In May, Johnnie told his in-laws he was transferring to the parachute troop but as it turns out, that did not happen. When the company commander asked for volunteers to go to paratrooper training, Johnnie submitted his name after learning those who volunteered would be sent to Georgia for additional training. He was not going to miss a chance to be closer to Lucile. Unfortunately, Johnnie was not selected. By the time his name came up, they had met their quota and all positions were filled.
Johnnie was still on maneuvers when he wrote his next letter to Lucile on August 8, 1943.
Somewhere in Camp Howze = Ha Ha
Dear Honey,
I received your letter today and was glad to hear you were OK. I am sorry I haven’t written you sooner, but we have been on the go ever since Monday at noon. We will return to the camp Wednesday around noon. I will be up there as quick as I can get away so look for me any time when we do get off of these ten days of maneuvers. This is Saturday at about eight o’clock I am writing this. We are waiting for the cooks to bring out our support to us, then we are to start moving again. I have really lost a lot of sleep and I guess weight too. Honey, I am sending the letter I received from your Mother. I received it yesterday. I have sweated a little bit on it, but I guess you can make it out OK. Well, this is all the news for this time, so I will close. Be good. Lots Lots Kisses xxxx
Love, Johnnie
As you can see from the envelope, Lucile was in Texas.
The soldiers spent several weeks on maneuvers doing combat training while at Camp Howze, enduring harsh weather and physical conditions. They marched long distances in the heat and rain, carrying heavy equipment through obstacle courses that included climbing and crawling through barbed wire over rough terrain and through rain, mud, and dust. They dug fox holes. At times, dynamite and heavy machine guns were exploded nearby. Their days were long and often went into the night hours. They had to deal with insects such as ticks and chiggers. They missed cold showers and “the soda fountain at the Service Club, the beef line at the PX, and that softest of all beds, his own army cot.” To pass the time, one soldier “recommended concentrating all of one’s thoughts on Betty Grable, Rita Hayworth, and Hedy Lamarr.” Another soldier dreamt of eating, “Roman style, reclining upon a couch with orderlies bringing him platters full of pealed grapes and placing a tube in his mouth which connects with an inexhaustible supply of rum punch.” Johnnie most likely spent his spare time dreaming of Lucile.
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Betty Grable, Rita Hayworth, and Hedy Lamarr, photos public domain (see references tab for attribution) |
Johnnie’s August 23, 1943 letter to Lucile written from Camp Howze was sent to her Texas address so she continued to stay in Whitesboro to be near him.
Dear Darling,
I hope this letter doesn’t find you mad at me for not coming up tonight. But if you realize it, I haven’t slept much the last two nights and as we are leaving out so early in the morning, and being as we have to walk about eight miles, I could really need a little rest tonight. Can’t you look at it that way? Darling you know I want to be with you as much as I can, because pretty soon, as you know, I won’t see you in a long time and maybe never. I did not go to Gainesville tonight, like I told you I was. We finally backed out of going and went to a show here in camp. It was a good picture too. I got into my locker tonight and got that letter Nell wrote so here it is. She sure is hurting for Robert, Ha Ha. If you get what I mean. Say what did you do about the signs you were printing? Did you make another? Say if you see Julie and she asks you why I didn’t come up, tell her I was restricted to camp because McClusky wanted me to tell you to tell her that if she ask you when I called you tonight. You know how she is. If she finds out we could leave camp tonight she will give him hell for not coming up. He could use some rest and sleep hisself and I don’t blame him. Well Darling I guess this is all the news for this time except thanks a lot for getting me the socks and things I needed. I hope to see you Friday, if not wait for me.
Lots Lots Love x x x x x, Johnnie
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