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Newspaper Clippings
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Wartime Humour
Newspaper Clipping
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"Let's look at it this way, Alice...when it's all over think how much fun we can have with the fellows at Legion conventions!"
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E. Simms Campbell
Date
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1945
Description
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This newspaper cartoon shows two women being supervised by an official while they peel potatoes, presumably for the war effort. The women comment on their work and how it might affect their future.
Subject
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Wartime Humour
Title
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Potato Peeling
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Title
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Newspaper Clippings
Subject
The topic of the resource
Wartime Humour
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"Did you miss me, Johnny?"
Description
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Johnny added handwritten notes to this newspaper clipping about returning soldiers. Probably cut from Yank, the Army's weekly publication.
Creator
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Irwin Caplan
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Title
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Letters from 1943
Letter
Text
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Dear Geraldine,
I was sorry to hear of your forced hospital "siege" but I sure hope you're shipshape now. You must be rather thin to be a "32". Why even I'm a '36' and you wouldn't call me fat by any means! You must be like my mother, if she weighs over 98 lbs. she starts reducing. Women are certainly strange critters but boy wouldn't we (the males) be lost without them!
You do seem a little mixed up on the school question, probably because I didn't express myself clearly Here's how it is—I'm still working as usual but go to school at nite from 7:30-10 P.M., two nites a week. The course I was taking ended last nite so I can now take a more advanced one or start a new one or of course not take any. I'm thinking of taking some more drawing as it has always been my favorite subject, my hobby, my love, etc. Need I go on? While on the subject I might add that I'm trying for a free art course. The only trouble is that it won't do me any good if I win, as I won't quit my job to go to school at a time like this. My reason for taking it amounts more or less to seeing how good I am or "ain't."
The army hasn't given me any further news in regard to my army service but I'll be ready when they are. From what my friends, who are in the Air Force, write, it isn't bad at all. The one fellow is in California and says the people are the nicest of any he has come across. He has been to the Hollywood Canteen where, according to him, the hostesses are all beautiful. He has seen several movie stars & attended broadcasts but the important thing, at least for him, is that his wife has gone out there to be near him. So he is 'on top of the world' as you might say. The other fellows I know in the Air Force are pretty much satisfied also, so I consider myself lucky to be getting in it (the Air Force) in the event that I have to go and can pass. Of course there's no question about my going, the only thing that bothers me is whether I can pass the physical. As the song says, 'say a little prayer for me.'
My sister and her two kiddies are staying with us for a month or so. Sis is going to get a job and is finished with that jerk husband of hers. He's a no-good if there ever was one. By the way, if I get in the Army I hope you'll keep on writing, as they say letters are very important to a soldier's morale, or a defense workers', heh heh.
We've gone back on our old schedule of work seven days and off the eighth. One good thing is that I'll have Easter Sunday and Monday off. Everything you get a Sunday off you have the following Monday too. The idea is that you don't get more than six days in each work week. If the seventh day fell in one work week, they would have to pay double time. So you see there's method in their madness. Bell made a profit of over four million in '42 — see what I mean.
I wish you could see my sister's youngest child. She's the cutest kid I ever saw, always laughing and full of heck.
A fellow got killed at work to-day. He was a steel worker working on the girders. He touched a live worse, fell fifty feet and landed on his head. Tough luck.
I'm still trying to get a film for my camera, but so far without success. I was going to invest in a better camera last year, but now film is getting scarce I'm glad I didn't.
It just occurred to me that if we ever get together again we'll have plenty to talk about, won't we? Maybe it will be a case of cat has my tongue, although I doubt it.
Oh, by the way, my birthday was on the 24th and I got stocked up on fishing tackle. A new rod, reel, tackle box, plugs, hooks, etc. Now all I need is a fish to catch. In a week or so a couple of fellow from work and I hope to get over on Grand Island to try our luck. I'll let you know how we make out.
Well, Jerry, I guess I'll call it a nite. My Mother sends her best regards and hoping to hear from you soon, I remain -
As ever,
Johnny
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John C. Waller
Date
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1943-04-06
Description
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Letter from John Waller to Geraldine Rowbottom, sent from Buffalo, N.Y. to Sarnia, Ontario. Post stamped April 8, 1943.
