Letter # 25
Pvt E. Cowley 42025054
Seventh Company
Fifth Training Regiment, A.S.T.P.
Fort Benning, Georgia
The Cowleys
35 Woodside Ave.
Buffalo, N.Y.
Zone 20
Postmarked January 18, 1944
Dear Mom,
At last I’ve got a minute to write, I hope. Received the candy you sent and have been having a wild time with it. Those little cookies were wonderful, thanks a million.
Perhaps you’ve received my pictures by now, hope you think its alright. I sent the photos in quite a hurry. Nans & Aunt Pegs are together & Grandma’s & Flo & Ed are also in the same package. Didn’t have time to address anymore envelopes and besides I forgot Flo & Nans address besides that it was cheaper that way, of course I’m very generous with my money but I must have a little Jew in me. I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to get into town to send those pictures suppose you were too. After I sent the pictures we (five of us) went to “Pat Pattersons” and had a great big “T” bone steak with French fried potatoes & onions, & ice cream sundaes & 2 big pieces of chocolate pie, and even two bottles of beer.
(Sat morn, 3 days later) Never had time to finish this letter before and am now going to do my darndest before something happens again. I have today and tomorrow off to get ready for the next 2 weeks of bivouac Monday morning.
I’ve been reading your letters over and that part about a Thanksgiving dinner sounds wonderful. When I get home on furlough I’m not going to say anything about it to anyone but you of course. That way I’ll be able to spend a nice quiet enjoyable evening by the fireside. Am looking forward to a nice hot bath and long bull session with Dad.
Its too bad about Aunt Margaret, kinda complicates conditions, even more. If Aunt Nellie doesn’t come to Buffalo what will she do in Corning. We’re running out of relatives down there aren’t we?
Very glad to hear Danny got in, bet it makes him feel swell. I thought he would get in, told him so before I left. Only hope he doesn’t take anything like I’m taking as it would be terrific on his bad foot. Hope he can get himself a commission after a little more study.
Didn’t I tell you John W. was coming home on furlough? Thought I did. I was out with him a few times down here and it certainly was swell to see someone from So. Buffalo. Imagine Roy will be coming down here soon as it is the only paratroop school in the country. I’d like to see him before I leave if its possible.
Well, 10 weeks of basic (2 ½ months) are over, only 3 more to go. The last 3 are going to be good & tough. Its all tactical training for the next 2 weeks and we sleep out in the pup tents. If I come thru that everything will be fine.
Guess that just about covers almost everything so I shall go back to my rifle and wait for another detail. Best of health and lots of love to all.
Eddie Paul
P.S. I’m enclosing $15 to be added to my account. Tell me how much I’ve got now. Thanks a lot.
Letter # 26
Pvt E. Cowley 42025054
Seventh Company
Fifth Training Regiment, A.S.T.P.
Fort Benning, Georgia
The Cowleys
35 Woodside Ave.
Buffalo, N.Y.
Postmarked January 18, 1944
Dear Cowleys,
I just received a snapshot that one of the fellas took of some of the boys in our hut. We’re not allowed to have cameras on the post so if I wanted the picture I had to send it right away. It isn’t very good of me but it’s a good picture of our bayonets. Gives you a vague idea of how formal we dress down here.
Well, right now I’ve been in the army longer than Dad was in the last war. He was in 87 days, isn’t that correct? Just a rookie. Guess he had a good interview anyhow.
Want to let you know that I can receive mail on maneuvers but I won’t be able to write for 2 weeks as we don’t have any thing to write with. We carry a 100 lb load on our backs & it doesn’t leave much room for stationary.
Well, I want to get some letters written so I’ll have to be closing for awhile. Drop me a few lines and keep up my morale while I’m sleeping in my fox hole.
Love to all,
Eddie Paul
P.S. Hope you know which one is I.
Letter # 27
Pvt. E. Cowley 42025054
Seventh Company
Fifth Training Regiment, A.S.T.P.
Fort Benning, Georgia
The Cowleys
35 Woodside Ave.
Buffalo, N.Y.
Zone 20
January 25, 1944
Dear Mom,
Received your letter Monday. Was beginning to wonder if my money had made it home. I’m gonna try and send home some more in case I ever get furlough. Forgot to thank you for the Brownies in my last letter so I want to thank you now very much. They came on bivouac when I was starving and boy! Did they taste great.
I borrowed some paper & a pen to write this letter. Am writing on a blanket in Harry Cook’s pup tent. Thought you might like to know that everything was coming along fine and I expect to be back in garrison Saturday morning.
