Today's blog is a copy of an article from WWII. it was written by my father as a letter to my mother. I don't know how it was published but it was so here goes.
Per the Times Dispatch
Corporal Raymond Whitsell is seeing a lot of country with the battalion of army engineers. In the following letter to his wife, he interestingly relates some of the experiences:
At sea, September 3, 1945
Mrs. Mabel Whitsell
602 Washington
West Plains, MO
Dear wife,
Here I send something besides V-mail. I won't promise much more news than a V-mail but I have to say hello and let you know I'm well and hope you and all the folks are well and happy.
They tell me that censorship is lifted so I'll try to tell you some things that I haven't be3en allowed to tell. First, tell all the folks why I haven't written then oftener. One reason is I haven't been getting any mail but the big reason is paper shortage.
you have heard paper shortage talked ever since the war started and so have I , but I am beginning to feel it now. Nearly everyone on ship is out of writing paper and no way to get more til we hit land.
Boy! I am wanting that day to come regardless of where it ism but I would prefer the food(good) ole U.S.A.
One of the reasons for not writing, I am lazy. I'm afraid I'll have to spend my life in the army, as I am too lazy to live my life out of the army, but I'd be glad to try it.
I suppose that you have been listening to all the discharge basis, but I hope you haven't built any hopes me being discharged soon. I figure it will be a year before they get to me. I've traveled a long way since I left Texas and you may not believe me but you have traveled right along with me all the time. (in my heart and mind), and that shortens the days for me. you really have seen some of this bug old world that way.
We left Camp Swift March 23rd, went to Camp Shanks, NY by way of Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana,Michigan and Canada. We went by Niagara Falls but I didn't see much of it on account of a train obstructing the view.
We loaded out of N.Y. March 30th and sailed March 31st. We landed in Le Harve, France April 12th and rode that wonderful train I told you about to DuClair, a camp called Twenty Grand only 9 miles from Paris.
We left France for Belgium the next day after V-E Day and did we ever have a time. We were convoyed through in our trucks. The people there were really celebrating and when we left He Harve our trucks were filled with flowers.
We stayed in Belgium nine days and we really had a set-up there. We left Belgium after nine day stay for Marsaille , France going through luxembourg.
We landed in Marsaille on May 22nd and stayed till June 26th. I think I've tols about my stay there in a previous letter.
I told you about Jessie REid being transferred out of our company and his mail not being censored and that he would write and tell you about our leaving France.
We left France June 26th, saw the coast of Spain and North Africa and Porto Rico. Passed through the Panama Canal . It is a wonderful place and lots of Americans are there . We ate real hamburgers and spent American greenbacks.
We passed through the Marshall Islands on to the Caroline Islands.
We have been here three weeks, but I've just heard that censorship isn't lifted so I can't tell anything more just now.
Tell all the folds hello . That I'll write as soon as I get some more stationery and mail.
Good-bye and lots of love.
Your loving husband
Cpl. Raymond Whitsell
