Letters from the Brown Jug

On December 7, 1941, the day Pearl Harbor was attacked, Milton "Mel" Janis was roping at Rivermont Ranch in House Springs, Missouri. Horses were his life, and he had no interest in going to war.  He had hoped for a deferment, but along with many others, he was drafted for military service.  On December 8, 1941, he was told by the Festus, Missouri draft board that he was to report to Jefferson Barracks on January 15, 1942 so that he could be inducted into the U.S. Army. He was 22 years old.  On January 21, 1942, he was inducted into the Army and sent to Fort Riley, Kansas. The picture above was taken just a few days before.   The following are letters he sent to his dad (Lawrence), grandma (Julia), aunt (Marie), and uncle (Clarence) from 1942 through 1945. He often signed them "Brown Jug," but unfortunately the origin of that nickname is lost. He called his Uncle Clarence "the dude" and he and Marie would spell each other's names backwards.

Monday 8 PM. May 18, 1942   Howdy Dad:   The only reason I didn’t call you up in Kansas City is because I got a ride all the way across town. The ride I got when I left you took me to Weldon Springs. My next took me to Wentzville. Then a 40 Ford Sedan to Warrenton. The next a 41 Chev pickup to Kingdom City. My next ride took me a mile from the Kansas city limits and I got out of the car at 9:40. I would have called you but there was no phone handy. My next ride took me to the west side of Kansas City, Kansas. The next ride was from a soldier and I rode to the Ft Leavenworth turn off. The next ride was a Buick going into Lawrence. While I was riding with this feller we went thru a very heavy rain. It was about eleven thirty. When we got to Lawrence it hadn’t slowed up raining so this guy lets me off at the depot and I caught the Pony Express up at 12:50 and rode 98 miles to Ft. Riley. This cost me $2.21. I got in the Barracks about ten to four. Today we went on a problem and I slept all

Friday Oct. 29, 1942   Dear Eiram:   I guess I’m a little late but I forgot all about your birthday. I didn’t have time to get you a card so I invented one myself. It’s a poor job but you can bet your shirt it’s original. All kidding aside I hope you live to be a hundred.   I sure have been busy this week. Besides running the regular job of sign painting, four other fellows and I have been painting the mess hall from six in the evening until midnight. Tonight I am on guard. I have already walked my first shift. After I walk from 12 till two AM. then I’ll be done. I got Kitchen Police Sunday too.   I got a box of cookies from Dot today, they sure were swell. Dot is really ok.   We’re getting some new recruits in so all convoys are called off for a while.   Well that’s about all I know for now. Some of these days I’ll wiggle a pass out of these birds. See you then.   As ever Mel   P.S. Tell em all howdy for Notlim Sinaj

Sunday November 29, 1942   Dear Gram:   Sure thank you for the nice card. Things are pretty much the same up here as usual. We had to work Thanksgiving but we sure had a spread for supper. They tried there best to make us feel like home. We sure have some swell fellows in this outfit and they’re most all good soldiers too. I’d hate to be in the bunch of Nazi’s this bunch tackles.   Our top sergeant was commissioned a first Lt. last Saturday and he came around in his officer’s uniform and said good bye to us. He was an honery old buzzard at times, but he had a job to do and done it a good as anyone else could have. When I shook hands with him in the mess hall I knew I hated to see him go. Well I guess that’s about all I know for now. Hope this letter finds you all ok. Hope the dude is on his good behavior. I know you would enjoy Christmas much better if he was. Well the war news is good and I hope we can be helping the boys soon.   As ever, Mel   P.S. Thank for thinking of me with the c

Thursday   Dear Marie:   Sorry not to have answered your letter sooner, but I have been waiting for something to happen so I would have something to write. Of course nothing new has happened and I don’t know anything as usual. The snow finally melted today and we had a spring day for a change. Ever since that snowstorm we have had weather below freezing and the snow has been on three and a half weeks. Everything is a sea of mud up here today but another warm day like today and if this warm wind keeps up it will be dry in a day or so. It don’t take long for this sandy ground to dry out. I was on guard last Sunday and it was pretty rugged. The rookies start walking guard next Sunday so I suppose we won’t have to pull guard for a while. My furlough has been moved up until next Tuesday as we can’t travel on weekends anymore. Well that’s about all I know for now and hope to see you soon. Tell them all howdy and now I’ll be saying so long.   As ever, Mel

Tuesday January 5, 1943   Dear Gram:   I had some bad luck over Christmas and couldn’t get to come home on furlough. They have stopped all furloughs and passes and now I don’t know when I’ll get to come home. I thought I’d get to come home and I didn’t send any Christmas Cards, but I do wish all of you a Happy New Year and hope you will except it even though it’s late. Thanks for the Christmas cards. We still have been having snow and cold weather up here and I’m on guard tonight and the wind sure is blowing and the ground is froze hard. I don’t know much as the routine don’t change much.   I’ve got a pretty sore jaw as an upper wisdom tooth is trying to come out and hasn’t much room, it’s pressing against the last tooth. I can’t get my mouth open wide enough to chew much and have been eating soft stuff for about four days. I went to the dentist and they put some stuff on it but that made hurt worse than ever. Well that’s about all I know for now and will close now.   As ever, Mel   Te

Sunday January 17, 1943   Dear Folks:   Received Marie’s letter and the package and thank you for both. It’s sure something that I can use.   Well it’s about five or six below zero today and the water is freezing on the mess kits before you can get from the big cans of soapy & hot water to the barracks. There has been a few found up here with spinal [meningitis] and so we are eating out of mess kits and taking every precaution to see that it don’t spread. We are not under quarantine though.   I had that wisdom tooth pulled last week and my jaw is ok by now.   There isn’t much to do up here and there are so many soldiers that it’s impossible to get to town or in the show.   I’m going to supply sergeant school now and it ends the twenty third. Then we’re going out on field maneuvers for a week. I don’t think I’ll be able to get down for some time.   Well that’s about all I know for now so I guess I’ll say so long.   As ever, Mel