Camp Shelby
Aug 21, 1942
Dear Kay,
You haven’t been hearing from me lately but I’ll tell you this much. I wrote a letter in between your last two letters, counting this one. I wrote one to Y and you both on the same day and now you make me wonder whether you received that letter or not.
Well, anyway, I’m fine. I guess the insects that Hal mentioned are chiggers. They really are a bother when you are out on the field and have to crawl thru grass etc. We were out for five days a week ago and we’ll be going out in a couple of days again. We’ll be out for 10 days this time. We’re being tested by the 3rd Amy on our basic training. Our senior officer tells us quite seriously that if we dont [sic] pass, hes [sic] going to kick our ____ right up to our shoulder blades. We’ve been brushing up this week and we had 3 four mile forced hikes with full field packs. We must do 4 miles in 50 minutes and it’s not very easy. On the second day, some fellows fell flat on their faces. Others couldn’t take it so they fell out, but the majority came home. In our platoon, there are about 4 small fellows (about 100-110 lbs) and its [sic] pretty tough for them as their pack weights just as much as any other. You can see them almost ready to fall out, but they keep working on their “guts,” and they don’t let somebody carry their rifle. Some fellows say, “I can take it, I can take it,” but you can see that they are tired. They won’t let the lieutenant take their pack or the rifle, instead they continue until they just pass out. Sounds silly of them, doesn’t it. As for me, I’ve made every hike so far, and came home tired but happy. Always glad we reach the end of a hike.
I don’t think I told you, but I went to New Orleans a couple of weekends ago. I guess Hal must have told you about the place. He went sometime before I did.
It’s not a city of tall buildings and what not although they do have a lot of them. The Charity hospital there is the biggest hospital I’ve ever seen. I forgot how many stories it was. We roamed around the Tulane campus and stadium (where the Sugar bowl is played.) We only had one night and a day to spend there so there was a lot we didn’t see. We went thru part of the French Quarters and saw some of the residential districts. Later on we went to the beach at Lake Poncha Train [sic], which contains brackish water. Its [sic] a very big lake the train and traffic run across a bridge over it.
We swam for a couple of hrs and after conversing with some of the people at the beach, departed. We learned later that all the amusements opened after we left. We took a taxi and cruised thru the city park and thru parts of the city. Passed the Higgins Co. where they make P.T. boats. We ended up at Audubon park where we spent the rest of the day. We spent an hour on bicycles, riding thru the park and then looked around at what was the zoo etc. We found everything there that one could expect to find in a zoo, monkeys, snakes, crocodiles, tigers, lions, etc and last the elephant. Incidently [sic], both the City and Audubon Parks have nice swimming pools, the latter especially, and I consider the parks better than any I’ve seen back there.
We came and went by train, the ride taking 3-4 hrs one way. Those hours were spent in Hawaiian exercise or brink [sic] fatigue most of the way. I talked with a haole solider from New Jersey for quite a while. I might say that most of the haole’s [sic] are all right, although there are some individuals whom the haoles themselves have admitted, are ignorant of such matters. Most, or I should say all of whom I’ve talked to are all right.
I haven’t seen a show for a couple of weeks now and I think I’ll take in one this afternoon.
It’s about time to go too, so that I’ll do. Excuse me but I’ll only have a six or 10 cent stamp. My finances aren’t too high and stamps can run into something. I draw an approximate $30 a month. The rest is alloted [sic] for insurance, bonds, etc. By the way, send home the bonds I have at Nesan’s place to whomever I have named as beneficiary, will you. If the beneficiary is not named, put it to one of the kids.
So long
Love
Stan
