The Letters from 1943

        

       


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Jack Epley and friends

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THE HOLLYWOOD CANTEEN July 11, 1943

     Jack, you can tell the boys your brother was there and that Bette Davis - no less - served me a sandwich.  Bob got a glass of milk from Jane Withers.  There were some other stars there too, but the only one I recognized was Edward G. Robinson, who was a bus boy.  Quite an experience! I caught a car back to the hotel then, - met with a Marine Sergeant on it from La Crosse, Wis. I think he said his name was "Huska," or something.  His folks still live there - maybe aunty Peg knows them.  More


LATRINE DUTY   November 12, 1943

   Mop and bucket  "Gentlemen, that latrine will be spotless!  The toilet paper will hang one sheet down, from the back of the roll.  No ragged edges - trim them off with a knife or scissors.  I want the brass polished so bright the officer can shave in it.     The mops will be hung outside, with no knots in them. Trim them off, too."  More


HOME FOR CHRISTMAS December 20, 1943

     I had an interesting experience earlier this afternoon.  Most of the squadron is out on pass, and many of the remainder have MM, so things were fairly quiet.  The radio was on and Bing Crosby was singing Christmas carols - "Adeste Fideles," "O Little Town," and others.  Some of us were listening, and others were reading, talking, shining shoes - a typical Army Sunday afternoon "at home." then he sang one song which few of us have heard - :

"I'll be home for Christmas,

You can plan on me.

There'll be snow

And mistletoe

Where the lovelight gleams.

I'll be home for Christmas,

If only in my dreams."

     From the first words there was complete silence, and everyone stopped what he was doing and remembered Christmases gone by. And when he finished, there was a pause before anyone spoke again.

     Home for Christmas!  I'll be with you - "if only in my dreams."  Merry Christmas, Emmett More

The Epley family together