April 16, 1942 - Dear Wife

Jan Palson

16 Apr 2026 — 4 min read

I'm not cynical I'm just disgusted.

Oh no, he has to go and watch a good basketball game. How dare they. Once again he's changing his clothes more than a stripper. He didn't mention that in his conception of "Army Life" yesterday. BTW, Peggy is his sister-in-law. Married to his older brother Clifford whom everyone calls "Bud". So the writing paper is a nice gift - it's only postage that's free. The gas mask escapades must have been a site - on and off and on and off. And big inspections to boot - it's only been 16 days!

Original Letter

Transcript follows:

Boston Globe - April 16, 1942

So debutantes are encouraged to roll up their ball gowns and work in factories instead of parties suggested Mrs. Roosevelt. And they will! There is great support for the war across the country. Blackouts continue. The Philippines continues to be crazy but allies are optimistic with MacArthur in charge as supreme commander of the Pacific War Theater . France is in trouble and Americans in unoccupied France are encouraged to leave ASAP for the United States. And we should catch up on Vichy France.

Transcript -April 16, 1942

April 16, 1942, Fort Banks

Dear wife,

Peggy sent me this writing paper and so I'm using it. I didn't get any letter from my spouse this morning and so I am disappointed. I read your letter that I received yesterday over again. It makes up a little but I do like to hear you tell me you miss me every day. I was outside the post last night (but that's another story) and coming home it was such a nice night that I wished more than anything I was down there with you. I guess it was a little spring fever too. But I sure miss you.

Oh yes, last night the battery basketball team played a game in the Winthrop high school gym (which is only a little ways from here) another team in the post. I suppose there is quite a bit of rivalry between the two Batteries, but to us new fellows it meant very little. Anyway, early in the evening they sent around an announcement to the effect that anyone wishing to go to the game could. They figured we would jump at the opportunity to get outside the base and they in turn would get a crowd at the game to cheer for battery H. (I mean by “they” the officers in this battery) Anyway no one turned up to go to the game. I don't know whether that made them mad or not. And so they came over and ordered us to go. We had to march over and back in a body - at night when we were supposed to be free they regimented us. They couldn't make us yell however if we didn't want to. It was a good game I’ll admit but the fact that I had to go gripes me. Boy was I mad. I'm afraid there is apt to be a revolution sometime.

This morning they had us taking on and off our equipment more times than Ann Corio has ever taken off hers. They couldn’t come to an agreement as to whether we should wear our gas masks. First we put them on then someone thought we shouldn’t so we took them off. Next an order came through for gas masks and so we put them on only to have another order come through to leave them. This could have gone on a couple more rounds and it did and we finally ended up wearing them. It's quite a job to put a gas mask on your back along with a heavy pack and then to have someone tell you to take it off and then put it on. I was tired before we even started out.

We had a tough day yesterday with a big inspection and the same amount of indecision from the officers. If all the outfits act like this, it's small wonder that the newspaper headlines don't read worse. I'm not cynical I'm just disgusted. Tomorrow I’ll feel better.

Here’s the money I was speaking about Sunday. I’ve forgotten to put it in two letters already. If you don't need it, hold on to it. According to my figures you are not going to have too much to spare when the payments come due. When I see you next Sunday you can give me some of it if I need it, but I know I won’t.

Well I've written more than I thought I was so I’ll close. Remember me to Vicky and lots of love.

Love,

Leonard

Next letter, tomorrow April 17, 1942

Comments welcome :)