February 26 and March 2, 1943. A couple of short letters from Stanley. In the first letter Stanley acknowledges two letters from Dad dated February 22 and 23. Apparently the weather in Oxford, Mississippi has turned a little chilly. Stanley will have Charge of Quarters tomorrow while the rest of the guys are out on a hike.
His finger is still bandaged from being caught on some barbed wire a few days ago. He says it hasn’t improved any. For now he soaks it in warm water and puts ointment on it. He says, “I will know in a day or so how it will be. I hope it will heal up faster.”
He mentions news of a relation of theirs who was in the Pacific. “Eddie Murawski should be about home now from Guadalcanal. Last you or Anna told me that he was somewhere in a hospital resting up. Imagine he has reached the United States by now.” By way of historical context, the battle for Guadalcanal was fought between August 1942 and early February 1943. I hope that we get more details about this relative in later letters from Anna.
U.S. Marines resting in a field on Guadalcanal, 1942. Photo credit US Navy.
In other news, Stanley and a group of his guys “got gigged on room inspection today. A note pinned on my bed said dirty canteen. Several fellows on our floor were gigged for the same reason. The canteen passed every inspection so far and why I was gigged I do not know. Well, probably Sunday I will have to drill for about an hour or so and maybe have a night or so restriction. I don’t mind it. I stay in almost every night.” He continues, “Well we have about 10 more days of school and I hope I get shipped somewhere near home as permanent party. How I would love that. Let’s hope all comes out for the best.”
In his letter of March 2nd Stanley reports, “My 6th week mark for graded problems was a “B”. Yesterday we started our 7th week of school and we only have seven more days of school before we get out.” He says that “This week in school is the toughest we had so far. Boy these problems sure are a mix up. Some of the solutions they give us to the problems are not even correct .We sure have to fight over them questions and answers. This coming Monday March 8 we take our final exam.”
It looks like the cold snap continues as Stanley notes that “last night…after retreat it started to snow very, very lightly…after six it was coming down pretty good then it stopped. Boy it sure feels good to duck under the blanket and comforter when it is nice and cold outside.”
The news of the jeweler being caught as a spy has reached Stanley. He mentions it in passing. In other news Stanley says, “I just read a headline in the paper where Berlin, Germany was bombed again nice and heavily. So far according to the paper Berlin was bombed about 58 times.” He predicts, “Looks like by July there will be a nice invasion of Europe and then the rat Hitler will have his doom. Remember how Ed used to tell us that he had a talk with the Majors at the Arsenal and they told him to wait until July and he would see some change in the continent of Europe. Well I hope this whole darn affair winds up faster and that we all go home fast sound and safe.” This will prove to be true as the Allied invasion of Italy will take place in July 1943. You would think that the Majors at the Arsenal would not be sharing that kind of information with a civilian. As far as Hitler, it will still be quite some time before his demise.