Note to Brother Bob about Bob Hope, Training, News Back Home

January 8, 2012 Leave a Comment

Babe's doodles on his May 26, 1943, letter to his brother Bob.

Dated May 26, 1943; postmarked the same day from Camp Wheeler.

Dear Bib,

My training here is drawing to a close and I’m still feeling fine. I hope you all are feeling good too.

Boy, it rained cats and dogs here for a couple of days and we were out all day both of those days. We were out in the field setting up radio nets and communicating with each other. I didn’t go out with the boys, though. Instead, I stayed at the radio school with my radio and kept dry. It was a lot of fun and I’m glad we will do that every day for our remaining week and a half here.

Bob Hope and his gang were here last night, but we couldn’t see him and, although I tried, I couldn’t pick him up over my radio. We stayed out until 11:30 last night. Did you hear his broadcast?

We have until 1:30 today off so I’m loafing around writing letters. Read more of this post

Filed under 1943 Letters Tagged with , , , , ,

‘Well Folks, I Am Now a Radio Operator’ (and Due for a Package)

December 31, 2011 Leave a Comment

Nestle's Chocolate ad from the Saturday Evening Post. Babe requested Nestle's bars in this letter home.

Letter dated “approximately” May 5, 1943; postmarked May 6 from Camp Wheeler. The back of the envelope includes this sentence: “I am listening to Jack Benny. If you didn’t hear it, ask someone who did why I mentioned it.”

Dear People,

I don’t know why I am writing tonight. I have nothing to write about, but I also have nothing to do right now so I thought I would pass the time writing.

I received Bib’s letter today, the first letter I got in at least a week. Therefore, I was very happy to receive it.

I sent you some receipts a few days ago that you must save. The receipts are for War Bonds and for my insurance. I also sent you some money tonight, so let me know if you and when you receive them. Read more of this post

Filed under 1943 Letters Tagged with , , , ,

A Casualty During Training on the Obstacle Course

December 30, 2011 Leave a Comment

Seal atop the stationery he used on May 4, 1943, letter.

Letter dated “approximately May 4, 1943.” Postmarked May 4 from Camp Wheeler. The postmark is two years to the day before Babe was killed.

Dear Folks,

I hope this letter finds you all in good condition and in the best of health. I am feeling fine right now and I have nothing to do. I am barracks guard today and we were already inspected, so I have the rest of the day to myself. The rest of the fellows have to go on a hike today and they won’t be back until about 11:00 tonight.

Every letter I wrote in the last month I wanted to mention about the pictures, but I forgot all about them each time. Now that I got around to it, I’ll tell you about it. I could have the pictures taken, but it would cost you maybe ten or fifteen dollars and that ain’t hay. Read more of this post

Filed under 1943 Letters Tagged with , ,

‘You Must Think They Are Killing Us Down Here’

December 28, 2011 Leave a Comment

Dated April 27, 1943; postmarked April 30 from Camp Wheeler.

Dear Folks,

You remember I told you in my last letter that we were preparing to go out on a hike? Well, that hike was 14 miles long and it was boiling hot out. We got a ten-minute break every hour as always and the hike lasted four hours. When we got back, there wasn’t a man in the company who could have walked another 100 yards without collapsing.

We were so tired when we got in that we couldn’t unlace our leggings. We were too weak all over to do anything but lay on the bed. I was so thirsty when I came in that it took me an hour to quench my thirst. I never drink any water on hikes anyway, or all during the day for that matter. The only time I drink is when I eat and then I make sure I drink plenty. Read more of this post

Filed under 1943 Letters Tagged with ,

More Radio Training and a Little About ‘The Pecan Grove’

December 22, 2011 Leave a Comment

Radio Operator, Cpl. John Robbins of Louisville, Nebraska, 41st Signal, 41st Inf. Div., operating his SCR 188 in a sandbagged hut at Station NYU. Dobodura, New Guinea. (9 May 43) Signal Corps Photo: GHQ SWPA SC 43 5901 (T/4 Harold Newman)

Dated April 22, 1943; I don’t have the envelope for this letter, from Camp Wheeler.

Dear Everybody,

It was good to receive your package and I was especially happy to get the cigarettes because it is raining tonight and I can’t go to the PX to get any.

I am having a good time in radio here. We go out to our training field at the pecan grove and set up telegraph sets, field telphones, and switchboards and communicate with one another. By the way, the pecan grove is a beautiful place right now with the trees in full bloom and the green grass.

I understood that you are having rotten weather up there, but we are having pretty nice weather down here. When the temperature here drops to about 55° or 60°, we freeze.

Every time I want to write a letter, I get the paper and start to write and I forget everything I wanted to write about. That is what happened right now. It took me at least a half hour to write this much and I’ve run out of ideas right now. Read more of this post

Filed under 1943 Letters Tagged with , , ,

← Older posts