Title
A name given to the resource
April 6, 1943
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Letters from 1943
Letter
Text
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Dec. 8, 1943
Pvt. John C. Waller 42028154, Co. B - 717th Ry. Opr. Bn., New Orleans, 12, La.
Service Club, New Orleans Staging Area, New Orleans, Louisiana
Dear Jerry,
Thank you for being so prompt in replying to my letter. You're perhaps wondering what's been the cause of my delay and I will attempt to explain.
Te begin, I have now completed my basic training course. Understand that I mean the basic basic, if you understand what I mean. In other words, I now get advanced basic. Very simple, night wahr!
I've been away to another camp at Slidell, a small town about forty miles from here. I enjoyed it there, especially the air, which was much fresher than it is here. Between the camp and New Orleans lies Lake Ponchartrain, a small lake connected to the Gulf by a canal. We crossed this in small cruisers. My gang were on a 65' Chris Craft motor yacht. Boy, that was a beautiful boat! I wouldn't mind riding on it every day.
The camp at Slidell consists of twenty-nine rows of tents. Each tent was equipped with a wooden floor, six cots and a stove, so I can't really say we were roughing it. However, there were no electric lights and we ate all meals out of our mess kits, sitting on the ground. It was quite a job finding your mouth a breakfast time, because we are at 5 A. M. Each nite we went to bed about 8 o'clock and 'chewed the fat' for a couple of hours. There was absolutely nothing else to do.
The purpose of the camp is to teach you to fire the various weapons you'll need, also to qualify with the rifle. We fired the Springfield rifle for our marksman score. I made a sharpshooter, for which I'll get a medal. It's an iron cross with a wreath and the word sharpshooter hanging on a chain beneath. A marksman score is 134, sharpshooter 168, and expert 186-200. My score was 172. (Range was 200 yards.)
We also fired the carbine, which is the weapon we will carry overseas. It's a very light rifle firing a fifteen shot clip. All you do is insert the clip and pull the trigger. A gas mechanism cocks the piece and ejects the shells. We had quite a bit of details while there, but I won't go into detail on them.
I've been over the obstacle course every week since I entered the army. It isn't troublesome for young fellows, but some of the older men have a little difficulty. You start off by climbing an eight foot wall. This is followed by a series of climbing and jumping obstacles. About the middle of the course is a tunnel which would stick anyone the size of my uncle. Even I have trouble squeezing through. Down the home stretch are some four foot hurdles and a stream which you have to swing across on a rope. I've seen more than one take a dunking. The last obstacle is hardest. You have to go hand over hand on overhead bars stretched across a small pond. Some of the bars are at least three feet apart, so you can see it's no joke. This life is making me feel better physically though, and also adding weight. I've gained about twelve pounds so far.
Another feature of our basic was the infiltration course. The course is laid out over a field of rough terrain about two hundred yds. long. Land mines are scattered about the field and go off as you crawl along. There are about five barbed wire entanglements to cope with and at the end, three .50 caliber machine guns fire live bullets twenty inches off the ground. The purpose of the latter is to teach one to keep his head down., also the rest of his body. Most of our casualties in Africa were caused because the fellows didn't keep low enough.
We arrived back here last Sunday afternoon. The trip across the lake was made in open motor driven lifeboats; the same kind the navy uses on its fighting ships. Between the lake and docks at Slidell is a winding canal which gave the cruiser, on the way up, only about twenty foot clearance on either side. The lifeboat was only about forty feet long, but whereas the cruiser navigated without any difficulty, the guy in charge of our lifeboat sent us aground three times. The first time instead of turning a right corner he went straight ahead, landing six feet out of water between two trees. The next turn he sideswiped a cruiser docked at the side of the canal. The last grounding was really inexcusable. There was at least one hundred foot clearance around the last turn and the guy pulled in close to shore and we were stuck again. How he ever got in charge of a boat is more than I'll ever know. Back in New Orleans it took the guy ten minutes to dock in a slip twice the width of the boat. I've been with my dad when he docked in a cross wind with only twelve inches clearance.
