March 12, 1944 Sunday

March 12, 1944 Sunday
My dearest Honey,

At least I can write to you again, and I am very glad to. Feel the way I used to when I didn’t write in my diary, when I can’t write you. My diary is suffering these days—haven’t written in it since January. I’ll write a sketchy summary sometime, tho.

Liked your letters an awful lot while we were at the Creek. You are very understanding and say many things that show that. Would like to talk about each one, but I haven’t the letters now—I haven’t been able to keep your letters here long, Hon. No place provided for letters in the regulations. I don’t forget them, tho, and when we are together we will have a lot of things that we understand without talking about them then.

For some reason, you seem to know very well how I feel about O.C.S. Much of the time I don’t feel like writing about it, since it is what I get a break from when I do write you. I’m glad you understand that. Other times I feel like talking about it. Probably in the future you will get very tired of hearing about it, if I’m like many old soldiers. I have my heart set on not talking any one’s ear off on “what happened to me in the army,” so I’m counting on you to keep me away from than if I ever get the habit. I’m counting on you for many things, aren’t I? Let’s see—to tell me if I’m too G.I., to remind me that we want to learn truth more than to gain money or rank, to see that I don’t get arbitrary (like a field manual) and over-simplify things, and now to keep me from being a typical “old soldier.” All these are easily picked up in the army and are all number one fallacies. They are also traits that you are not likely to get, and will be able to spot better than I. You have said that you have an aversion to being a typical school teacher. Now I’m not likely to get any of those traits here, so we should complement each other well, as far as observing the earmarks of our professions goes.

I keep stressing these things to you, because actually about the only time I think about them is when I’m writing to you. We are being taught a lot of professional material here—by itself very interesting and absorbing material. It is only when I think how utterly opposed it is to anything I believe in that I see it rightly. It is useless, or worse, it works against everything we consider worthwhile. As long as I realize that I’m just in it temporarily, O.K.; but if it creeps into a position where it looks like an end in itself, it will be dangerous.

But to get away from that hazy stuff that isn’t even clear to me all the time—I got an announcement of Alden’s wedding. It was addressed to O/C Pvt. Wallace Russell. Maybe thought I’d be a private again by the time I got it, I don’t know. Is there anything I should do about it, or have you done the honors for both of us? I hope so.

I stole the first page of this letter to show you just what the armored command insignia was like. The triangular part is a patch that goes on the sleeve. The officers insignia is a Mark IV tank that pins on where an infantry officer’s crossed rifles go.

After taking the course codes and ciphers, you didn’t expect to stump me long with your Chinese letter, did you? I might say that I expected it after finding the first page at the end. It wouldn’t be so tho—I had to look twice to find my way thru it. I also found your thoughts “mirrored” on the envelope flap of another letter. Have been considering sending you a message in our division field code, but I guess the authorities would not enjoy it, nor you, either.

Another flash came over me, that we might possibly go home by way of New York if we started my furlough together in Kentucky. Could see Laura’s latest and some things in town. That would of course depend upon the objectives of the furlough, which we will decide beforehand. The objectives we can talk about if I’m still here after the thirteenth week, and maybe decide on only when we know where I’ll be going after the furlough. Tomorrow we start tactics with its all-important map reading course. Also D&D will be watching me as a platoon sergeant the next few days. I love you just as much as I hope you love me.

Always yours,
Wallace


March 12, 1944 Sunday
Dear folks,

Well, I got letters from everybody and his uncle while we were at Cedar Creek. That was good, except that I couldn’t answer them. Didn’t even get a chance to write to Marjorie much of the time.

We learned a lot at the Creek, tho. Applied continually all the new things we have learned. Used every tank weapon, alone and simultaneously and with moving targets and moving tanks. When not firing we were cleaning weapons and studying indirect fire—where you shoot a whole battery of tanks at a time by figuring angles, etc., from an observation post. Like this:

[sketch of 4 tanks shooting at the same, single target, placed on the other side of a hill; off to side, a person labeled “me at observation post with radio, math, tables, and binoculars]

Friday and Saturday we did only indirect fire by platoons. Real artillery material.

We lived comfortably in barracks like those at Camp Wheeler. Ate a great deal and slept hard.

Laura wrote me and told about her intelligent children. Wish I could see them. They must be very lovable. She must be very busy, but gets a lot of enjoyment from them. She is worried about Justin and the draft. Hope it turns out well.

Love to all,
Wallace