"Today was a rugged one" - January 7 and 11, 1943
Sgt. L. Winsauer - 36212741
APO 253, Division Hq Co.
Indiantown Gap, Pa.
Miss Jean Johnson
Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
[Typed]
January 7, '43
About Midnight
Dearest,
This afternoon I got your letter — in fact two letters — the one you wrote on New Year's Eve and the following Sunday, both in one envelope. They were both swell, per usual, and made the day worth living. You do write a swell letter darling — someday you'll have to give me a few lessons.
Today was a rugged one to begin with. I slept over at the Dispensary last night on a bed in one of the back rooms — and didn't wake up this morning for reveille. Just missing reveille wasn't so bad though, 'cause Sgt. Heimann covered up for me by reporting me present. But the pay-off came later. I was still sawing 'em off at about 8:30 (the dopes still hadn't gotten me up), when this morning of all mornings, who should come in but the general, after some camphor. ('still don't know what the heck he wanted it for). Well Lt. Cawley couldn't find it and neither could any of the fellows. Naturally Cawley gets all excited and wants to know where the hell I am (among other things, I'm supposed to be in charge of supplies). The fellows all told him they didn't know — course they did — and he kept getting more rugged all the time. Well finally Heimann told him I was asleep in the back room and he came back just as I was climbing out of bed. He didn't give me hell or anything — was I surprised — 'just asked me if I was sick. I must have looked just some rugged — up late last night and no shave, no breakfast no nothing. Boy I'm just some lucky, the first (well nearly the first) damn time I sleep late on a duty day and I've got to get caught at it. 'Course when yours truly finally did get on the beam the camphor turned up in a hurry — but naturally, Yea man, and the general left happily right after.
There have been a few changes made down here at Pickett this week, and the old 3rd Armored is up and taking off again, this time for Pennsylvania. We don't know what camp yet, but as soon as I find out I'll let you know. Rumor has it that we're leaving in about a week. Boy, I'm getting pretty damn sick of this moving around the country on sight-seeing tours — wish the heck we'd get on the ball and get across. The sooner we go the better, for my money. Just to get the damn thing over with in a hurry so I can be home with you again. Darling I miss you more now than ever before. I can't help it, it just gets worser and worser. In a way I'll be glad to move again, even if it is only to Pennsylvania, cause this camp's starting to get me down and the change will do me good. Maybe I'll even be nearer home.
Gosh darling, they really must be just about working you to death. I'd tell 'em to go to hell. You probably did, and what did Heronimus say? Why in the hell you should have to work overtime and weekends on a straight salary is beyond me. Even though you like the work, there's a limit to everything.
I saw two swell shows this week. Last night "Journey for Margaret", and tonight "Palm Beach Story". Have you seen them yet? After the show tonight we came over to the Dispensary, cooked some coffee and then got into the perpetual poker game. I've been winning a little lately and tonight I won a couple more dollars but not enough to get exited about. I still don't know whether I got a bonus or not. Maybe it was sent home and Dad put it in the bank for me. I'll have to write him and find out. Oh Oh, here comes a patient. Guess I'll take care of him and not wake the Charge of Quarters.
[Handwritten]
Monday, Jan 11th
Indian Town Gap, Pa.
Hi again darling,
Boy that was a short week. Friday morning we got orders that we were to move out on Saturday and so here I am up in Pennsylvania. The night I started this letter I had to take it out of the typewriter to type out a hospital admittance slip for the kid that came in. He cut his hand and legs pretty badly when he fell off his motorcycle and by the time we got him patched up and sent to the hospital it was late and I thought I'd finish this in the morning. Well in the morning we found out we were going to move so I worked all day and 'till 11:00 that night getting everything packed up.
We left Saturday morning at 6:30 A.M. from Camp Pickett in a convoy of 65 vehicles (This time part of the division moved by train and part of them drove here). Two drivers, two of the fellows from our dispensary, and LT. Cawley(?) and myself drove over in our ambulance. We were with the first convoy to leave Pickett and none of the rest of our men (From the Dispensary) will get here 'till the 21st.
We drove all day Saturday (A ten minute break every 2 hours) and got to Frederick, Maryland at about 6:30 that evening. They had cots in the armory there for us and that's where we spent the night. By the time we had gotten our bunks made up and everything pretty well under control it was close to 8:30. From then 'till 11:00 we were on our own so we tor up-town, got a swell steak dinner, had time to make a few of the dives and then were chased back by the M.P.s. Had a good night's sleep for a change and after a hurried-up breakfast (Beans + Coffee) we took off again. We got to this camp at about two yesterday (Sunday) afternoon and here we are. My address now is:
A.P.O. 253
Division Headquarters Company,
Indian Town Gap, Pennsylvania.
The camp looks pretty nice, it's right a the foot of the mountains in a pass through the Mts. We're 23 miles East of Harrisburg, 46 miles West of Reading, and about 19 miles from Hershey pa. On the trip up here we saw some swell country. Crossed the Potomac and the Susquehanna rivers, went by a bunch of historical battlefields, including Gettysburg, saw someplace where Washington was supposed to have slept, etc. etc.
Today we moved into a Dispensary Bldg., unpacked our supplied and got everything pretty much on the line. Our truck came here along with the convoy and so we have practically all our equipment here now. I don't imagine we'll be too busy now 'till more of the companies start arriving.
Well Shorty it's getting late and I've got to drop a card to Mom and Dad, so goodnight for now sweetheart. I love you,
Louis
Oh how I wish you could be here tonight darling — not for any special reason — but I miss you so damn much it hurts,
Lou