Letters 41 Through 46

Letter # 41

Pvt. E. Cowley 42025054
Hgts.Co. 1st Bn. 301st Inf.
A.P.O. 94th Div
Camp McCain Miss.

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

March 9, 1944

Dear Mom,

Well here I am way down in Mississippi. The Army is certainly showing me the world. Had a devil of a time learning how to spell Mississippi in grammar school but never thought I’d be living down here. I’m in the 94th Div. Its been activated for 2 years and is at full strength with the addition of us so we’ll probably start maneuvers or something soon. They put me in the Hgts. Co. and I’m hoping to be put in the anti-tank platoon which is in Bazookas. It’d be a lot of fun fooling around with those.
There isn’t much chance of getting a furlough for quite a while so don’t be expecting me. I might get home before summer with God’s good graces. There’s a swell church close by so I’ll start catching up on my religion Sunday. If you or dad want to know where camp McCain is on the map, its about 5 miles from Grenada in the Upper center of the state. Gotta close & do some work. More Tomorrow. Love To all.

Eddie

P.S. send me a couple $ I’m flat!

Letter # 42

Pvt. E. Cowley 42025054
Hgts.Co. 1st Bn. 301st Inf.
A.P.O. 94th Div
Camp McCain Miss.

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

Postmarked March 13, 1944

Saturday night,

Dear Folks,

I’m trying to get a little writing in before the lights go out but I’ll continue tomorrow if they do. Yesterday we were assigned. I’m in the anti-tank platoon which isn’t bad at all. We fire the 57 mm field gun & the heavy 50 cal. Machine gun, The best part of it all is we ride in trucks, jeeps, beeps etc. I’m looking forward to my first ride yet however.
There isn’t much to do down here, matter of fact there’s nothing to do. (Continued from last night) All the gang has been split up and my three best pals are in another Regiment. I’m with a bunch of older fellas. Platoon sgts. Name is Leary and my 1st Gunner is Burke as you know they’re good guys.
As soon as I get paid I’m going to send home my broken glasses and you can have them fixed and save them for a furlough.
How’s everything in Buffalo these days? Bet Peggy Lou is getting cuter every day. Maybe she’l be as good looking as her Mother, father & big brother in a few years. Are they still selling Ballantines beer? Dad would really go for Mississippi, it’s a dry state and all they sell is 3.2 beer. Have you seen any of my pals lately? Doc should be getting drafted pretty soon I guess. Maybe they’l draft Harry M. is things get worse & they get hard up for men. Suppose Danny Riodan is still at Benning. How’s he making out with his training?
The food down here is fine, lot better than what we had at Benning, Thank God!
It rains continuously down here so don’t be surprised if I send home for my bathing suit. We’ve got bigger living quarters but I’m still in the upper bunk.
I’ve just been reading over some old letters from Doc. Think I’ll try & put a call thru one of these nights. Let me know when Dad will be working days. Give me a couple nights to call on and I’ll probably will be able to get one thru. Can’t be Wed, Thurs or Fri this week as we’re going on overnight problems.
Well I’ve got a lot of work to get after so I shall have to close. Write soon and take good care of yourselves back there.
Eddie

Letter # 43

Pvt. E. Cowley 42025054
Hgts.Co. 1st Bn. 301st Inf.
A.P.O. 94th Div
Camp McCain Miss.

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

Tuesday, March 14

Dear mom,

Received your long letter yesterday. It was swell. Forgot whether I told you or not but I’m in the anti-tank platoon. Think I told you well anyhow it isn’t too bad & I may get to like it. Just returned from the gas chambers, we went in chlorine chlorine gas and tear gas today. The chlorine was really strong matter of fact its lethal. I’m getting a couple pair of G.I. glasses soon but I’m still going to have my rimless fixed. It seems to me that I was supposed to get that money deducted by the city back. See if you find out anything about it. maybe I can get a little furlough money.
Peggy & Ann surely caused quite a commotion up at the exercises. Would have liked to have been present.
Please don’t worry so much, the army’s just as safe as civilian life. You’d be surprised if you knew how well we are looked after.
I’m gonna try & get home for my birthday or maybe a little before. If I don’t make it by then It’l be a long time because all the boys down here go in a regular order.
All A.S.T.P. men are in Infantry units. The whole damn thing drew the best of the youth into it and then look what they did. It certainly was a terrible farce. A lot of these fellows could have gone into V-12 or the air corps. Well, write soon & stay good & healthy.
Love,
Eddie

Letter # 44

Pvt. E. Cowley 42025054
Hgts.Co. 1st Bn. 301st Inf.
A.P.O. 94th Div
Camp McCain Miss.

