharged’ I am going to wear different clothes everyday just to see what it feels like. Now that I got to thinking about it, it will seem odd very different to get back into civilian life. I never realized the freedom and privileges that I enjoyed. Suppose you will for awhile have to wake me with a bugle, blow a horn for chow and give me an inspection on Saturdays. How good it will seem to be relieved of the regulations of uniformity that we all follow.

Last Wednesday got a letter from Gram inviting me to a Nebraska picnic at Long Beach. Dick, Loyd, and June are going but I’m tied up, of course, so can’t attend! It does no good to make plans for anything—take your liberty as it comes and make arrangements later. Last nite a group of women with the Women’s Club in Vista entertained about forty of the soldiers to a dance and games in their clubhouse. I became entangled in a good bridge game with three of the town’s solid (+ solid) women who rank with the sharks. Of course I’m not acquainted with all the intracies and opportunities of the game but we got along pretty good and they were very gracious about my ineptness. They hung on all my words and finally we both recalled someone we knew in Scottsbluff so we became very chummy.

Another Sabbath tomorrow which means pancakes (a rare treat) for breakfast and church later. Besides pancakes-I also saw a boiler full of chickens so suppose we will have chicken for dinner with some good mashed potatoes.

I don’t know any Hoover in my battery although he may be in another battery of the battalion.

I see Dad you mentioned something of going to Alliance to see the army pass threw. Well I suppose a uniform would cause a mild sensation back there but out here they are so commonplace they are never noticed. Everyday convoys of trucks for miles in length pass through the town and P-38 interceptors, bombers and fighters fly over incessantly. Searchlights cut swatches of whiteness in the nights, and boys sit in rooms of sandbags keeping accurate logs of every happening along the coast. Troop trains sweep along, blackened out like a deadly animal and the yellow light of an alert flashes on once in a while. Rumors fly like confetti in a March breeze and the next most important topic is dope about furloughs and passes and (of course) women. I wish you could visit our battery and see what we do. Each move a vital cog in a big war wheel.

Well this covers about all from this news front and perhaps a little to much space so until the next letter.

Love,

5 April 1942

Dear Folks:

Suppose you are wondering what has happened to me for not writing so long but last week was a busy one with moving and guard duty and I feel off a little.

Last Wednesday thirteen of our battery were transferred to Carlsbad to join another battery in our regiment, to patrol the coastline. It is about twenty miles from Escondido but a little closer to San Diego. We are living in tents in a eucalyptus grove just about a mile from the coast back in the hills. A nice shower room and washstand has been built so it isn’t so bad here. Carlsbad is about a mile away and Oceanside about four. We do guard duty six hours at a time, either from six until twelve or twelve until six at nite only. Each outpost is dug out in the sand and lined with sandbags and equipped with a stove and charts, etc. Ours sits on a bluff overlooking the sea. Two stay in the dugout while two walk on patrol, our post is 3 ½ miles so we walk seven miles each nite. Time seems to go pretty fast though, walking along the beach or highway 101 and watching the surf pound in. In the afternoon we drill 3 hours.

Well today was big one on the calendar, being Easter. I got up at nine and hitchhiked to Oceanside and went to the Episcopal church there. I also took communion. The church is right on the highway 101 in town and during the sermon he was forced to almost yell while a marriage party went by. After church I hitchhiked back to my station.

Was in Coronado last Tuesday on a 23 hour pass and had a nice time with the folks there. I talked to Dick again about the Navy and I believe he will refrain from joining.

Just got Dan’s letter and picture. Boy, he’s good looking. He shouldn’t have any trouble with girls. Also got a card from the Colson’s. By the way even tho I’m here at Carlsbad still address my mail to Escondido. It will be sent out daily.

Haven’t heard from Kate for some time. Believe she owes me the letter.

I just had Sunday chow a few minutes ago—peaches, cheese, cold meat, beets, coffee, and potato salad. Pretty good. Guess I’ll read awhile tonite before going out on guard.

Well another Easter has come and gone and for the first time I didn’t have to be particular about what I wore. Everyone was dolled up in church and was the only soldier there. Hope I’m not wearing OD’s when the next one comes around.

Sorry I didn’t write in time for the box but I know everything you put in it will be something I can use.

Love,

19 January 1942

Dear folks:

I just mailed you a letter only this afternoon but thought I’d write another because you have some questions. If you could only see me writing this letter you’d be quite amused I believe. I’m in a tent as you know and it’s nite and we are using candles until lights are installed. There are five in our tent but only 3 of us are here. Two are cutting wood for the little inverted ice cream cone shaped stove we have and I’m sitting down leaning on my cot with a candle sitting atop a tent stake being used as a candleholder. The fellows in my tent are attached to headquarters battery which includes a lineman, an artillery mechanic, the bugler, a driver and myself, assistant battery clerk. So we hear the bugle plenty good and loud. Our schedule now is reveille at 5:55 and calestinics at six fifteen and breakfast at six forty five. It’s a little hard getting started some mornings but exercises loosen up the kinks.

