In Johnnie’s January 16, 1943 letter from Camp Howze, Texas we learn that he’s a boxer. It also sounds like there is a good chance he’ll get the promotion to corporal.
Dear Darling,
Hello honey, I hope this letter finds you OK as I am the same. Well, I believe they will make me a corporal. In a way I want to be one, but if I do make it, I will not come home till about a month afterward I am supposed to. In other words, I will have to stay here in camp a month and go to a non-commissioned officer school. I know I can be one but that is the way it is. So, what do you think of it? I told you in my other letter that I was acting corporal now. That means I can give orders to all privates just like a regular corporal does. It sure surprised me when I got a letter saying I was one of the ten new men to be promoted to a corporal if I passed the final test. The letter was from the commanding officer of my company. I can’t understand why they want me to take that test. Since I’ve been here, I haven’t shown them anything to make them think I have had training before. Well let’s skip that and talk about you. How is your whole family getting along, Ha Ha? You get what I mean don’t you? Honey, I will get some money the first week in February and I will send you some if you pay me back when you get yours, Ha Ha. I am supposed to get a pretty good pay and you know I will send you about half of it so look for some about that time. By the way, I am glad Geral’s hand is lots better and getting along alright. I guess you will have to wait till after I get paid before I can have any pictures made because I am on the bum again. You know what that means, no cigarettes, no anything. But I guess I can hold out till pay day. It looks like I am going to have to. I haven’t received a letter from Mildred yet to let me know she got mine thanking her for the cigarettes. I guess she is having so many dates, she hasn’t had time to write. What about Nell and Bob? I wrote them and have not received an answer. When you see them ask if they got the letter I wrote them. O yeah, I was in a boxing match Wednesday night and I won. Hurrah for me, Ha Ha. I knocked this fellow down two times in the third round and the referee stopped the fight. That shows I still got the old punch I used to have when I boxed about all the time. I am about two inches bigger in the waist since I left Fort Mac. I weighed a hundred and forty-four Wednesday night when they weighed me for the boxing match. You shall feel around me now, Ha Ha. Well honey, I will close for this time but as being tomorrow is Sunday, I will write you another letter.
So, lots love to the one that means the world to me. Johnnie
Turn this over when you get through reading it. Tell your Mother and Dot and Earl I will write them tomorrow when I write you. Check that. Love, Johnnie
P.S. Remember you are my sunshine. So, don’t ever darken it. Love
 |
Partial view of January 16, 1943 letter |
Johnnie’s next letter to his mother-in-law was written on January 17, 1943 from Camp Howze. He had some big brother advice for her in helping to raise Lucile’s little brothers.
Dear Mother,
Received your letter but I’ve been on guard duty, that’s why I haven’t answered it sooner. I hope this letter finds you well, as I am the same. No, the cake wasn’t too dried to eat. If it was, I didn’t look to see, you know if I get chocolate cake, I sure am not going to look at it, Ha Ha. That box you sent Hildreth, I sure will get to him, because they will send it whereever he goes. It will reach him sometime. I am glad to hear it is warming up down there. I told you how this weather is. It’s cold for a while, well it is kindly cold right now, but the climate will change much tonight. You can’t tell here. Yes, Lucile told me about Gearl getting his hand shot about off. I am glad it is a lot better. I hope he watches his self from now on. Get that idea out of your head about dreaming that Cecil went to the electric chair. I wouldn’t worry about Cecil so much. That’s one reason you dream that, because you are worrying too much. No, I don’t blame you and I know how you feel so get other things to occupy your mind. Try to anyway. Tell little Melvin I will come home soon, and his ear better be washed or I will be awful mad at him, Ha Ha. I believe they have quit giving me shots. I haven’t had to take any in about a week now. I hope so anyway. I have gained six pounds since I left Fort Mac. I had to take my pants to the tailor the other day to have him to let the waist out some. I wrote Robert and Nell the other day and have not received an answer yet. I guess they have been working so hard, they just haven’t had time to write. Well Mom, I guess that’s all the news right now. So, answer back as quick as you can. Also, tell Doc I said hello for me and I will see you all soon. Love to you and all the rest the same.
Johnnie
P.S. How is that little dog Melvin is always playing with? I can’t think of his name. Let me know what his name is in your next letter. I have so many other things I got to learn here in the army. I can’t remember hardly nothing.
 |
Johnnie’s brother-in-law, Melvin Stacks. Photo taken in front of the Stacks home. |
No comments:
Post a Comment