Camp McCoy in the Words of My Uncle: 2020-03-15

April 25, 1943

Sunday

Dear Mother,

A letter before I leave for the field in the morning. Expect to go about 4 o'clock. Can't say I care much about going. We can only take two thin blankets with a shelter half. A shelter half is half of a pup tent. Two boys sleeping together combine the halves and make a full tent. Most of the time you just lay the half down with your two blankets on top and roll up in it. It's still not very warm here and it looks a lot like rain. May not be able to write you this next week but will if I can. Even if it's just a line. Don't worry if you don't hear from me for a few days.

Gee, Mom, the old gang at the mill sent me a big Easter box. (cookies, candies all kinds, gum, maple sugar, peanut brittle, marshmallows, peanuts, Easter candy, cracker jacks etc.) I just can't tell you all they sent. The same woman was in charge of it. (Margaret Dinsmore) She has sent me the Sunday paper every week. I get it about Thursday or Friday. It cost her 90 cents to send the package. (That would be $13.68 in 2020.)

The package I told you I would send home, I've got it about 3/4 ready. A few more things I'd like to get. It won't be much but it will have Camp McCoy on it. Can't get much here.

Eugene (brother) sure made me pleased when he sent me that letter. I know he won't let me down. If he can get a few lessons like the one he has just had, it will prove to him it is best to be honest in the end. I show his picture to the boys and tell them he's the grandest fellow in the world. Wish I could be home now because he is older and we could be going places together and see things. (Uncle Charlie is 27, and Eugene is 19. Both born in August.) Eugene tells what a swell job Dad is doing on the barn.

Pauline wrote me a letter to-day. Said she had to come home from work at noon, even had to stop the bus driver. Guess she was pretty sick. Too bad for a young girl to be that way. She is a good girl. (present girlfriend)

The mail has picked up this week. Either none at all or all at once. The girl from Houlton sent me a nice letter and wanted to know where I was. I hadn't sent her a letter in nearly ten months. Ha. Ha. I've learned a lesson. Let them do the writing, keep them guessing. Ha Ha I guess girls like what they can't have. If they want a letter and you don't write, they just beg you to write. Mom, I'm a bad bad boy writing to all these girls. I let them do the writing. I get the fun reading them. It helps to take up the time.

You don't mean to say you have three pigs around the house now? Helen says We have a pig. When is Grammy and Eugene going to buy one?

I see by the paper where a boy from Wisconsin was marrying a girl from Portland. After this war is over the States will sure be mixed up. One thing I will say the boys from the North are far ahead of the boys from the South. A man at the drug store at La Crosse told me the same thing. A pal of mine from Massachusetts told me a traveling man for Coca Cola here in camp at the Service Club was eating dinner and asked if he might set at their table. He told Dan the same thing. Even told Dan he knew he was from near Boston by the way he talked. I have been told if we go to Texas the people down there will get us (Northern boys) talking just to listen to us.

You know, Ma, it may not seem like much but I think my Boy Scouts' training is going to help me in the field. You'll never know how much I got out of the Boy Scouts' work. We were running in wire the other day and the Sgt. tied a knot. He called it a loop tie. I told him to me it was a clove hitch but I wouldn't argue with him until I looked it up. He was a good chap and admitted to me I was right after he got back and looked it up himself. He also told the other boys the difference. Dan gave me a poke and said, "Thata boy Chuck." (My uncle was an Eagle Scout: Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank able to obtain in the Boy Scouts of America.) I've made up my mind along with Dan that when we have a chance to shine go ahead. Speak up.

Flavilla does good but Waneta is a little backward about writing. I can't write all the time but Flavilla writes just the same. I sent them all an Easter card. Guess I told you about the mess up on Helen, Joe, Eugene's cards. I sent them what I had.

I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have my pen and pencil set. It sure is handy.

Home must look nice now. New paint, blinds, barn, new kitchen.

Mother, would this be too much work? I have an idea. You take what money you need. Have a flower box made, a nice one, or even two if you like. Then plant some kind of flowers that grows plenty. When anyone comes you could give them a flower from me. It would look nice around the house. I'm trying to think of more to write but guess I'll have to close.

It has been a nice Easter day here. How was the weather at home? My Easter suit was brown. Ha! Ha!

Well, Mom dear, give my love to all with a lot for you.

Good Night Mother

Love Charles

P.S. Will write when I come back from the field.

Love you, Son Charles

*April 22 to September 16, 1943 – Salamaua-Lae Campaign, New Guinea (Pacific Theater)

Troops: USA/Australia 30,000; Japan 12,000 plus.

Casualties (Killed/Wounded/Missing): USA/Australia 2,249; Japan 11,600, including captured.

Series of battles to capture Japanese bases by Australian troops under Edmung Hering and USA troops under General Douglas MacArthur in Lae and Salamaua end with the Japanese abandoning the garrison of Salamaua and the defeat of Lae five days later.

^^Apr 22 RAF shoots down 14 German transport planes over Mediterranean Sea.

^^Apr 23 British & US offensive directed at Tunis and Bizerta.

^^Apr 25 The Demyansk Shield for German troops in commemoration to the military personnel who fought in the Demyansk pocket. It commemorated the successful defense of Demyansk, achieved through the use of an air-bridge.