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

Postmarked, March 16, 1944

Thursday night,

Dear mom,

Thanks for the five! Boy, did I need it. Thanks again.
That A.P.O. means Army Post Office so don’t worry about it, I won’t be going over for quite a while yet.
So Peggy’s been sending her letters to the wrong address, what a gal! Tell her I wrote to her friend Bette McC. By the time this ole war is over Betty should be old enough for me to date. You can see I’m looking into the future which I know will be a hell of a lot better than the present. I’ve got an idea the war with the Huns will be over by next winter. Then we can settle with those cross eyed squirts and comeback home. Bob DeWitts got himself in the hospital, passed out in the field, guess he’s alright now.
Haven’t heard anything about a furlough so we’d better forget it for awhile; maybe I’ll surprise you one of these months. We work pretty hard down here. Last night I was on Prison guard. Gives you kind of a funny feeling to know you’l have to kill a man if he makes a false move. Just rookieitis I guess.Was out on the firing range today getting the feel of my new rifle. We go out again tomorrow for a little more practice with the Corline. Next month we’re going on two weeks of manueavers in Tennessee. Am looking forward to it. Should be good experience for me.
Glad to hear the Cowleys are all caught up on their income taxes and out of jail for another year. Don’t think I’d be able to get a call thru from here as the service is terrible.
Don’t care much for Miss. But there isn’t much I can do about it as usual.
You could send me a pair of wooden shower slippers if you can pick them up around town, aside from that I’ve got everything I need. Write soon.
Love to all,
Eddie

P.S.
Food is good down here,
Dinner tonight:
6 pork chops
3 potatoes
1 helping tomatoes
1 piece bread
1 cup tea
6 pieces apple pie

Letter # 45

Pvt. E. Cowley 42025054
Hgts.Co. 1st Bn. 301st Inf.
A.P.O. 94
Camp McCain Miss.

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

Postmarked, March 20, 1944

Sunday,

Dear Mom,

How was the St. Pats party? Would have liked to have been there with you. Wrote to Peggy the other day. Hope she didn’t take any offense by what I wrote. Her comp. was excellent but like you once told me “Too many long words” Seems you’ve always been right about everything. Even Dad was right when he explained to me that “ x was the unknown” in 1st year high and I threw a fit.
What do you think about the hair burning ceremonies? Pretty silly isn’t it! We did the same thing last year.
I’m afraid I won’t learn how to drive as almost everyone down here has a license and they’ve got plenty of drivers so I guess Dad will have to teach me after all.
My buddies are all broken up and in different regiments. I’ve seen a few of them however. Hope it warms up in Buffalo soon or there won’t be any swimming when I get home next summer. I hope, hope, hope, Well I’m going down to the show this afternoon so I’ll close with lots of love.
Eddie

Letter # 46

Pvt. E. Cowley 42025054
Hgts.Co. 1st Bn. 301st Inf.
A.P.O. 94
Camp McCain Miss.

Miss Peggy Cowley
35 Woodside Ave.
Buffalo, N.Y.
Zone 20

Postmarked, 1944
(March 19)

Saturday,

Dear Peg,

Just read your composition and I think its swell, you’ve got an excellent chance of winning the contest. There’s just one or two criticisms, 1st of all watch your words, the long ones I mean. I used to write the same way, going above myself with elongated phrases & perhaps the attempt to present a large vocabulary. I really don’t think you knew what “Promulgated” means. Maybe you do but I’ll admit I don’t. The best composition is the simplest. Don’t use the dictionary at all. Forget about it and as words come into your vocabulary, use them. It’s the idea, not the words that count. Secondly don’t slush up the word “soldier” I know from experience & from meeting hundreds of soldiers that they do not care to called refered to in any terms that express bravery & heroism. The same things apply to flowery phrases concerning democracy, liberty etc. A soldier fights because he has to, he doesn’t like to fight but he will for himself and for his family & friends he wants to preserve the little things he loves. Soldiers aren’t courageous either, they’re isn’t anyone who has more fears than a soldier. I don’t believe we’re fighting to “make the world safe for democracy” I think we’re fighting for us, our present & future happiness. We aren’t getting gray hairs over the the welfare of those who are to follow, they mean just about all of nothing to us. Every soldier is fighting for the mother, the father & brothers & sisters he loves the kitchen & dining room & bedroom he wants to come home to. I guess I’m starting to write a composition kid, but that’s the way it really is and I thought he it might help you.
When you write another comp. think about the things I said and write the way you please. You know I didn’t intend to make you think your comp. wasn’t as good as it really is. I showed it to some of the fellas and very proudly told them it was my little sister who wrote it.
Glad to her your having such a good time skating etc. Still wish you’d stay away from servicemen for a couple years. There’s a lot of difference between 13 and 18 don’t you think? I guess I’m lecturing on everything so I’d better cut it out.
I’ll be a son of a gun if I didn’t contradict myself by writing to Betty McCarrol. Of course I haven’t any romantic interest in Bette or even Mary Criswell as I still think they’re both too young for an old college man like myself.
Well my arm is getting stiff so I’ll have to close. Write soon and take you good care of yourself.

Brother Ed

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The 1944 Hit Parade continues with a song that still means as much today as it did then: I'll Be Seeing You