Friday · Jan. 1, 1943
Does the writing look better?
A new pen, a lighter, and a New Year’s Eve party he only partly remembers.
Jan 1, 1943
My Darling Wife—
Does the writing look better? It should. Yesterday I received three packages. One from mother with the sweater which fits perfectly, three cartons of Philip Morris from you wrapped together, and a package containing this swell pen & pencil set, and what I wanted badly—a lighter. Thanks ever so much darling.
No first class mail has come in, but I did receive a few more copies of the Newspress—November 27–30. I’m sweating out those copies for Nov 9, 10, 11, 12 We have seen very few of the articles dealing with our invasion
Last night we had our regimental dance. Colonel Cheadle, to be promoted to Brigadier General about Jan 7, General Theodore Roosevelt, lots of Colonels, about 70 officers from the Regiment, about 40 nurses and french girls were present. As there were not enough girls and married [late?], there was nothing [for us?] to do but drink. Everyone got good and tight on cognac, whiskey & gin. They …
… made a mix out of all three which was just like slow death. By midnight yours truly was having a little trouble navigating—but I maintained my decorum while several brawls ensued. I don’t know where they found the nurses, but they had practically all the wall flowers in their [illegible] at our dance. The rest of them must have had dates. However they were good sports and got pie-eyed too. One truck load that came from some distance had three of them out cold when they left the party. Disgusting—or just a good way to let the old year pass out—I don’t know.
They had the theater fixed up swell. The regiment’s dance band played. Lots of decorations were hung. there was an Xmas tree with colored lights—and tables with candles on them all around the floor. You would have died if you had seen one Lt. Colonel dancing. He was drunk when he went to the dance. He finally got to dancing with one of the nurses. You know how jitterbugs dance—breaking away from each other, dancing by themselves and then rejoining later. Well thats what he was doing …
… only he would get a long way off—across from the girls—dancing—trucking—by himself. It was about as funny a thing as I’ve ever seen.
This afternoon I’m going to visit the French Garrison and see a minstrel show. I don’t want to go but have been assigned.
It looks as though they are going to move us back into tents soon—and I don’t think I will like that. We’ve too comfortable here so I guess it had to come to an end sometime. (Say! this pen writes like a dream)
I didn’t get a chance to write to you yesterday, so I’ll write another letter to you this evening if they don’t keep me busy.
By the way, yesterday noon we had roast chicken, the day before, turkey—and this noon we had lots more—turkey. What a feed!. It never rains but what it pours.—that also describes the weather.
Last night I would have given anything to have had you with me to welcome in the New Year. We could have had so much fun together. I hope that this year, we will see …
… the end of this war and our rejoining each other. I want more than anything else to be with my two lovely young Ladies.
Have to go to this French Garrison now so will close. I love you honey—oh so much
All my love
Your,
John
About this letter
The first letter of 1943, written the morning after the regiment’s New Year’s Eve dance with the new pen Ginny sent. He started to date it 1942 and corrected it; his next three letters all say 1942 by mistake.
WHO WAS THERECol. Henry B. Cheadle, who had commanded the 16th Infantry since 1941 and was about to become a general, and Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the 1st Division’s assistant commander.
PERIOD LANGUAGEHe mentions being assigned to a “minstrel show” at the French garrison. That night he found it was a variety show put on by prisoners (next letter).
READING CLOSELY
“I want more than anything else to be with my two lovely young Ladies.” His “two lovely young Ladies”: Ginny and his daughter Linda, who was two.
Col. Henry B. Cheadle’s promotion to brigadier general was dated Dec. 25, 1942. He left the regiment soon after.
“Newspress” is the Glendale News-Press, which Ginny mailed to him. He wanted the Nov. 9 to 12 issues covering the Oran landing.
“Trucking” (Truckin’) was a 1930s dance step.
He hoped 1943 would end the war. It lasted until 1945.
The Big Picture
Waiting out the winter
The new year found the war in Tunisia stuck in the mud. Winter rain had stopped the fighting in the north, and both sides were bringing in more men. For now the Allies no longer outnumbered the Axis (Germany, Italy and their partners).
In Russia, the German army trapped at Stalingrad was cold and starving. On Jan. 8 the Soviets offered surrender terms. The German commander, Gen. Friedrich Paulus, refused. On Jan. 10 the Soviets began their final attack.
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.
In this letter. Col. Henry B. Cheadle had commanded the 16th Infantry until August 1942. Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the President’s cousin, was the division’s assistant commander.