We’re working 12 hours a day now. 4 in the afternoon & 8 at night. Its only gonna last a few more days so I don’t mind it too much knowing that soon training will all be finished. Johnny Woodman is back in camp and we’re trying to get together that big dinner Sat night. Probably will be that last chance we’ll have of seeing each there for duration
Chow call, gotta rush
Love to all,
Eddie Paul
Letter # 28
Pvt E.P. Cowley 42025054
7th Co.5th Regt. A.S.T.P.
Fort Benning, Ga.
The Cowleys
35 Woodside Ave.
Buffalo, N.Y.
Zone 20
Sunday
January 23, 1944
Please excuse the stationary., Rhoda sent it. It isn’t Infantry so I’m gonna use it up as fast as I possibly can.
Hello folks,
Somehow or other we got a big break today and they brought us back to garrison to clean ourselves up a bit, not too much of course.
I’m awfully sorry you were worrying about me so much. They way we’re living now its next to impossible to write. No news is good news however so try not to worry if you don’t hear from me for a week or so.
Thus far we’ve had a wonderful break in weather, keeping my fingers crossed. The sun shined all week and sleeping in the pup tents wasn’t bad at all. My “ Boy scout” tricks came in handy and I kept good and warm. Last week we had a couple cross country marches at night. They were really good and tough but they’re over at last. Next week all we have is 4, eight hour night problems and then we come to camp on Friday. We eat breakfast and dinner in the darkness, no smoking, no talking at all, and no rattling of mess kits, no heavy breathing, & practically no food. We’re all getting like owls. When the sun comes out we can hardly see.
I glad you liked the picture even with brown eyes, as I said before I would have sent a frame but I was afraid the glass might break on its long trip. Guess you would just as soon get one that you liked yourselves. Won’t have time to make that thing for Peggy’s glove club (they just fooled me with some green ink) but I think it would be better & much cheaper for the girls to pick out one of their standard designs which they have in stock. That’s the way the Dragons got their emblems.
Next week end if we can get passes we have a big graduation party planned. About 20 of us are going to a restaurant in town where the serve a delicious T-Bone steak dinner for $2 We’re all just living for those steaks and French fried potatoes. Hope we can all make it thru this week and finish up for once and for all with this basic training.
They say that all of us who finish successfully will be issued expert Infantry medals and that’s something anyone would be proud to wear. Next pay I intend to go to some store in “Yankee land” and dress myself up with Civy shoes and leather gloves. Boy it will be great to be clean for awhile anyhow. I’m just hoping I go north to school, someplace like Cornell, Princeton, or U.B. However if my luck continues as it has I’ll probably go to Southern Cal.
I’ll write to Aileen, Pap and all the rest when I have lots of time which should be next week. By the way I hope you received the money I sent, namely $15. Well I have to start washing so please don’t worry anymore and don’t let Dad catch the flu as I want him good and healthy for the wrestling match we’re going to have when I come home.
Love to all,
Eddie Paul
Letter # 29
Pvt. E.P. Cowley 42025054
Seventh Company
Fifth Training Regiment, A.S.T.P.
Fort Benning, Georgia
The Cowleys
35 Woodside Ave.
Buffalo, N.Y.
Zone 20
Postmarked January 31, 1944
Dear Mom,
Saturday morning, got in from bivouac about 6:30 in the morning after marching all night. Just a quick line to let you know I’m in pretty good shape & darn anxious to finish training. Received two letters from home & one from Aunt Peg early this morning. Peg says you’re numbering my letters. What number am I up to now?
Seems great to be seeing day light again. This last bivouac we had eight night problems. Got quite sick of walking, running, fighting and eating in the dark all the time. Was kinda worried that I might walk over a cliff on one of those problems but luckily I didn’t.
Thursday night we (Battalion A) attacked the enemy which was Battalion B. My squad wound up by destroying the enemies right flank & capturing the Battalion Commander. He was quite peeved and insisted we couldn’t have done it if we were using live ammunition but nevertheless he was greatly relieved when I finally took the tip of my bayonet away from his back.
We had the best weather possible, it couldn’t have been any better. Didn’t rain or snow for 2 weeks. The ground was pretty warm so I didn’t mind sleeping at all. Tonight we’re going in town for a steak & a few beers. We’ve really earned the privilege, believe me. Must get ready to leave so best of health and lots of love for all.
Eddie Paul
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The 1940s were a great time for music, but we have now come to 1944 and some songs so great they are still being performed in clubs and on stages 65 years later. This is the year of the "Great American Songbook". We will kick off the hit parade with Michael Buble's modern version of the The Mills Brothers song first released in 1944"You Always Hurt The One You Love"
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