Pvt. W.D. Johnson Jr 34945847
Detachment of Patients
4314 U.S. Army Hospital Plant
APO 887 c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.
Jan 1, 1945
Paris
Dearest Mother & Dad:
Happy New Year! Little did I dream this time last year that I’d be half way across the world from home at this time. It demonstrates what a rotten thing it would be if we could see into the future. I’m afraid it would have spoiled my New Years day last year. But I believe I’ll be home next year so we can forget the past and look forward to that.
I don’t have any startling news for you. I’m about well again-well enough to realize that I’m disgustingly spoiled by clean sheets, soft bed and good food 3 times a day with un-failing regularity. It’ll take a couple of days for me to get comfortably reacquainted with Mother Earth again – but I haven’t by any means forgotten what a great old gal she is, and how many times I would not have traded a small hole in the ground for a palace full of feather beds & hot & cold running water. No ordinary ditch digger ever realized what a noble instrument the shovel is! This is heresy, but I’ll declare I believe if an infantryman was faced with the choice of throwing away his rifle or his shovel, I’m inclined to think he would keep the shovel, such is the persuasive power of the mortar and the 88!
I’m hoping that, being New Year’s Day, they might trot out some turkey for us today. We really had some good turkey Christmas here. But no cranberries. I wailed bitterly at that. I didn’t know a turkey would ever roast done if there weren’t also some cranberries stewing on the stove. And then Louise, says you have spoiled me, Mom. the hulls & seeds have to be taken out to suit me!
How’s my old friend Sol Binsfield doing? I’d like to know what vitamin he takes to keep from breaking under the strain of his job! We could probably use some of those vitamins over here!
Mom, are you looking after Rip’s trombone? Take a look at it now & then & oil it so that it won’t corrode.
How’s business Dad? I enjoyed that letter you wrote me last month – how about another? Where did Kirby finally wind up in the service?
Well, I’ve about shot my bazooka for today. There just ain’t anything to write about and I hear the chow wagon coming. They roll food into the ward on a big cart & serve trays from that.
I wrote Rip a note the other day – thought maybe I could hear from him fore I leave here.
You all take it easy & don’t worry about me. Remember me to all the folks.
Love always
David Jr.
PS. They brought turkey but
no cranberries!