Camp McCoy in the Words of My Uncle: 2020-01-05

Feb 27, 1943

Saturday Night. 6:00

Hello Mom, Dad, Helen and Eugene,

This news might be bad. I'm in the guard house. Ha! Ha! Don't worry, I haven't done anything wrong. I'm on guard to-night from 5 o'clock until 5 to-morrow night. I'll have to be good for 24 hours at least.

Gee, we have had 3 to 4 days of cold weather. The wind is blowing quite hard to-night. No fun walking post in a motor park 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning. In the motor park you have to watch out for civilians trying to steal gas. You call halt three times. If they don't stop it's just too bad.

You see we have a new kind of winter snow car called a weasel. It is the only thing in the world like it. They are trying it out here in the snow. If a guard finds anyone fooling around with these cars the order is fire. Wish I could tell you more about them. They sure have the right name for them.

Some of the older soldiers have gone to Watersmeet, Michigan, for two weeks. We haven't got any mail for two days and won't get any until Monday. The mail will go there first then come back here. (There was a 2nd Division training maneuver, which was held at Ottawa National Forest, in the vicinity of Watersmeet, Michigan, during March 1943.)

Don't worry, if Joe likes Helen he won't throw her over. Helen Ladd had two sore eyes once. She almost lost her eyesight. I promised her I would still stick by her. Even if she lost her eyesight or it had any effect on her face. I told her I would still marry her and I meant it. I think Helen will be O.K. later. (I am assuming my uncle's sister, also called Helen, is having some form of physical problem and my grandmother is concerned her fiancé, Joe, will leave her. Uncle Charlie is soothing his mother's concerns.)

I'm not going to come home until the weather is better. I'll wait until the mud is gone.

Last Sunday we had about 25 fellows left for supper so the cook or First Sgt. put on a big feed. Then they had 25 girls from La Crosse U.S.O. come up and eat in the mess hall. They were nice to the boys and it gave us a change. (I have to chuckle how my uncle writes about 25 girls coming from the U.S.O. and it was just a change. I bet the guys felt it was more then just a nice change.)

I haven't been away from camp yet. I got only part of my pay this month. I don't know why. We all got the same, part pay. Then to think men at the shipyard making $75 to $100 a week and kicking. All I got was $10. I am going to try and go out next week end. I think the change will do me good. I have a fellow from Bangor, Maine, who doesn't drink and smoke. He likes to bowl and want me to go. He asked me to go to church with him in the morning, but I can't. You know, Ma, I find the boys from the north are more educated and much neater in dress. The northern boys even know how to talk better. The boys from the south don't like this cold. (Sorry about that readers from the southern United States, but my uncle would say how he felt.)
Well, I had to put your letter up. Now I am back from walking my first post. I'll try to write a few more lines. Gee, that wind outside is sure blowing hard. Well, my hair has grown out enough so I got a haircut to-day. Just before coming on guard.
When the older boys left yesterday morning for two weeks we had to get up at 4 o'clock. Boy, that sure made a long day. I got so hungry before dinner I gave a fellow 10 cents for a bar of candy he had in his pocket.
That fellow from Bangor went to church last Sunday in La Crosse. (La Crosse is about 35 miles west of Camp McCoy.) After church some people asked him for dinner. Then they took him for a ride. He said they used him swell. Hope I can get a chance like that.
How is Dad? Oh boy, Dad, you should see what those little jeeps will do. Four wheel drive and what power. It takes a lot to get them stuck. I read after the war the jeep would be used mostly on farms. You could go through woods over rocks or any place you like with them. Tell Eugene after the war he and I will have a good rifle. One of the little new ones like I'm using now. It is small. Weighs 5.8 pounds. What a gun. Wish I could tell you more about it. Tell Eugene, someday I'll show him all about it.
How is Helen? When is Joey coming home? Or is he going to stay down south with the little black girls. (Sadly, remember prejudice against African Americans was still very strong in the 1940's. The Jim Crow laws were still in effect and even the Army kept them separate from the whites.)

Some day when you feel better I'm going to have you send my shoes. After the snow goes it will rest my feet in the evening to get these heavy boots off. Then, if we go to Texas it won't cost so much if you send them here and I take them with me.
Tell the Mains I send my best wishes and was asking about them. If you ever see Cora Parkhurst and the rest put in a word for me.
Here are a few stamps. This is all they had. Will send more later. Guess I'll try to catch a few winks of sleep before going on post again. When I'm walking post I'll be thinking of you, Mother, and all the rest. Good night, 5 minutes of 12 midnight. May you have a good nights sleep. Take care of yourself, Mom.
Love to you and all,
Charles

*February 19-March 15, 1943 – Third Battle of Kharkov – Eastern Front has begun. More Information https://www.thoughtco.com/third-battle-of-kharkov-2361480

*February 19-24, 1943 – Battle of Kasserine Pass, Tunisia (North Africa Theater)

Troops: USA/UK/Free France 30,000; Germany/Italy 22,000.

Casualties (Killed/Wounded/Missing): Allies 10,000; Axis 2,000.

First major battle between U.S. and German troops in World War Two ends with Axis victory for General Rommel, pushing inexperienced American and British troops back fifty miles from the Faid Pass with heavy casualties.

More information https://www.thoughtco.com/battle-of-kasserine-pass-2361495

^^Feb 23 Major General Omar Bradley arrives in Dakar & Marrakesh and on Feb 24 flies to Algiers

General of the Army
Major General Omar Bradley

^^Feb 26 German assault moves to Beja, North Tunisia

^^Feb 27 The Smith Mine #3 in Bearcreek, Montana, explodes, killing 74 men. On February 27, 1943, at approximately 9:37 am, an explosion ripped through Smith Mine No. 3, a coal mine located between the towns of Bearcreek and Washoe. Since it was a Saturday, there was a short crew in the mine. Of the 77 men working that day, only three got out of the mine alive, and one of the rescue workers died soon afterward.

^^Feb 27 The Rosenstrasse protest starts in Berlin. The Rosenstrasse protest was a collective street protest on Rosenstrasse in Berlin during February and March 1943. This demonstration was initiated and sustained by the non-Jewish wives and relatives of Jewish men who had been arrested and targeted for deportation, based on the racial policy of Nazi Germany.