Bill reports to the Armory Building in Eaton, Ohio at 6:45 AM on November 28th for induction. He leaves Eaton by train and arrives at Ft. Thomas, Kentucky for indoctrination. A few days later Bill boards a troop train heading for Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi where he arrives in mid-December. Camp Van Dorn is one of the many new military camps throughout the US.
Bill joins company A of the 395th infantry regiment of the 99th division and begins boot camp which includes US Army Ranger training. Rangers learned hand-to-hand fighting, climbed cliffs, practiced amphibious assaults, had countless long-distance speed marches, and became skilled in a variety of weapons, even using live ammunition to make the training close to real combat.
Bill spends Christmas in Mississippi. Cards are exchanged with the family. His younger brother Abe enlisted in October of 1940 and is in training in the US. The Girls (Eva, May and Ruth) are living together at a boarding house in Dayton, OH; Eva and May have jobs, while Ruth works and attends high school. Anna, William and the Kids (Dick, Fanny, Sam, Annie, Victor and Pat) are living on Decatur Street in Eaton, OH.
On the US Front:
- Gasoline rationing begins in the United States.
- Below the bleachers of Stagg Field at the University of Chicago, a team of scientists led by Enrico Fermi initiate the first nuclear chain reaction. They send a coded message, “The Italian navigator has landed in the new world,” to President Roosevelt.
- Bing Crosby introduces the song “White Christmas” in the movie Holiday Inn.
On the War Front:
- In early 1942 the US and its Allies suffer major setbacks in the Pacific theater losing Guam, Hong Kong, Wake, Singapore and the Philippines. However, later that year the US scored major naval victories at Midway and The Coral Sea and invaded Guadalcanal. In November the allied forces invaded North Africa.
- The first US bombing of mainland Italy occurs in Naples.
- The Marines turn over Guadalcanal to the American Army.
- As the year comes to an end, things look bright for the Allies: Rommel is trapped in Tunisia, the Germans are encircled at Stalingrad, and the Japanese appear ready to abandon Guadalcanal.
December 10, 1942 — Ft Thomas, KY
Dear Mother;
Just a line to let you know I arrived all in one piece. And they’re giving us the works. We’ll only be in here from 3 to 5 days. Just long enough to go thru the details of processing.
And so I haven’t any idea where I’ll be shipped. Boy do I look like a rookie. I may have to cut this letter short. We were up at 4:15 this morning and so far all we’ve done is eat breakfast and police up the barracks.
But the day has just begun and I’ve a fairly good idea just what is in store for me. Well any way I’ll make this letter short and sweet. I want to write to the girls today. I’ve got Oh! Oh! Here comes trouble. Well I started this letter this morning and it’s after 7:00 o’clock P.M. now. And what a day. Well I’ll have to be closing this letter and will try to write more later. Give my love to all. And I like it here. I make a swell rookie.
Lots of Love from the Laughing Irish
Bill
December 12, 1942 — enroute
Dear Mom
Just a line to let you know I’m going south for the winter. And Gee but this traveling is monotonous.
But the Army is practically the same as C.C.C. So it won’t be anything new to me. In fact I sort of like it. So I’ll be seeing some more new country.
Well here I am back again and I’m at my station base now. And it seems as though I’ve wound up about 900 miles from [home]. And Gee but it seems funny to be back in summer time again so soon after being in snow. In Mississippi there’s plenty of swamp and green trees here. And it’s plenty warm. I didn’t pass on my test for the paratroopers so it begins to look like I’ll wind up in the Inf. We only spent two days in Ft. Thomas. And I never got time to even look up Captain Shipley while I was there. Believe me they sure kept us busy while we were in the fort. And so here I am. I’ll have to make this letter short. And I haven’t found out what my address is. But I’ll send it. I’m being transferred to another barracks in a little while. So tell everyone I said Hello and I’ll be seeing you all.
