Pvt. Wm D. Johnson Jr 34945847 July 17, 1944
B Co. 226 Bn
69th Trg. Regt. IR.T.C.
Camp Blanding, Fla.
Sunday 5 P.M.
Dearest Mother & Dad :
Surely appreciated your letter last week, Mom, and yours from Chicago, Dad. Sounds like you all had an exciting week but also sounds like you were both glad to get home. You all were sweet to bring gifts back and Louise & Julie surely appreciated them. Did Louise tell you what Julie said about “serving” presents?
Mom, I also appreciated your letter of July 4th. You were wrong about the holiday, tho. We made a 10 mile march and fired the transition range. It was a full, hard day. So, we celebrated our training by working at being soldiers. No mention was made in camp of the 4th in any way.
I’m coming along all right in my telegraphy. Already I am taking 6 words a minute (Morse code) after 20 hours of instructions. We get 105 hours in all and we have to be able to transcribe & send 8 words a minute to barely pass & qualify so I hope to be well above that minimum by the time I’ve had my full 105 hrs. We take the code down in printing and can do it much faster with a typewriter.
Well, we are starting our 9th week of training today. In 6 more weeks we will go on bivouac for two weeks then one more week after here & we are sposed to be ready for combat. We are all shipped out of here to make room for more raw recruits and we are sent somewhere & attached to a division. Most of the men from here are going to Ft. Ord Cal, or Ft. Mead, Md & thence over- seas. I have a hunch that I won’t be sent overseas as it is the rumor that men over 30 are not being sent into combat, and I keep on hearing the rumor.
Any how, when we leave here we are supposed to get a week or 10 days “delay enroute” which means I’ll get to come home – I hope!-
Dads, Mom tells me you found Chicago quite a town! I guess she told you about our trip there several years ago? It doesn’t seem like 10 years ago, does it, Mom?
I hope Macey gets a furlough as planned, and I hope he gets to come home.
Surely relieved to know that Rip is ok and might get a chance to come home. Wouldn’t that be grand? I just hope the war ends soon but I’m not too sorry I’m in it. I was sorta dissatisfied as things were as regarded me & the war and regardless of whether or not I like everything about the army, I’ll have to admit that if I can make it, it will do me a lot of good physically. The hard part for me was that they made no distinction in the training program between me & an 18 yr old kid so I had to struggle at first to keep up. – still so sometimes. But I’ve gotten pretty tough and unless they drag out some form of torture that’s plumb new, I think I’ll make it ok. The experiences I have had will make good conversation some day.
I am doing fine, and really looking forward to Louise’s visit on the 26th. However, due to the pressure always on us & the shortage of time I’m afraid she’ll be partially disappointed as I’ll probably catch some night problems or something to tie me up while she’s here. But it’ll be grand seeing her and I wish Julie could come too.
From what Louise writes, Julie is quite a little lady, now. She sends me all kinds of messages by Louise. I surely do miss the little brat. From what Louise writes, she really loves to visit Mom-Mom and PapaJ!
We’ve been restricted this weekend. Can’t even go to the Px, but we have spent a great deal of time yesterday & today cleaning rifles. The Capt got mad cause he found a few dirty rifles so he restricted the whole Co. But the punishment was to severe for the crime so we don’t know what happened cept the Capt is goofy at times.
I surely hope all goes well with you all, and altho you stay busy, both of you, and have 2 other sons to write, I hope you’ll write as often as you can as I really enjoy hearing.
Lots of love to both of you
David Jr