Letter 15

Fort Benning WW II Training Exercise

Pvt. Edward Cowley Jr. 42025054
Seventh Company
Fifth Training Regiment, A.S.T.P.
Fort Benning, Georgia

The Cowleys
35 Woodside Ave.
Buffalo, N.Y.
Zone 20

Nov 24th & 25th
26th & now 27th

Dear folks,

Don’t know how much time I have to write as I’m waiting to be called out for afternoon play. Its been terrific lately. Obstacle courses, attack courses. There goes the whistle, have to go.

Here I’m am back again today. Its kinda tough when it takes two days to write a short letter. Started this yesterday afternoon and right away was called out and had to drill & work till 6 o’clock. When we came back for dinner they told us we had to go out on a night march at 6:40. We walked from 6:40 to 11 o’clock and lights are out at 11, so we really don’t have too much time.

Today is Thanksgiving & naturally I’ve got K.P. Probably won’t get it again till Christmas. How’s everything at home? Mom? Dad? Peggy? Hope your all feeling well. I’m getting tough as a rock from all this exercise. Can see now why Lou couldn’t take the physical training. He’s got plenty of what it takes to go as far as he did. I take my helmet off to Lou.

You would appreciate the metamorphosis that has taken my character by storm. Perfectly disciplined and bloodthirsty as the rest of the commandos. Excuse me I just was chosen to clean the latrine. Am returning to my letter about after 1 hour of cleaning the latrine & I just took my last tetanus shot. Here I go again, nuts!

Well, today is Saturday and we’ve just been dismissed until tomorrow night. Tonight Dave, Harry and I are going into a nice place which we found in town. They have swell food and the place is really clean. Almost everyone there is an officer so I’m in the best of company. Guess it’s the only decent restaurant in town. We are coming back to camp tonight so we will be able to do our work & stuff tomorrow.

I’m glad to hear Grandma liked the letter I sent. Wish she’d get rid of that big house. Imagine she will soon. Sorry I couldn’t get a better color for your pillow case but I couldn’t find any others with a suitable verse. Maybe it will blend with the couch.

Well 3 weeks of basic training are over, only 10 more to go. The first 3 are the toughest I hear so maybe it won’t be as tough from here in. The work itself is perhaps going to get tougher but we’re pretty used to it and have more confidence now. We didn’t get a furlough after basic but we will get a 7 day furlough between terms once we get to school. By that I figure I should be home around my birthday or just a little before. Of course that’s figuring on the basis that I’m going right thru basic without any mishaps. Any minor injury which would keep us out of the field for a week or more would set us back a month or two & necessitate our moving to another Regiment. Hope I can stay fit and come out on time.

Next week is payday and I’m planning to buy a service hat they aren’t allowed on the post so I will send it home and you can send it to me when I get to school. I’m buying it now for a special reason so I’m not just throwing away my money just in case your wondering. Your last letter was swell and made me think of home an awful lot. I think I read it a dozen times.

That was some ball game last week wasn’t it Dad? You know which one I mean. Guess there going to be on top after all. Tell Peggy I’ll try & find time to drop a line to her friend Betty McK. By the time I get out she’ll probably be old enough for me.

Love to all, Eddie Jr.

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1943 - Jukebox Saturday Night, Glenn Miller