Now to get around to your letter and go thru it as the questions come up. The first item is the sweater, yes, a nice sleeveless sweater would come in handy. Several of the fellows have them. Olive drab or khaki is the best color. The next is the mail, it’s all coming thru okay I believe. I got the two bucks, the Free Press regularly and other mail. All but the box. The boys in the tent say that as soon as you put in a claim on it they will dig it up pronto. I’m very disappointed. If they do get it here and it appears mutilated and rifled, I’ll turn it over to the post office here. Now comes around reading. The USO is plentifully supplied with all kinds of magazines but the Readers Digest is about the only one I read. Until we get lights in our tent I can’t do much but currently I’m reading ‘The Fight for Life’ by Paul DeKriuf. It’s plenty good and an eye-opener as to the prevalency of diseases. About three weeks ago I applied for a city library card but it had to be signed by a city property holder and with the constant prospect of moving in a hurry it’s a little risky. No, we’re not getting any leaves yet. Just today I applied for a twenty four hour leave to Coronado but I couldn’t even get by the first sergeant to see the battery commander. I called Grandma yesterday nite and I think they are coming up again Sunday. June always wants to know if there is anything I need. Yep, it might have been me calling you that nite, from taps ‘till reveille. I think about home and all the family.

I went to church yesterday and I could remember most of the prayers without using the book. After the service a lady turned around and shook hands and asked me if I was an Episcopalian and when I replied ‘all my life’ she said ‘I thought you were’. She asked me to join the choir.

I guess that’s all the questions. I really feel swell and getting heavier all the time. I took some pictures today of me climbing up the tent trying to put on the last joint of chimney and keep from sliding down at the same time. Hope they are good.

Well goodnite Mom and Dad and don’t feel too low. I want to go back to school all the more now but we’ll see how things come out.

Better send me your pictures so I can set them in front of me when I write.

Love,

18 January 1942

Dear Folks:

The end of another Sunday and a new week about to begin. Strangely though I kind of like to see Monday come because there is so little to do all day. Went to church this morning which made me feel much better all day. Was off yesterday afternoon of course so slept but in the evening went to town and ordered a big meal of everything I wanted regardless what it cost. We had T-bone steaks and peas and all the rest. It cost me a buck twenty but it was worth it. Later went to the show which finished the day. Sunday I was latrine orderly which means digging holes. All of the battalions live in tents now in the park. It’s something new to learn the first time a guy uses a trench. Our showers and washroom are in the old ladies restroom and the medics are in the bathhouse of the swimming pool. Living in tents isn’t bad, a good plan to sleep and a good airing in the daytime, but a little inconvenient to use a latrine with no roof in a cat and dog rain. Guess I’m seeing a little more Army life now.

Called up June tonite but Gram wasn’t there. We talked a long time and June said they would try to come up next Sunday.

Of course I’m disgusted about the box. I went to the post office here and they checked all they could but said that without the number of the insurance slip they could do little. Guess it must be at San Luis Obispo someplace. Guess maybe you better get a claim on it. Must be something wrong to keep no better account of an insured box than that.

Got Dad’s nice long letter and a joy to read. You are doing very good. My ribs are okay now but taking off the tape was no joke.

Got a letter from Glen Chambers and Jim Sandison today. Especially good to hear from Sandy. He’s a right guy if there ever was one.

This is about everything. I’m getting heavier all the time and feeling better. I get pretty depressed trying to wonder when all of this will be over, but when it is, coming back will be all the better.

Don’t you worry and soon again we’ll all eat popcorn and apples around the fire.

Love,

20 December 1941

Dear folks:

Another letter to you while I’m sitting in the service club with nothing particular to do. This town is really swell and the people have taken us in with open arms. Yesterday after duty, while I was strolling down main street, a lady stopped us and told us about the big Christmas dinner they are having, turkey and everything. The whole town is behind it and also they are rounding up gifts for each of us. Later we went in for a beer and we had four without paying anything. All on the house. Shows are half price and tonite was given a free malt in a drug store. When you go in stores many little items are given free. Also the ladies secured a washing machine for us to do our laundry and two irons to press them. Last nite we had a big free dance at the high school and all the girls in town were there. The announcer was a big fellow like Jon Lenz. Everyone had a swell time. We take showers at the high school too. But some things aren’t so good, for instance we have only hot water by heating it on a hot plate and the building is cold at night and we sleep rite on the floor. You see this is field conditions as in wartime. We are pretty lucky though. One battery has their tents pitched on the football field and have to straddle over a ditch to use the latrine. Another quarters themselves in the buildings around the swimming pool. Guess I’ve told you how pretty the town is. Our big guns are lined up around the city park, everything ready to go, if the case need be. This morning was taken up by inspections and the kids stood around as our officer inspected us.

There is one big item I do need badly and will have to have soon and that is a sleeping bag. It is almost impossible to get along without one and the floor is too hard to get any sleep. As they cost around eight or nine dollars I’ll have to ask you for a little money or you can order it thru Monkey Ward or some place and have it sent direct. I hate to ask for it around Christmas and all but I’m afraid I wouldn’t have any hips in a few weeks.

I read in the paper tonite that telephone calls were not permitted now, that is long distance. Hope that is wrong. I feel kind of cheap not buying any gifts at all but I won’t get paid until the fifteenth of January and I’d be mighty near broke.

This is enough for now but hope you all have a good time Christmas Day and wish I could be with you.

All my love,