Saturday · Dec. 19, 1942
Bn Staff as S-2.
Intelligence Officer.
Dec 19, 1942
My Darling Wife
I got back to the Company today only to be transferred to Bn Staff as S-2—Intelligence Officer. Instead of Co I, my mail should be addressed to Hqs 3rd Bn.
We have nice quarters compared to what we have had. We are in a bldg. with showers and I had my first good bath in over a month this afternoon.
Last night it poured and when I woke up I was sleeping in ½” of water. My air mattress kept the sleeping bag from getting wet, but lots of my clothes & bed roll were soaked
Well I got a surprise when I got back today I got your air-mail of Nov 30, a letter of Aubrey [Irwin?] of Nov 30, one from Kitty of Nov 27, and another from her of Dec 1. Kitty’s letters were full of clippings. Aubrey wrote and informed me that Ren Lawson had resigned and is now working for the City of L.A. I think Ren will like that and there is a future. Aubrey is not going to fill Ren’s position and this spring a charter amendment is going to be presented making all appointments temporary for the duration. That would give me a chance to try for the assistant’s job at $350 per.
I can dream, can’t I.
Your Xmas package mailed Oct 1 & the [walnuts?] came today also. Now I could say that I hadn’t opened it, but my first package in so long was too much for me. Honey that “ditty” bag with toilet articles is swell and arrived just at a time when I could use some replacements. Thanks a lot honey—
When did you get Linda her trycle? Can she operate it properly? The only packages I have received besides the one I mentioned above were the candy you sent me from Kansas and mother’s scarf. The newspress is coming in—2 months late but interesting
You say you are proud of your daughter for her performance for George—naming colors of [pegs?]. So am I and of her mother too.
I don’t know how that working for Dad will come out, but you do as you see best. I don’t want you to get all riled up inside.
Let me know how the allotment works out. You had received one—thirty-five dollar check but had been shorted the following month. They should get it straightened out soon.
Time for dinner honey so must close. I love you—love you—oh how I love you always Your John
About this letter
Dec. 19, 1942: the day John left I Company for the 3rd Battalion staff. Then mail from home catches up with him, with news from the Glendale City Attorney’s office where he worked before the war.
NEW ADDRESSHe asks for his mail to go to “Hqs 3rd Bn.” instead of Co I.
THE ASSISTANT’S JOBWith Ren Lawson gone to the City of L.A., he daydreams about the assistant city attorney’s job: “I can dream, can’t I.” He became Glendale’s Assistant City Attorney in 1949.
READING CLOSELY
“I got back to the Company today only to be transferred to Bn Staff as S-2—Intelligence Officer.” The start of John’s intelligence career. By D-Day he was the intelligence officer of the whole 16th Infantry Regiment.
Ren Lawson and Kitty were friends from the City Attorney’s office.
A ditty bag is a small bag for toilet articles.
S-2 is the intelligence officer, who gathers and studies information about the enemy and the ground.
The Big Picture
Eyes and ears
Every battalion and regiment had an S-2: the staff officer in charge of intelligence. His job was to find out what the enemy had, where it was, and what it might do next.
Near Tunis, the Allies tried one more push before winter. On the night of Dec. 22, British Guards and a battalion of the 1st Division’s 18th Infantry attacked Longstop Hill in heavy rain.
In Russia, Germany called off its drive to rescue the army trapped at Stalingrad on Dec. 23.
Where he was
Near Oran, Algeria. Today he moved to the 3rd Battalion staff as intelligence officer (S-2). Sixty years later he wrote that his entire staff was one man: Sgt. John Arthur Walker.
In this letter. The S-2 learns what the enemy has and where. He held that job, first for the battalion and then the whole regiment, through North Africa, Sicily, D-Day and the Bulge.