Sunday · Feb. 14, 1943
Were you my Valentine?
A late-night letter as the guns shake his foxhole.
Feb 14, 1943
Hello Sweetheart
Late today I was informed that this was Sunday, Valentine’s day—and while it is late—I felt I just had to write on this particular day to the best of my heart—my wonderful wife. Were you my Valentine on this day?
Mail came in today and was sorted after dark. I got your letters of Sept 23 & Sept 28th and V-mail of Dec 9th. I also received the three cartons of Philips Morris that you mailed a few days before Xmas. We received what is supposed to be our last ration of Amer. cigarettes for some time—inasmuch as we are on a British ration and get 7 of those lousy Limey cigs per day. Further, our last ration of cigarettes was Chelsea—which I never heard of before. Your letter of Sept 23rd had several swell snapshots of you and Linda and I treasure …
… them. You’re both honeys. Incidentally Colonel Mathews has a daughter who looks a lot like Linda—born 6 days before Linda.—Incidentally our regimental commander, Colonel Fosha was asst. P.M.S.&T at U.C.L.A. at about the time George was taking advanced R.O.T.C. Maybe he knew him.
I also received copies of Newspress for Sept, Oct and one of Jan 5th. They have my address wrong and lots of them don’t get redirected properly. I got a letter from Aubrey of Dec 29th, a copy of Jr. Chamber magazine, a V-letter Xmas card signed by Police Court employees. Please call Aubrey and Kitty and tell them I’m getting their letters—also mother & dad—but that I barely have enough stationery to write you for a while and therefore cannot write to them.
Two of the officers received candy and we had quite a celebration. We had all hoped to get some sweets but they don’t come in when we want them. That’s the …
… way it goes. There are more packages expected tomorrow and maybe we’ll get some. Now that packages can’t be sent I guess we’ll have to get along—but in war you can’t have everything.
Honey I don’t know how I can tell you how much I love you—but just wait till I get home and I’ll show you something. We will really be a pair to watch. Tell the Princess her Daddy loves her too—and he sends her oodles of hugs & kisses via her mother—and mama to keep plenty for herself too.
Oh yes—I’m putting in for that other $100 uniform allowance tomorrow—and may get it in a month or two—and effective Feb 1, the exchange with the franc is 50 fr per $1.00. We got pd 75 fr per dollar for Jan so that means I’ll make $30.00 extra for Jan. When I get pd I’ll be sending it home so pretty soon will have plenty in the bank.
Must close and get some sleep—up at 5 A.M. now 10:15—a long day. Goodnight honey
All my love as ever
Your John
P.S. Boom Boom—[illegible] my foxhole shakes with them
About this letter
Three pages in pencil, written the day German tanks attacked at Sidi Bou Zid, south of his position.
COLONEL MATHEWSLt. Col. John Mathews of the 16th Infantry. Sixty years later John wrote to Mathews’s daughter, the little girl “born 6 days before Linda,” about her father.
COLONEL “FOSHA”His spelling of Col. d’Alary Fechet, who commanded the 16th Infantry until March 1943 and had been an ROTC instructor at UCLA.
READING CLOSELY
“Tell the Princess her Daddy loves her too.” Written at 10:15 P.M., with a 5 A.M. start ahead of him.
P.M.S.&T. was the Professor of Military Science and Tactics, the Army officer who ran a college ROTC program. George is John’s brother.
This scan appears to be made from a photocopy.
A few crossed-out words on page 2 are left off.
The Big Picture
Kasserine Pass
On Feb. 14 German tanks struck American troops at Sidi Bou Zid in central Tunisia. In four days the Americans lost more than 100 tanks and fell back to the west.
On Feb. 19 Rommel’s forces attacked through Kasserine Pass, a gap in the mountains. Short of fuel and ammunition, they were stopped, and on Feb. 22 Rommel ordered a retreat.
It was the first major battle between American and Axis forces in Africa. About 300 Americans were killed, 3,000 wounded and 3,000 captured.
Where he was
Central Tunisia, at the front. He later recalled his 3rd Battalion on a blocking mission in the Ousseltia Valley, where the 16th Infantry held the north end of the line.
In this letter. That morning German tanks overran American positions at Sidi Bou Zid, about 65 miles south. His P.S. about the guns shaking his foxhole came the same night.