November 17,1943. Stanley Miskiewicz writes a letter to Dad. Miskiewicz is stationed at Seymour Johnson Field in North Carolina. He notes that Dad “must be under the impression that I’m rather a lazy sort of fellow but I really am not. …I guess time drifts by before I can realize it. Guess I’m getting old.” Before continuing Miskiewicz asks Dad to send him Stanley’s (Dad’s brother) address. He also expresses his hope that Stanley has not gone overseas yet.
Miskiewicz gives a little insight into what his experience on base is like. “Here at Johnson, we have steady K.P’s and I don’t have to worry about pulling K.P. You see, I don’t think I’d have to worry anyway. I work in the Mess Fund Office, so I’m sort of well known in these circles. I guess I’m lucky.” From a layman’s understanding and having found a book of U.S. Army military regulations online at Google Books (albiet from 1913) it seems that the Mess Fund Office would have been responsible for procurement of food, kitchen and dining supplies as well as payment of additional compensation to certain enlisted men. The pages from the book dealing with this are reproduced below. You can click on them for a larger version which is easier to read.
Pages from a book of Army regulations dated 1913 concerning the mess fund. Image Source: Google Books
Miskiewicz writes that he took a trip to Raleigh and that,”It is a beautiful city, about Albany’s size, and I rather enjoyed myself.” He says that he stayed at the Sir Walter Raleigh Hotel and “stopped in at the Ambassador and saw Bob Hope in ‘Let’s Face It”. A pretty good movie at that.”
Miskiewicz says that one great thing about the Army is that it “…is the meeting place of all sorts and kinds of people. Don’t be at all surprised at anything you meet or run into by accident. Take it all in stride. Believe me, I’ve learned about people here in Carolina. We have everything from a hill-billy to a Park Avenue big shot!”
You may recall from Miskiweicz’s last letter he wrote that he nearly got married while home on his last furlough. Here he writes that he is closer to making the leap. “Right now, they are playing ‘Don’t Get Around Much Anymore.’ Guess I won’t be, as I have just invested a little more than a hundred dollars in a diamond – Yes, I’m going to be engaged first chance I get. No – it’s not a Southern Rose, but a good clean Polish American girl from Watervliet. Perhaps if this war ends soon enough congratulations will be in order. I’ll be expecting you providing I get there myself.”
He closes,” This is a good night, as I still must write a few more letters… As always, Stanley J. Miskiewicz”
Photo of Stanley J. Miskiewicz taken during the War. Photo courtesy of Stephany Brennan
Photo here