Camp McCoy in the Words of My Uncle: POST TWENTY-ONE ( Prepares to be a Gunner) 22 Mar 1943

March 22, 1943

Dear Mother,

This letter may be a little short but we have been busy since chow to-night. We had a lot of double deck bunks come to-day. We had to put them together after supper. They grouped us by twos. I had a little fellow with me. Most of the boys in groups of twos tossed up a coin to see who would sleep on bottom or top. The little fellow was so short I gave him the bottom. He is a little lazy but with the right handling I'll change him. He was sure happy to be on bottom. My bed is about at the top of my head. Ha Ha it almost makes you sick to look over the side.

Basic training done last Saturday (March 20,1943). This is clean up week. I have a big test coming up. Takes in all we have had. Before the big officers. 100 or 200 questions. If you don't pass you'll go to school at night and make it up. Mom, I'm going to make it O.K. Try to be near the top of the list.

Boy, did we drill today. About 3 hours. Took the skin off my leg on the obstacle course to-day. We go out firing the big guns Thursday all alone. (March 25) I may be gunner. Sure have a lot on your mind if you're a gunner. (States on Uncle Charlie's Separation Qualification Record he was a Gunner Corporal for 29 months and the MOS 844 says "Lays 105mm howitzer, handles sight, corrects for elevation and deflection and is in charge of section when chief of section is elsewhere.") Gunner and No. 1 man have to be on their toes. If the gunner sets off the sight wrong, he'll be a few miles out. At 3 or 4 miles he will miss his target. Here is what I mean (He drew a small picture of the howitzer shooting the ammunition to a building.) If your gun is just a little to one side you can see that at 3 or 4 miles you'll miss your target a lot.

Here are some commands --- Base deflection 1546, aiming point three to right, record new deflection, left or right 150 mils, on 1 open 6. The gunner does this on his sight and instrument then says ready to fire. Guess it won't make much sense to you. I'll let you know how I make out. I've been working hard. Guess this week will top them all.

Please send my shoes, Mother. So you think Joey can drive. If I had my car and they told me to get home I'd make Joey look as if he was standing still.

I went to church Sunday and what a swell pastor. He sure told them plenty. He said he guessed some of the La Crosse Baptists were home, warming their beds or reading the Sunday paper. He said we Americans were throwing in the waste cans enough food to keep all the children of Europe alive. Still we kick. A pastor from Europe had told him how he had seen little children pick up bread from the street and kiss it before eating it. Gee, could he talk.

Here are a couple of papers. When I get my next pay, Ma, you're going to have a present. I don't know what but it sure will be something. Ha Ha maybe some more stamps. How is the weather out home? Polly said you called her up. Guess you got my letter so you know why I didn't write. Don't you think for one minute I'll ever forget you. You come first. Then good old Dad. I may be able to give Dad a trimming when I get home. Tell that brother of mine he'd better wrestle those bulls around plenty before I come back or I'll put him flat on his can in two seconds.

(The two brothers were always joking between themselves and sometimes with others. I could tell you some very funny stories.) See if you can squeeze a little love out of Helen to send to me. Mom, why don't you make Helen buy every other stamp? Joey is home now. Quite an idea I think. That woman from the mill still sends me the Sunday paper. So I read all the Sunday news.

So here is a short letter and here I am on the 3rd sheet. You're the only one that rates a letter so long. Some day I'll tell you all about it and not on paper. It has been warm for three days. Hope spring will soon come. Old Mr. Ladd sent me a letter to-night with some clippings from the paper. Did you see the pictures of those six boys from one family in Gorham who were in the service. I think it was the same family Mrs. Holt was talking about once before I left. That mother sure has plenty to think about. One more to go I think. Mother, plant plenty and save all you can for next winter. They'll soon catch up with Mr. so and so. You know who I mean. Hope no sickness starts. It will be bad when the flu gets around. What have I got in that draw upstairs that I might like? You might send some with the box and my shoes if you think you should. Any shaving things or tooth paste will be O.K.

Gee, Mom, I'm tired and have to shave before going to bed. Here I am in the shower room finishing this letter. No letter for Polly to-night. I don't write to her any more than I do you.

Good Night All

Love Charles

^^Mar 18 Ships James Oglethorpe (US) & Terkulai (Netherlands), torpedoed & sank.

^^Mar 18 Red Army evacuates Belgorod

^^Mar 19 Airship Canadian Star torpedoed & sank

^^Mar 19 British 8th army opens assault on Mareth Line, Tunisia

^^Mar 20 German U-384 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She carried out two patrols and sank one ship on each patrol. She was a member of three wolfpacks. On her second patrol, she was sunk by a British aircraft southwest of Iceland.

^^Mar 21 Another assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler fails

^^Mar 22 Dutch work week extended to 54 hour

^^Mar 22 SS Police Chief Hans Rauter threatens to kill half of the Jewish children. Of the over 140,000 Jews in the Netherlands only about 35,000 will survive the Holocaust. Han Rauter will be executed for war crimes in 1954.

SS Police Chief Hans Rauter

105mm howitzer shown in a U.S. Army training film from World War 2. The version shown is actually the 105mm Howitzer M3 instead of the more common 105mm Howitzer M2.