Monday, February 1, 2010

ON THE SICK LIST

[The following letter, which I will post in two parts, was written Monday, December 21, 1942. The photo was actually taken early in 1943, but I thought you might like a mental image of the Montgomerys. From left, they are Ruth and Grant Montgomery, Fay Montgomery Peters, and Vance, my dad. Grant and Fay are brother and sister, my dad's cousins.]

Dear Folks,

I got your letter yesterday, Mother, with Ethel's enclosed and was glad to hear from you, of course. I have been sick since last Tuesday but did not go on the sick list until last Thursday. Have been having this terrible cold which has been really an epidemic here in camp and no wonder – the weather being what it is. It's all well and good to tell you to stay in bed but you have to get out and rustle food once in a while and I have been making most of the mail calls. I have never received the package with the shirts in it but am not worrying because I only got the coat hangers a few days ago. I have practically lost my voice with this illness but there are few people one cares to talk to anyhow so it is no hardship.

It is about 2 p.m. I went over a while ago to arrange for a 3-day pass to Fay's and am sure I'll get it tho the First Sargeant barked at me like he does at everyone. There are few civil-tongued non-coms in the army. For the most part they are a bunch of "battards," if you understand me. [Under "battards" Grandma Ina had penned, "bullies."]

I had a card from Aunt Mabel along the first of last week saying she wrote you of their coming in to camp. We had a fine visit and Fay came back with Ruth [Grant's wife] and Mavis in the evening. Fay is very sweet and seems very happy over her baby. Grant appears very sober and thoughtful and looks almost exactly like George [his father] – thinner, of course but the same nose and long upper lip. He told me he wears a moustache to help cover his expanse of Montgomery lip. I had my moustache cut off at Monterey but I need not have. I'm letting it grow out again now.

I only got in two days at the communications business I wrote you about before I got sick. We had one afternoon on hooking up field phones and operating switchboards. I'll be pretty far behind when I do get going again but I give a darn -----

3 comments:

Hallie said...

What do you think those items are on the porch? Is that a cat by the post?

Where did he visit the Montgomerys?

Kathy said...

I can't identify the items on the porch. It might be a cat to the right of the post. I'm not sure what's behind the post.

The Montgomerys lived in Jacksonville, a small town a few miles west of Medford. And apparently the family came into camp from time to time to visit. I don't know how they knew when they would be welcome. Do they have visiting hours in boot camp?

Chris said...

Hmm, guess he wasn't on the mend after all! I can just imagine how crazy everything must have been--bad weather, lots of germs brought in from all over, and close quarters. Sounds just like school!! :-) LOL