Monday · Dec. 21, 1942
Four Xmas telegrams.
He had no way to send presents.
Dec 21, 1942
My Darling Wife
Another day—no mail—just about the same as yesterday
The weather has continued so wonderful that I can’t help but remark about it. It’s cool all day with a bright sun—at night its cold—and a beautiful moon tonight
Today I paid for 4 Xmas telegrams and I hope they go out—I have no means of sending presents so a telegram will have to work. I sent one to you, the folks, the office, and to Grandmother.
I finally got a French boy to …
… take out my laundry—what a bag full! They seem to wash things all right but they come back damp. They don’t take the time to iron them dry after they sprinkle them. The robber will probably soak me plenty—they usually do. I had to provide the soap—2 bars of Palmolive. They don’t have any decent soap over here
Today I have been working—reading mostly and planning on things to do. Tonight I’ll probably do some more of the same. It is rather interesting reading and keeps me up on the latest activities on the warfront.
—Interruption—
I was writing when a fellow brought …
… up mail for another officer—5 air mails—mailed around Dec 2 or 3rd. I didn’t get any but probably it will come in tomorrow.
In the barracks we are living in there is a bar for the officers—with wine & beer and any spirits they can get. While waiting for mail I dropped in and had one a beer—but came back to finish my letter.
There is little to write about today honey so will close and go to bed early. I love you honey, I love you I love you—wrap your arms around yourself and give yourself a hug from me.
Goodnight darling
All my love
Your John
About this letter
John’s third day as intelligence officer: reading, planning, and waiting for the mail that keeps arriving for everyone else.
THE OFFICE“The office” is the Glendale City Attorney’s office, where he was a deputy city attorney before the war.
READING CLOSELY
“I love you honey, I love you I love you—wrap your arms around yourself and give yourself a hug from me.” He sent telegrams to his wife, his parents, his office and his grandmother.
He wrote “had one a beer.”
The laundry came back damp: “They don’t take the time to iron them dry.”
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, now on the 3rd Battalion staff as intelligence officer (S-2). The 1st Division was still training around Oran while British, American and French troops held a line in the hills west of Tunis, more than 500 miles to the east.