I am not exactly sure what my grandfather’s responsibilities were at this point. I don’t think he knew either. They appear to be just playing the waiting game. And laundry does seem to be the bane of his existence.
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- August 5, 1942 Envelope
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- August 5, 1942, p. 1
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- August 5, 1942, p. 2
Wed Aug 5, 1942
Dear Mother,
We are still loafing with no definite word we report each morning and that is all. Gets sorta monotonous after a few days.
Did some more laundry this A.M. I’m still wearing the same shirt and uniform as when I left home and am afraid to send it out or it might be like the bundle at Norfolk. I wrote them this AM to tell them to send that laundry to you and you can pay it there and send it on. I’m afraid the cost of the C.O.D. where we will go will be more than the clothes. Of course we don’t know where we will go but just surmising.
I didn’t get a letter yesterday
(page 2) and really don’t expect one today because of the mix up in the address of course will get that later.
I spent all of yesterday reading a detective story. It’s about as good a pastime as anything.
I keep buying things and now I’m beginning to fear that I’ll run out of money if we don’t get going before long. Guess I’ll have enough at least I’ll try to make out. When I sent that home I didn’t think we would be here that this long.
We still have plenty cold weather Still have two blankets at night and along about morning it gets a little to[o] cool at that. The sun is a little warm in day time but just step in the shade and its plenty cool.
Well, if anything further develops today I’ll write
Love Daddy
The waiting was a tough part of life back then…and the boredom. But Old Man Jack said once in passing that when all hell would break loose, he’d wish for the boredom.
I can certainly believe that!
We have a photo of my husband’s father reading a detective story in his bunk. Funny to me because I didn’t know him as much of a reader, but I suppose whether he liked it or not, it beat the boredom of waiting.
My dad says he doesn’t really remember his father reading novels, but this is the second time he has mentioned reading a detective story. I guess people do untypical things when they are bored, or perhaps he read too many detective stories during the war and couldn’t read them afterwards.
I’m guessing it won’t be too long now and he’ll be on the move…
He was worried about running out of money. No such thing as a ATM!