Letters from the Brown Jug

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 ...

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 t...

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