Sometime before Xmas I'll probably go to another camp. We were activated upon our return to this camp, as you can see by my new address. That means we are ready for technical training. If everything goes right we should be overseas by next summer, however you can't be sure.
It is now the ninth. Yesterday afternoon we had a showdown inspection of all that has been issued to us. This morning our name and serial number has to be stenciled on each piece. In our morning formation, the lieutenant told us we'll be sacrificing regular drill for the next few days in order to get everything in order. He sounded like he thought we would be very sad about it, but he doesn't know us. That's why I'm getting a chance to finish this epistle now. The lieutenant also said they has a surprise in store for us.
Tomorrow night our old company is holding a party for us. I don't know just what it will be like except that it's an all male affair. You seldom see any of the opposite sex here in camp. They come to the Service Club dances, however each fellow has to have a pass and they're hard to obtain.
I suppose you know that Dean & Bruce Johnston, Don Hallam, and Lyle Goring are all over in England. Dean and Don are going to have their furloughs together over there. Lyle is returning to Canada sometime after Xmas.
Probably you've been to Toronto by this time. I'm sure you would have a good time there as I've been in the city many times. They don't have any churches there like the St. John the Devine in Buffalo constructed entirely of Italian marble. I've never been in a church with such an awe-inspiring atmosphere as that one. You don't dare to speak above the lowest whisper, at least that's the way it makes me feel.
I'll stop for now. You may receive another narrative of my travels soon. Merry Christmas to you and a Happy New Year!
As ever,
Johnny
P.S. I don't know what the complimentary ending means exactly. I imagine it's used for lack of something better.
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John C. Waller
Date
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1943-12-08
Description
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Letter from John Waller to Geraldine Rowbottom, sent from New Orleans, Louisiana to Sarnia, Ontario. Post stamped December 11, 1943. This is the first letter from Waller after his recruitment to the United States Army. He lists his post as Company B, 717th Railway Operating Battalion, Army Services Forces.
Title
A name given to the resource
December 8, 1943
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Letters from 1943
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Dec. 14, 1943
Destination Unknown
Dear Jerry,
They hauled us out at 4 A.M. this morning—a very wet morning indeed. We marched to the station with full field pack and entrained at eight o'clock. I was so glad to be leaving that I never noticed the weight of the equipment I had to carry. Rumor has it we're going to Indiana or Illinois—I wonder.
At any rate, our general direction is north. We're in Mississippi at present, having just left Jackson about thirty minutes ago. We just pulled out of a little hick town. There was another troop train of rookies headed south, so we yelled: "You'll be sorry."
This seems to be a stock farming section. We've passed several fairly large farms which were quite well kept. They form a direct contrast to the shacks where the negroes live. I noticed some with couldn't have had a larger interior than your combined living room and dining room. In fact, they were scarcely larger than tourist cabins, yet each one seemed to house a dozen children—well maybe only one-half dozen.
It's getting much cooler up here. I'd say at least fifty percent of the trees are bare of foliage. The rest are a species which is unknown to me. Whatever they are, they must be hardy to stand this climate. Will sign off for now. 4:50 P.M.
Wednesday - 8 A.M. We're now in northern Kentucky, having just crossed the Ohio river. Last nite the porter made up our beds at seven o'clock so we crawled right in, as we haven't been getting much more than five hrs. sleep per nite for the last week. It was nice and warm at first, but towards mid-nite a change became apparent. The windows were frosted over and I was cold from the hips down, despite two heavy blankets, my wool undershirt and wool oo shirt. The boys are now trying to scrape the frost off the windows.
From my peekhole, the country appears to be a rolling farmland. Everything is pretty well frosted up around here. We just saw the first white children since leaving Lousy-anna yesterday. Just leaving Princeton. The houses here look 'livable.' They are the white clapboard type. It sure makes me feel good to get back north again to 'God's country' as we northerners call it. The sun is just coming up, gleaming on frosted panes of farmhouses nestled among the hills.
