Fresno, Calif.
July 27, 1943
Dear Howard,
Well I received your letter a while back so I’ll see what I can do about raking a little news together to make a letter.
This camp is all balled up now. They are transfering men to different Companies getting them organized & ready to go over seas. I was transferred this morning and all my buddies were transferred to different Companies. I was transferred to the 888 Signal Co. which is supposed to be the farthest out-fit on the post. I was supposed to have a furlough coming up soon but they were cut to seven days at that. I had already had seven days. So that didn’t matter. One of my buddies just got back today from Northern N. Carolina. He had six days at home out of fifteen. He lives just 15 miles from the Atlantic Coast and had to travel 3500 miles to get home. He said he would not take it if they give him another furlough with all expenses paid he wouldn’t take it & I guess that is a long ways home.
Yes I do get forged around the country quit a bit. My outfit is supposed to be pulling out of here in a few weeks again! I don’t know where it will be some say, Oregon, Texas or New York, but those kind of rumors are just a common occurence in an Army Camp so nobody pays much attention to them. It don’t make much difference though because one place is as good as another.
I suppose you have heard by now that Buck was supposed to be in the Marines but he is leaving Camp Roberts now. I guess I won’t get to see Shirley more. I guess my Mother got so soon to be a small world.
Well Cheney finally got into the paratroops. He is down at Fort Benning Ga. and from what I have heard that is a “hell hole”. I wonder how he likes it.
You say you are getting some rain. Well here they don’t know what rain is. I haven’t seen a drop in two years. I haven’t seen a drop since before the rainy season started about Oct 1st any they say, it is around 120° above zero for every day here.
Tom Hall is in India now. I got a letter from Lyle Howard the other day from Drew Field and he had started down there and he said the rainy season was started down there and they are living in pups tents and nearly get washed away.
So the submarine town has started up again. I don’t suppose it is the same old shack that Percy used to be there though.
Do you ever hear from Mowry these days. He last time I heard from him he said they were working in the Ass of 17 hours a day. Can you imagine Mowry working. I think Fancy is in India now. He is working his way towards home.
Well I guess that is all for now. Write when you have time.
Your Pal,
Willard Bennett
Leave a Reply