Phil Wood's Letters
Letter #28
Finally Made Me First Looie
To Margretta & Gretchen
16 July 1943
Camp Pendleton, California
July 16, 1943[1]
Dear girls,
Out in the field again, and somehow we have a few hours off. The training is coming pretty fast now, cramming an awful lot into each day. We are actually working almost steadily; of course, on the whole I more or less enjoy the work, so the days pass quickly. It’s just that at times I get to feeling that it’s all pretty sterile – plowing a field of dry sand. Not because we are not going to put this training to good use – we certainly will. Nothing is a greater test, a bigger and more thorough examination of knowledge than battle. Most of my life has been that, you know: learning, then pulling all you know together for an exam. Only this time my success will depend as much on how well I have taught as on how well I have learned.
Finally made me First Looie yesterday.[2] Not a big promotion, but a welcome one. Only twelve of the 2nd Lts. in the Battalion made it, but all 3 of us in Co. A did. Mother, you should remember that you met 4 2nd Lts. in the company, including me – well, Ed Keyes was transferred Monday to San Diego. Unsatisfactory fitness report – the monthly reports turned in by the Captain on our capabilities, etc. Too bad, because I really liked Ed. Sort of a big dumb Irishman in a lot of ways, but easy to get along with. I’ll miss palling around with him. [3]
Got a cute letter from Kitsy and an Uncly one from Uncle Dud, and another from Aunt Kit.[4]
It’s really very pleasant out here. Right now I’m sitting in a grove of enormous sycamore beside a gurgling little stream, smooth brown grass hills all around. The valley polka-dotted with olive green bushes, clear blue sky, warm sunshine, and a fresh breeze. Really, Mother, you missed the best part of California, because I never took you out tramping in these hills. This is the distinctive beauty rather than the cities. This is what I will always think of California, this and our house at Laguna. The brilliant blue-green water, the rocks, and the curve of the shore up to Long Beach.
Chow call. We’re going out all night and tomorrow morning–every letter is read a half a dozen times. I carry them around in the field and read them in rest periods.
Love,
Phil
Footnotes
[1] Postmark date on envelope. May have been written over the span of several days, or mailed late due to the busy training schedule.
[2] Phil Wood was promoted to First Lieutenant effective 22 June 1943, and formally accepted the new rank on 7 July.
[3] Edwin Keyes transferred out effective 30 June 1943. “Big dumb Irishman” here is meant affectionately.
[4] “Uncle Dud” – Dudley Summers. Not a relative, but close to one due to his friendship with Philip Senior.
Edwin Joseph Keyes of Brighton, Massachusetts (at left) was one of Phil Wood’s earliest friends in the service. Possessed of a boisterous nature – his high school motto was “Life is too short to be taken seriously” – Keyes was a bit of “a wild Irishman” in Phil’s words. Ed was “the boy I pal around with most,” and as noted in a previous letter, the two were singing partners.
An officer’s Fitness Report was a crucial part of his service file. These perodic evaluations (“monthly” as Phil claims is a bit too frequent) were compiled by the immediate superiors based on observation. Ratings from “Outstanding” to “Unsatisfactory” were doled out in matters of Performance Of Duty (e.g. “Handling of enlisted men” or “Administrative duties”) and Qualifications (e.g. “Military bearing and neatness” or “Judgment and common sense”). After providing clarifications, commanding officers were asked the following question:
“Considering the possible requirements of the service in war, indicate your attitute toward having this officer under your command. Would you:
a). Particularly desire to have him?
b). Be glad to have him?
c). Be willing to have him?
d). Prefer not to have him?”
For whatever reason, Keyes failed to live up to Captain Irving Schechter‘s standards. On 30 June, he and 2Lt. Nathan H. Babcock of Comany C left Camp Pendleton for good. They were assigned to a casual company at Camp Elliott until a suitable new berth could be found.
Although he never returned to the 24th Marines, Edwin Keyes’ war was far from over. He was sent out to the Pacific with a replacement draft in September 1943, and the following month joined the First Raider Battalion. Lieutenant Keyes fought on Guam and Okinawa as a platoon leader in G/2/4th Marines; he was shot in the arm in the latter battle, and was discharged on 1 January 1947 with a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, and the long-awaited rank of first lieutenant.