We arrived in Central City about fifteen minutes ago (9:45) The whole company had to fall out for ten minutes exercising. Boy it sure is cold here! I haven't got any gloves with me and my hands were almost stiff when we got aboard again. I think we feel the cold more because of our stay in the sunny south.
12 o'clock. Still pulling through Kentucky. Here we have rolling farmland, but it's still far enough south for the (just hit a tunnel + had to stop) railway stations to have separate waiting rooms for colored and white. Last nite, before going to sleep, we passed through a little town where the homes were only a couple of hundred feet from the tracks. In several homes were lighted Christmas trees. Boy, that was a pretty sight! It makes you want to get the war over in a hurry so you can live peaceably again. We'll have Xmas day off anyway, providing we don't have K.P. or some other detail.
1:30 P.M. I've just seen my first snow. It looks good—a sight for sore eyes! We have just finished our meal which wasn't too bad, all things considered. After a short stay in the army you can eat anything anyway. We eat right at our seats. The K.P.s bring it to us, one serving at a time so that it takes about fifteen minutes to get the entire meal on your plate.
2:30 P.M. A little while ago we were pulling along near the top of a mountain. On the left, a valley stretched out into the distance. We could see a little village far off down the valley looking like a toy. It was quite a sight. We are now pulling through that same village. About one-thirty we passed Fort Knox, a huge camp of the Service Forces. I saw tanks in motion for the first time. They were 'buzzin' right along.
3:30 P.M. We are now in Louisville. About all I can say is that it appears to be a tobacco center. I saw a Lucky Strike, Wings + Sir Walter Raleigh factory, probably there are other. We were delayed a short time when one of the trucks on this car jumped the track on a switch. It bounced us around a bit, but that's all. We're on our way again. That was short progress because we have stopped again in Louisville to repair a coupling. We won't arrive at our destination until to-morrow morning.
A little feller about eight years old got on our car a few minutes ago. He wanted to see what soldiers look like, so we put one of our field packs on his back, hung a gas mask over his shoulders, and put a helmet on his head. You should have seen his eyes sparkle. He'll probably be telling all his pals about it.
5:55 P.M. Just crossing the Ohio R. It seems to be about as wide as the Niagara at Buffalo. That puts us in Indiana.
Thursday, 11 A.M. - Well we arrived here sometime early this A.M. but we stayed on the train until about eight o'clock. Then we marched here to camp and ate breakfast. Everything is still highly disorganized of course, however from what I've seen I think I'm going to like it here. The air is sure invigorating after that stale southern air. The temperature is near zero.
We sleep in small barracks, six to each. It's something like Slidell except that these are wooden houses instead of tents. There are two double decker beds, two singles and a coal stove in the center. We also have electric lights.
The camp itself is small being only about 1/4 mile wide and a half mile long. Each company has its own mess hall where you eat off plates instead of trays. I can't say much about the place in general as I haven't had time. In a couple pf weeks, I'll be able to describe the routine, etc, better.
One good thing is that we're near town, in fact, part of the suburbs are right across from camp. Later on we'll probably get a Class A pass. (one that enables you to go to town every nite you're free and stay all nite if you want to. It's particularly nice for married men whose wives are here)
I'll close for now and try to get this mailed. Hoping you and yours are well. I remain, as ever,
Johnny over
address
Pvt. John C. Waller - 42028154
Co. B. - 717th Ry. Opr. Bn.
Camp Thomas A. Scott
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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John C. Waller
Date
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1943-12-14
Description
An account of the resource
Letter from John Waller to Geraldine Rowbottom, sent from Fort Wayne, Indiana to Sarnia, Ontario. Post stamped December 17, 1943.
Title
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December 14, 1943
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Letters from 1944
Letter
Text
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January 22, 1944
Dear Jerry,
I'll have to ask forgiveness for my failure to answer your last two letters. One thing I don't understand is why you still send them to New Orleans, unless you have lost this address. Generally, a letter from Sardines reaches here in a day, but via N.O. it takes a week.