Lots of Love
Bill
December 15, 1942 — Camp Van Dorn, Centreville, MS
Dear Mom:
This [is] all I’ve got to do in this place so I’ll proceed to make use of what little writing talent I have. Today we done an awful lot of close order drill and in the afternoon I was on a work detail with about 1,000 other men. But work can’t get the best of me. So I’m still full of pep.
But there isn’t anything in this place. Honestly they haven’t even got coat hangers. Nor do they have a rifle range. But they will some day. This place is about 30 miles square. And believe me that’s an awful lot of land to cover. Well like a damn fool I let some guy get away with my mess kit cup. And in this place that means that I’ll either have to wait until the near future and buy one or send me one of those I had around home. So if you do you can send me Ardis’s pictures. The first payday I have here I’m going to get a camera and take some pictures what a real rook looks like. They had us out on police call the other day picking up trash and some of the boys kicked up some rabbits and talk about a riot they really had me for a while. I heard more com’s and non-coms yelling attention then I’ll probably ever hear for a while.
But all in all it’s a great life. Well a news boy just came in and I finally managed to get a hold of some literature. And believe me it’s a blessing here. I should write to the girls tonight but I don’t believe I will. I want to take a shower after while. So if you see the girls before I get a letter wrote tell them I said hello and that I’ll write pretty soon. I don’t suppose it will be long before I get a crack at the guard detail (Standing guard & of course KP. Well I should be getting other things done. Today we got our helmets. We don’t wear coats down here. A fellow sweats his head off as it is. And I hate to think what it will be like this coming summer. I hope I’m somewhere else by that time. So give my love to Dad and all the kids and tell them I said hello. I’ll being seeing you some of these days. The officers told me it would be easier to get that allowance if I only picked four of the kids and you and Dad. All of your ages Pat, vic , Annie, and Fannie. They figure the girls should be able to give enough to support the rest of them. Well bye bye
With Lots of Love
Bill
Write soon
December 18, 1942 — Camp Van Dorn, Centreville, MS
Dear Mom;
Was sure glad to receive your letter, but I gathered from the way you talked that you haven’t received any of my letters. I can’t even remember how many letters I’ve written any more.
But I’m really making good use of that word Free that we put on our envelopes. Gee I’m sorry to hear that it’s so cold up there. It certainly makes a guy feel low when he has to march all day with a field pack. And believe me mom it makes a guy sweat. Well I could have stood to been kept in Ft. Thomas at least for a while. I figured that’s where I might get to stay, but I’ll be back before long. I’m figuring on saving up my money until my basic training is over and then taking a furlough and coming home. By that time I’ll be able to get enough to enjoy myself.
It only costs me half fare on the bus or railroad and I don’t know for sure but I think it will cost me about $20.00 to make the round trip from here to home. I haven’t got any papers for dependents yet. But then I haven’t signed any payroll yet either.
Say I wonder if any of the kids have got a small camera that they would send me for a couple of months. But I’ll have to find out whether I’m allowed to have one or not first. And say you can send me Abe’s address to. I lost it somewhere. Boy! Oh! Boy! Dad wouldn’t have a chance to rub it in. I’d have liked to have seen his face when he brought them in and boy I sure wish I were there to help eat them. Tell him to keep up the good work. And I’ll help out when I get back. Well the place is beginning to get better. We had a general, visit us the other day and we’ve had good chow ever since. Boy! Mom those cards were swell and here’s a personal thanks with my Love to you & dad. And lots of love to Fanny and the kids for their card. They were both beautiful.
And as far as Xmas presents, well just forget about them and send me a good old letter from home and by Xmas I’ll be getting awfully familiar with my sub machine guns & rifles & pistols. You ought to see them. I can’t hardly wait to use one of them. And these hikes, exercises & drills are my meat. So keep the ball rolling and I’ll be seeing you some of these days. Here’s wishing you all lots of Love & Good Luck with a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year
Love from
Private Bill
P.S. I had to buy some more stationary.
December 29, 1942 — Camp Van Dorn, Centreville, MS
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