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| Soldiers training at Camp McCoy WWII Military Personnel |
Feb 3, 1943
Tuesday
Hello Folks,
Just a line to let you know I got my package. Gee,, it was swell but you shouldn't do that. I'm OK and get along. There is a fellow next to me. He is from Texas. His name is Harold Wetowski. He's a nice looking fellow. Do you know what he is from his name? He has a picture of his girl and is she nice looking. He had kind of a lonesome spell Thursday so he got a three day pass to go out of camp. He went to some place not far away. When he came back Monday he had a letter. He told me he had been out with a couple girls and I guess he had a little drink. He did say one girl was a perfect lady. He kind of liked her. After he read the letter he layed on his bunk with his head down. I spoke to him. Guess the letter was from his girl. He felt bad. Then all he wanted to do was go back to Texas. He is a nice fellow. Think of his name. Ha! Ha!
Say, Mom, haven't you had a lot of ice this year?
Now, Ma, you know what was the trouble with Gramps. You know what drink will do to the blood vessels. So don't think of that.
I might be wrong but I think Joey is O.K., too.
Guess you better wait about the money upstairs. When you go to Westbrook take $5.00 and buy something.
When the sun is way down south it is right behind the chimney on the shortest day. Just above the place in Waterboro, Maine, there is a line of tall pines. The sun must be nearly up there. You look and see. I use to notice things like that.
I gave the boys something to eat last night. Harold said, "Gee, you must have a good ole Mom to do that." "The best", I said. The only girl in the world I'd trust. I told him it's not because she has a lot of money, that's why I enjoy it more. Please don't put yourself out. You know how I can do the best of everything (with whatever I have). That is except Helen [his old girl friend that he failed to keep]. You know Tiny asked when you were coming down. Guess by what Mildred writes her mother has got to go to the hospital.
You should have seen us put up tents in the snow to-day. Don't worry I'm not sleeping in one to-night. Two more tests. 95% and 95%.
Poor Mickey. Morna wants Lewis turn the cow over where he is. Nina foolish. Ha, Ha.
Say, hi, to Dad for me and give him my best wishes. Be good Eugene and Helen. Try to help to keep the spirit up. Remember there is no place like, "Home Sweet Home." Always look up. Never look down.
Good night All
Love xxx
Charles
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Some personal thoughts from me.
As I was reading and writing this letter I became nostalgic thinking when all these people in this letter were alive. I thought about the lessons I learned from my Grandmother, Uncle Charlie, Mom and other family members as I was growing up. I learned the lessons by listening to my mother's stories what it was like to grow up in a very poor family. There was a day when my grandmother only had a little flour left in the large can to feed a family of seven and how that very evening a couple down the road brought some groceries to the house because they believed God told them the Knight family needed some food.
Then there was the story when the boss where my grandfather worked asked my Grandpa, "Why are looking discouraged today, Frank?" My grandfather told him the house he had built with his own hands they were going to lose because he couldn't pay the mortgage. The boss said, "Frank, we will make sure you don't lose that house."
Actions also taught me lessons. As you could see in the letter my grandmother sent a package that Uncle Charlie knew his mother couldn't afford but she did it out of love. He told her to take $5.00 the next time she went to Westbrook. That was a lot of money in 1943.
In my years as a child and teenager I would see a box often in my grandmother's kitchen being filled with a variety of groceries to be taken to the church she attended to meet the needs of someone. They never forgot what it was like to be poor and in need. My parents showed those same attitudes so I today give to others in need. And you give not always out of your excess but even when you are not sure how your bills are going to be paid. The Lord is ALWAYS faithful.
On a total different topic, I turn to the story of Harold from Texas my uncle shared in the letter. I was wondering how the story was going to end. For Harold, it was a feeling of guilt and wanting to be with his girl. I, however, have heard from my brother, who served during the Viet Nam War in the Navy, stories how sailors from his ship would jump overboard when they had got a letter from their girl. The letter shared how the sailor's girl had decided to leave him for another guy. Their purpose to keep on going in a war had vanished and they committed suicide. Thankfully for Harold, his letter brought guilt not a feeling that there was no reason to live. We forget how our words or actions can really impact another person.
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**February
7 – WWII: It is announced that shoe rationing will go into effect
in the US in two days, may purchase up to 3 more pairs in 1942
 |
| Shoe Ration Stamp |
*February 8 – WWII – Battle of Guadalcanal: United States forces defeat Japanese troops.
^^Feb
9 US President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs an executive order setting
a minimum 48-hour work week in a number of critical war industries
^^Feb
9 Japanese troops evacuate Guadalcanal, ends epic WWII battle on the
Solomon Islands in the Pacific
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/shoe-rationing-wwii-america-180968428/ (where above pictures are from)
WW II BASIC TRAINING VIDEO
*Source
1 https://www.thoughtco.com/world-war-ii-battles-2361453
*Source
2 https://americasbesthistory.com/timeline2ndworldwar1943.html for
major battles
**Source
3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1943_in_the_United_States
^^Source
4 https://www.onthisday.com/events/date/1943
##Source
5
https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/us-home-front-during-world-war-ii
copyright
of letters and any original material Peter Lagasse