I forget what I told you in my last letter so please bear with me if I repeat myself. Where do you think I'm writing from—no less a place than the guard house. To be exact, I'm in the men's room, but only because there is a good light in here. There is another fellow here dashing off a few lines to his honey. By the way, I'm not a prisoner, just a private of the guard. I came on duty at 6 P.M. and will be relieved at the same time tomorrow nite. The tour of duty is two hours on and four off. There are beds here without a mattress for sleeping in your off hours and we do sleep.
Enough of that. The last three weeks I've been working as a structural draftsman in one of the Pennsylvania Railroads drafting rooms. It is quite an interesting job. There is another Buffalo boy on the job with me. We go out with the head draftsman to measure and locate various buildings, towers, switches, etc. and then draw up the plans. Sometimes we have the plans and have to check to see if the building is built according to them. Any necessary changes have to be made and a new blueprint obtained. We also work on track charts which are scale drawings of P.R.R track right of ways. The finished drawings are between thirty-five and forty feet long. Every little detail has to be included, right down to father Brown's private cattle crossing.
We work in the shops from Monday through Friday. Saturday is devoted to training. Sunday is your day off unless you have a detail such as the one I have to-night. I just took a look at your letter of the twelfth and note that you wonder what the address means. Since you wrote to N.O. I presume you mean the one which is as follows: A.S.F.-U.T.C. = Army Service Forces - Unit Training Center. Of course the other is Railway Operating Battalion. Verstehen Sic! [trans from German: do you understand]
I haven't any small snaps taken yet. Monday I'll try to find a film for my camera. If I'm not successful, I'll purchase a cheap one which I saw advertised. I want to get some pictures of my buddies and the camp so I'll have them for my album. I'll drop you a couple as soon as I have any.
It's now Sunday afternoon. It sho was a cold nite last nite. When I came in off my last tour of duty, my feet were like ice. We had quite a bad snowstorm during the nite so when the guards came in they looked like snowmen. We who were on patrol duty got a break this A.M. The sergeant let us off at eight o'clock. The gate guards had to stay all day to watch the prisoners because they had a nice warm gatehouse to sit in all nite, while we were out in the elements.
The boys are all cleaned up now so we'll be going to town soon. A little while ago we were having a snowball fight with the fellows in the latrine. They run from their barracks to the latrine in their shorts when taking a shower so we caught some of them good. Only one window got broken, which was a wonder.
Well, I'm going over to get my pass now. Hoping you are well and to hear from you soon. I remain,
Johnny
Dublin Core
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Creator
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John C. Waller
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-01-22
Description
An account of the resource
A letter from Johnny to Geraldine, written from a guardhouse at Fort Wayne, Indiana on January 22, 1944.
Title
A name given to the resource
January 22, 1944
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Title
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Letters from 1944
Letter
Text
Any textual data included in the document
February 13, 1944
Dear Jerry,
I don't know why you make disparaging remarks about your letter writing; I always enjoy them. Thanks for the compliment on mine. It's a funny thing, but everyone I write to thinks I write an interesting letter or am I bragging too much. Nothing like blowing your own horn you know. Nearly all women drivers I ever encountered believed in that saying. I've never ridden with you so for the time being you're exempt!
You'll never guess what I did last week end. Nothing less than went home. Boy, oh boy, was I happy when I walked out of the station onto good old Main St! What a feeling! I never experienced such a thrill at seeing the old town before. Believe me you'll go along way before beating that city.
I left camp at noon on Friday, arriving in Buffalo at eleven P.M. My mother and sister were in the kitchen when I walked in. I sure surprised them! It was a tiring weekend, but well worth it. My buddy, 'Buck,' went home with me. He lives in Lancaster, a suburb of ye olde city.
We left for camp at 7:30 P.M. Sunday. Just before I left home, my sister's youngest girls, Nancy (2 yrs.) said to me, "Don't go, John." I don't consider myself too much of a softy, but I had to turn away for a couple of seconds. I wish you could see her. She's the cutest little angel this side of heaven. She is also a little devil on the side. What mischief she doesn't get in, isn't worth while.
