April 22, 1942 - Dear Audrey

It’s a good day for an inspection...

The sun is finally shining and he's miles away dreaming until... there's another inspection to keep him on his toes. The real focus is on that list for 24-hour passes. In the meantime, there's a lot of drilling. There's a lot to learn but his attitude is good - if the fellows teaching can learn, so can he. He doesn't specify but the nearby fort is probably Fort Ruckman on Nahant. It's outside of Lynn, Massachusetts, just north of Fort Banks. So they set up tents for the "rookies" then fire off the big guns and all the tents fall down. In the rain do less. He is very lucky. Especially considering that poor guy that fell down the steps of barracks during an alert. Remember that from a few letters back? Did you catch his typo? It's not 1941.

Original Letter

Transcript follows.

Boston Globe - April 22, 1942

Knowing that enemy subs are working in the Gulf of California is unnerving. Any technology to refuel subs underwater is new and just crazy for these times. A hint at peace seems hopeful amid all the bombings. It's not to be. Neither is MacArthur's bid to run for office in '44- oops spoiler alert. Sixteen year old Princess Elizabeth is Colonial of the Regiment. She will become queen in 1952. Young Billy Thibodeau is a hero. Going thru all these front pages, it sure seems like there are a lot of fires. Oh, and what the Nazi's are doing is not mating. War is so stupid.

War Summary

Transcript - April 22, 1941

Fort Banks

Dear Audrey,

Well, it’s Wednesday and the sun is finally shining. It’s a nice day. It’s a good day for an inspection, which is what happened. A couple of generals came over and put us on our toes. It's getting so I don't dare relax for fear something will catch us unawares. When I think of you, I'm miles away from here. The time I do my best thinking of you is after the lights go out. Then I can dream of you all I want.

They give us an awful lot of things to do to remember. We have to remember the different parts of the big guns and how to shoot them and the powder and the shells that go into them. And as if that wasn't enough, they give us the different parts and how to shoot the rifles and the revolver. Then we have to memorize some General's orders. It's hard. And for some of the fellows who are over 30 and others who aren't too sharp, it's discouraging. Well the fellows who are teaching us had to learn them and if they can do it, so can I.

The new list of passes is up but there aren't any new names on it as of yet. There are about 38 new fellows with me in this battery and so they will probably make a new list for us. It should be up by tomorrow and I expect Private L Main's name to be first.

I was talking with one of the older fellows the other day and he said we get paid on the last day of the month. Which should give me time to send you some money before your payments come up.

Some older fellows went over to one of the other forts to practice firing the guns. By older fellows, I mean the ones who have been in the service quite a while. Well they fired about six times and by that time they had blown most of the tents over. The rookies over there live in those tents and so before they went to bed last night, they had to put their tents up again. It had been raining too. Boy every time I think of those fellas, I feel good. I guess I'm lucky to be here. Compared to those poor guys, they treat us well here.

Well sweet, it's time to fall in again and so I'll close. Your letters are nice and so are you. I love you even more today than yesterday.

Lots of love,

“your man”

Next letter Tomorrow, April 23, 1942

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