Camp McCoy in the Words of My Uncle: 2019-12-22

Tents at Camp McCoy

Feb 14, 1943

Hello Folks:

Hope you are all O.K. So Dad had a rib out of place and a sore throat. If he had a throat like mine he'll be plenty sick. It will hang on for a long time. Mine did. As for the rib that can be darn sore and it will tell on a person. Remember the time I picked up Helen Ladd on my shoulder and put it out of place. Gee, it made me ache all over. It makes it weak also.

Say, Mom, I got both of your packages. When the one insured for $25.00 came, I sent you a card right away. In fact, I sent 2 or 3 cards that week.

Gee, you should have seen the box some of the old girls in the sorting room (at the mill) sent me. It had a big red heart on the top with all of their names on it. Each one sent a valentine inside. It had 2 boxes of cookies 3 pounds each. Big box of homemade cookies. Two 1 pound boxes of candy in heart shaped boxes from Rockwood candy. Tube of shaving cream. Box of cheeze-its. Six candy bars. Gee, I don't know what else. I have had a lot of mail.

Mom, when you don't feel good don't try to write. I sent you a letter and told you to take $5.00. Give Dad $5.00 also.( That would be $72 worth of buying power in 2018 per $5.)

Got a card from Mrs. Goodwin, Dot Lawrence. Letter from Frank Hall. Got Eugene and Helen's letter. Tiny writes all the time. Everyone wants to send me something. Want me to write and tell them. I couldn't do that. If I have one minute I write a letter. Hope I can keep up with them.

We had a full field inspection yesterday morning. You know, clothes cleaned, haircut, shave, shoes shined, fingernails clean, mess dishes shined, everything neat and boy I mean you have to be on the "ball" so they say. They can find fault then ______, well I don't know what. Some of the boys are doing K.P. duty to-day. I made it O.K. Guess I'll make the grade.

I'm going to write Waneta & Flavilla later. (sisters)

You should see the card or valentine Helen Ladd (old girlfriend) sent me. It was swell. Poor kid. If some other people had just left her alone. Here is the verse.

Ever so often

I think about you

And the sweet things you say

And the nice things you do --

I know there's just nothing

Good Fortune could send

That I'd prize more than you--

For you're such a Real Friend!

I got your card, Ma. Did you get mine? Here is a little joke. What does the war do to people to make them have a baby after 10 years. Ha! Ha!

Will close for this time.

Love to Ma, Dad, Helen, Eugene

Charles

P.S. You should have seen us putting up tents in the snow the other day. The tents are white on one side. Brown on the other.

^^Feb 10 British 8th Army sweeps through North Africa to Tunisia

^^Feb 10 Van der Veen Resistance starts fire in Amsterdam employment bureau.

Gerrit van der Veen (26 November 1902, Amsterdam — 10 June 1944, Overveen) was a Dutch sculptor. He was a member of the Dutch underground, which resisted the German occupation of Amsterdam during World War II.

Gerrit van der Veen

**February 11 – General Dwight D. Eisenhower is selected to command the Allied armies in Europe.

^^Feb 13 German assault on Sidi Bou Zid Tunisia, General Dwight D. Eisenhower visits front.

^^Feb 14 German offensive against US troops through de Faid-pass, Tunisia begins, starting the Battle of Sidi Bou Zid. The Battle of Sidi Bou Zid took place during the Tunisia Campaign from 14–17 February 1943, in World War II. The battle was fought around Sidi Bou Zid, where a large number of American units were mauled by German and Italian forces. (Wikipedia) Dates: Feb 14, 1943 – Feb 17, 1943

Result: German victory

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/battle-sidi-bou-zid-1943.html

Battle of Sidi Bou Zid

^^Feb 14 The Soviet Union recaptures the city of Rostov-on-Don, liberating Russia from the German 17th Army during WWII

^^Feb 15 Wartime propaganda poster "We Can Do It!" produced by J. Howard Miller and posted on the walls of Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company's plants in the Midwest.