We arrived back in camp at 4:20 A.M. Monday morning to find that I had K.P. at 5 A.M. I just had time to change my clothes before reporting for duty. I felt like breaking a dozen eggs over the 1st sergeant's head.
The past week has gone by uneventfully. Yesterday I worked all day on a job for the Colonel. I was supposed to be an M.P. in town last nite, however I had to work instead. I carried on all day to-day finally finishing at three o'clock.
While I was working away Saturday afternoon, the colonel himself came up and stopped by my drawing board. Luckily, I had a short haircut with just a few 'twigs' sticking up for fine weather. He's a stickler for GI scalping. We had quite a little conversation while the C.O. stood around biting his nails. He's as nervous as a cat when an officer who outranks him is around. A lt. bears about the same relationship to a colonel as a pvt. does to a staff sgt.
Anyway, to get back to our conversation, the colonel wanted to know where I worked, where I learned drafting, if I was married. Quite a few people ask me that. I don't know if I look 'married' or what the heck. Someday I'll say I am just for the heck of it. Some fellows have noticed that snap you sent me which is in my wallet. Quite a few wanted to know if that was my wife. I hope you are properly taken aback. Please don't tell that boyfriend of yours or I'll probably be getting a sock in the nose via airmail. Besides, Uncle Sam wants me in good shape to do my job, & he might do more than pop me in the schnozzle.
Speaking of marriage, did you know that Lyle Goring is married to an English girl. That son-of-a-gun sure surprised me. I only hope he comes through the rest of the war O.K. He's been very fortunate so far.
I'll be getting my furlough within a month or so. We expect to pull out of here sometime before May for additional training down South. Personally, I'll be very sorry to leave the northern states. You probably would give your left eye for a chance to spend the winter in southern climes. Take it from me, it isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Well, I guess I've rambled on long enough for now. Hoping you are well and to hear from you soon, I remain,
As ever,
Johnny
P.S. Thank you for the pretty valentine. I hope mine was O.K.
Location
The location of the interview
Fort Wayne
Dublin Core
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Creator
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John C. Waller
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-02-13
Description
An account of the resource
A letter from Johnny to Geraldine on February 13, describing his trip home to Buffalo.
Title
A name given to the resource
February 13, 1944
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Dublin Core
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Title
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Letters from 1945
Letter
Text
Any textual data included in the document
January 14, 1945
Sunday Eve.
2100 (9 o'clock)
Dearest Jerry,
I don't know how far I'll get with this but as you so aptly put it, I feel like having a talk with you to-night. I'll warn you now that my writing may be hard to read as we're on another run. At present we are stopped so everything is O.K. so far.
You know Ger, the more I look at that last snap you send me taken with your two girl friends, the more I like it. I know I told you before but you look so darned sweet I'm telling you again—and day that lock of yours is really scenting my wallet up. I get stopped at least twice every day by one or other of the fellows so they can take a smell. Thanks again, little one! You know you really have beautiful hair. I remember how a wisp of it used to get down and tickle my nose once in awhile. Do you remember that, president?
I'll tell you what one of the Joes said about you last nite while I was holding down the office. He said you were a very feminine looking woman. I don't know how you take that but it's a compliment, I'd say. He belongs to an agricultural co-operative back in the States. The ideal woman in his mind is a hefty type who can do a days chores on the farm without having a relapse.
This afternoon I spent a couple of hours making a pal of mine a birthday card for his gal. I made one last night which didn't measure up to the mark so he got after me again to-day. Don't be surprised if you receive a sample of my handiwork one of these days. The trouble is when the other fellows see one they immediately decide that there are no suitable cards available over here and I have another job. One of my buddies wants a card to celebrate his girl friend's sister having a baby girl. The 1st sgt. wants one for his wedding anniversary while the number that want valentines is almost unlimited. Don't get the idea that they're (the cards) that good; it's just a novelty to them I knock them off on a Vmail form.
By the way, just when is your birthday? Don't forget to tell me.
