Everett Schafer's Letters
Letter #15
World Events Are Looking Very Good Anyway
To “Mom + Dad + Family”
9 September 1944
Sept. 9 1944
Base Camp
Dear Mom + Dad + Family,
Well this is Saturday morning and we are all ready for inspection at ten o’clock. There are three Sgts. in this tent and we were squared away by eight o’clock. It’s a very nice morning and the sun is plenty warm already.
Do you remember how we used to take things apart on Saturday at home and clean the house from top to bottom? That’s just about how it is here, scrub down the decks, police up everything in sight, and everything is neat and uniform. Then the inspection.
Since we came back to base camp we have been mostly getting back in shape. That includes a light training schedual [sic]. I am now an acting platoon sergeant, in other words I have a platoon but I’m still a Sgt.[1] All the Sgts took an examination for promotion to next higher rank but results are still unknown. I guess I’ll have to get more time in before I rate a staff ratings.
I received your last letter and it was just full of good news. I can tell by your writing that everyone is a lot happier now that family affairs are better. I guess you realize how I feel about it. And Ronny + Joan getting along so well, and Shirley back again. Ronny + Joan are getting so big I won’t know them when I get back. I sure hope they take schooling serious and get all out of it they can. They both are getting use to the business world already and they are still so young. And Shirley has a good education already and on the way up. Well all the things is what makes me feel good.
Well it seems like Germany can’t last too much longer, then everything will be thrown at Japan and before long we’ll all be back home. World events are looking very good anyway. Well it’s about time to fall out for that inspection so I’ll close for now. Write soon and lots of love to all.
Your loving son
Everett
Footnotes
1. The former Baker Company machine gun platoon leader, 1Lt. Joseph D. Swoyer, was moved to the job of company executive officer in the fall of 1944. Everett, who seems to be the senior surviving sergeant, appears to be in temporary command of the platoon.