Letter and Envelope from William Smith to Edith Smith
A letter and envelope sent by Private William Smith from Camp Gruber, Oklahoma to his sister Edith in Georgetown, Connecticut. Smith describes training and the schedule at the camp and some of his fellow soldiers from Connecticut. He also comments on the camps different ethnicities and religions, and notably uses a racial slur while talking about an event during training.
Dear E.
When do I get a letter from you all? Notice that southern accent? To date I haven’t received anything, though to tell the truth we didn’t expect to get any because I’ve figures it probably takes 3 days for ours to reach you and 3 to get back here. I messed up writing yesterday and I guess day before also. It rained here Sat. and the sun didn’t show up again till this P.M. It was real warm when it did come out. We were marching and what with our long legged wools and overcoats and wool gloves we were slightly dowpish [sic] from sweating.
The working day here is from 8AM to 5PM - 1 hr out for dinner. We find in order to get all ready for Reveille (I don’t know how to spell it) at 6:45 we have to get up at 6 to get washed and shaved about 5 to 6 sinks in the washroom.
It is still dark here at 8 AM when we start to get our calisthenics which consist of walking in a circle, running and then doing what they call a duck walk. The usually end up with a free for all n***** pile! That's too much so far for this old man.
I suppose you are busy at the bank forgiving interest for the first. How did you make out with your Christmas gifts from the bank? $2,000 this year? How’s Mrs. Raymond’s mother?
They have well planned schedule for us each day. We have part of classes for example (about 1hr, 1½hr or 2 hrs. In length). chemical warfare (poison gases), military courtesy, army organization, sex hygiene, motor corps (as to being drivers, care of and driving signals regarding trucks and jeeps.) We had to march out to the field this PM and sniff poison gases [sic] and identify them.
You know me, I got a pad and pencil and taken some notes at the different classes, because if I write it down sometimes I can remember it longer at least I can refer to my own notes and refresh myself.
All of the new bunch here seem to have contracted colds and awful coughs. Mom may have thought I had one when I left, she should have been around here for a little while she would sure have had ten fits and stepped on ‘em all. One of the Texas fellows received a RCA portable radio yesterday and we are getting western music all day now. If it isn’t [illegible] it is hymn [illegible]. They sure are a hymn loving bunch. Mostly Baptists and some Methodists but the 95% of them here are from northeast and they are Catholics. Italians, Irish, etc. The Protestants may be here but they don’t show up very much or very prominently.
Say if you still have a package to mail of some of the things I have asked for. Would you send my collar pin that I used to stiffen up the point of my collar. It was in that cigar box on my bureau. It is made of copper wire with pin points and shaped something like this. The edges on these collars turn right up like skippy’s tail.
[Illegible] the African violet blossom yet? An Italian fellow comes in last night to visit one of the fellows here from New Canaan. He had been for the Christmas holiday and when he was home he found out we were here. He told me Maurice [Illegible] is stationed with him here at Camp Gruber, but with the Infantry and we are in the Field Artillery. Some else from Norwalk is there too and a Nick Tuozzolo is there in that section. In the bunk beneath and beside mine is Anthony Santo from Tierney St. a cousin of the Tuozzolo’s.
We have steak here twice already. Mine tonight was real good. We’ve had beans too, lemon pie, apple pie, white cake, chocolate cake and cookies. The water here has quite a lot of chlorine in it and maybe from the water system or peculiar to this section of the country. Anyway it is cold and I guess I’m getting used to it. One thing I would like although it does not seem so bad now is a cup of good coffee.
They are getting ready to go to the store for us so I’ll send along this and trust I get some word about what’s taking place way up north.
We have found that it costs about $40.00 to get up home from here (sound trip for soldiers) so…. when we get time off (sufficient) we are coming north for a few days, but it won’t be for some time yet.
I’ll be seein’ ya!
William