We're starting to roll again so here's where my handwriting changes. Here's another little item out of the Stars & Stripes. A soldier in Belgium who had been sweating out news of a prospective new arrival in his family received a cable from his spouse. 'Twins arrived this week. More by mail.' He promptly cabled back, 'Overjoyed regarding twins. If more arrive by mail, refuse them.' I don't blame him, do you.
As far as this run we're on now is concerned it's an easy one for most of us—so far. We only have one car loaded, thus there are just two fellows working. We unload sometime in the wee small hours then move on to another spot, lay over till morning, load up full and return to our stall. We'll be able to get in a full night's sleep.
We got our contact printer now so it shouldn't be long before we can start turning out snaps. The box isn't quite finished yet. It has to be wired for the bulb, also for a dark light. (That's a red lite—the red causes no reaction on the exposed film.)
Boy, I sure wish I was with you to-night! Looking at your picture cheers me up and makes me long for home at the same time if you can imagine such a thing. Believe me, if you haven't changed your mind by the time I get home we're really going to have a time. At least to the best of my ability and I hope it's as good as your sailor friends showed you. It will be in the old Waller way, through not naval style. You'll have a hard time trying to lose me so you can now consider yourself forewarned. I won't say more now as I figure it's better to wait and see how things turn out.
Well sweet, here's where I hit the old sack. I've been just about an hour talking to you—could say more but I'd better give your eyes a rest. Take it easy now & give my regards to your folks. Goodnite little president!
All my love,
Johnny
P.S. I'm still trying to figure out how you got your job. You say you got it the way I mentioned & I've forgotten what way that was unless it was through the boss's son. Heh, heh!
APO
The number of the Army Post Office from which Johnny sent a letter
511
Location
The location of the interview
Burnham-On-Sea
Dublin Core
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Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
John C. Waller
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1945-01-14
Description
An account of the resource
Johnny wrote this letter during a run on the hospital train.
Title
A name given to the resource
January 14, 1945
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Dublin Core
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Title
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Letters from 1945
Letter
Text
Any textual data included in the document
February 11, 1945
Sunday Eve 7:20
Hello Honey,
My morale is still high after that last letter of yours even though this is another blue Sunday evening. I pretend your here by leaving your picture propped up in front of me. It will have to do until the better days come around when you'll be there in person.
I don't know whether you've already guessed it by my scrawl, but sho nuff we're returning from another run just like we were last Sunday only this time we're empty. Thank God.
This trip wasn't half as bad as the one last week so we aren't all tuckered out, just slightly worn.
One of our mess sgts. and I are alone in the office both trying to write letters, he on the typewriter and I with my scrawl. He's strictly a one finger man so it will take him some time to knock out even a V-mail.
Remember those snaps I said we were going to print. Well we tried to on our return trip Friday, however the negatives weren't clear enough for us to make a print. The fact is, all that showed up when we printed them was a black square the size of the picture. It 'kinda' exasperated me to see the image in the negative and not be able to re-produce it. The trouble was that I took the pictures on a dark day with an ordinary box camera belonging to one of the boys. It had only one shutter speed which would be equivalent to f16 on my own camera at home. They have stops from f16 to 3.5 while the shutter work up to 1/500th of a sec. on the one and 1/1000th of a sec. on my other camera. Pardon me for getting a little technical honey, although you may know more about the subject than I do. Boiled down it means I should have realized that a box camera doesn't let enough light through to the film on a dull day. With a 3.5 lens you can take a picture in the rain and have it turn out as well as one taken in sunlite, but a box camera doesn't have such a lens. Get me! Boy, this is some letter to be writing to your best girl - what say you little one!
One thing I've noticed is several mistakes, so like you I'll say to take each one for additional love and kisses. You know Jerry one of these days I'm going to really get on the ball and write you strictly a love letter. The trouble is I can't express myself well enough on paper to do you justice or my thoughts about you justice so maybe I better wait until we meet. I wonder if I'll be tongue tied - I doubt it.
Take care of yourself honey, and don't work too hard. Now missing & loving you, I remain,
With all my love,
Johnny
APO
The number of the Army Post Office from which Johnny sent a letter
511
Location
The location of the interview
Burnham-On-Sea
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
John C. Waller
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1945-02-11
Description
An account of the resource
Johnny was writing this letter while on a run with his hospital train, and he talks mostly about photography, one of his passions.
Title
A name given to the resource
February 11, 1945
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Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
Letters from 1944
Letter
Text
Any textual data included in the document
June 3, 1944
Dear Jerry,
This reminds me of that song 'When You're a Long, Long Way From Home' or words to that effect. It certainly is true enough in my case.
We had an uneventful crossing but it sure was monotonous after the first couple of days. All we did was eat, sleep and read pocket books. An orchestra composed of G.I.s helped to pass the time a little each evening. Also a religious service was held each afternoon for Catholic and Protestants. I was in charge of obtaining supplies for the men during the voyage (a s/sgt helped me or probably more correct I helped him). Anyway, he took charge of the money while I handled the goods. You'd be surprised at the amount of candy, soap, tobacco and the like that our company alone consumed. In one day alone they bought over seven hundred bars of soap. They should all be able to keep clean over here at any rate.
We passed through some beautiful country during our trip to this camp from the boat. It reminded me very much of the Cherry Valley section of good old New York State.
I've never seen such changeable weather as that which we have to put up with here. As the captain told us when we first arrived, "When you can see the hills, it's going to rain. When you can't see the hills, it's raining." There's more truth than fiction in that statement.
The thing with impressed me most upon my first glimpse of the country was the preponderance of brick construction in the homes, factories and all the other buildings. We've covered a good many miles of the country already and I've only seen about two non-brick structures. The style of the homes is lousy from an architectural point of view. I don't know how architects over here even sell their plans. Maybe I'm just prejudiced. You can't imagine how much better the U.S. and Canada are, as compared to this place. It's too bad that the entire population of both countries couldn't visit for a couple of weeks. Believe me, they would really appreciate North America afterwards.
As far as girls are concerned, they don't curve in the right places. There is another matter in connection with girls which we aren't allowed to mention, but I never heard of anything like it before.
This past week we've been sleeping in our pup tents with one blanket and raincoat under us and two on top. It's not too bad except for the bugs. They are very aggravating sometimes.
They're setting up six man tents for us now so we'll have it a bit easier soon. There will be canvas topped cots to sleep on so it will be like living in the lap of luxury.
We have a good setup here. We work nights, having the days free until 3 P.M. A pass can be obtained every other day. So far I haven't been to town, but I hope to make it to church on Sunday.
I forgot to mention a very strange thing in regard to daylight over here. It stays light until after 11P.M. There are no more than three or four hours of darkness. Later in June they say there will be only two hours darkness. So when I say we work nights, it isn't actually true.
I'm doing an entirely different job here to the one for which I was trained. It's a case of doing the most essential job. If it hastens the end of the war we don't mind. If I get married and have children I hope they're all girls as it's darn hard on parents to raise children and then have to send them off to the army. The trouble is that at the rate things are going now they'll be drafting women in the next war so a guy just can't win. We've got a job to do anyway, and we're going to do it.
Don't mind me if I've griped throughout this letter. A guy gets that way every once in a while in the army. It reminds me of a letter I received from a friend of mine. She had been married just about a year when her husband was drafted. In the letter I mention she had just said goodbye to her husband as he was leaving for overseas. She sure sounded in the dumps. About a week later she wrote again & apologized for being so gloomy. That's how it is up and down.
Well, I have to get ready for work again so I'll have to sign off now. I hope you and yours all well. Hoping I'm back on your side again soon, I remain,
As ever,
Johnny
P.S. If you see Susy give her a pat for me. My Unc tells me she's a bit down in the dumps now Ruth is gone.
Dublin Core
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Creator
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John C. Waller
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-06-03
Description
An account of the resource
A letter from Johnny to Geraldine written June 3, 1944, describing his Atlantic crossing and first impressions of Great Britain.
Title
A name given to the resource
June 3, 1944