Letters to Lou
October 25, 1943
Letters from Arthur Singer
Monday
Dear Lou,
I was glad to get your letter. It came when we were on bivouac for four days last week and it was particularly welcome at that time.
I hope something comes of the request for your transfer. I really believe you will get it, I only wish it was to the 603rd but I suppose that’s impossible. The T.O. […] have been cut […] is there now. I’m glad your [sic] going to be able to meet your darling. It certainly is pretty horrible being away from your wife for any length of time. Even though I see Judy about every two weeks, I miss her plenty in the interim. This week, for instance, is an Alert Week for us. I wasn’t home last week and this week I had guard duty detail Sunday night. Besides next weekend noone could get off because of the alert. So I called Judy and thought maybe she could come to Baltimore since otherwise I couldn’t possibly see her for a month. Well, Judy was very tired and broke so I thought everything was off. Saturday morning I got a telegram saying she would arrive in the afternoon at 1:30. I had been very down in the dumps but my spirits picked up fast. The only thing that troubled me was finding a place to stay. Judy and I didn’t […] between us. The YMCA […] and sent us to a private home. The people were Jewish and owned a grocery dairy store under the house. When we walked in everything looked immaculate and the room that was ours although small was just perfect and better than we could find in any hotel for what we had to spend. At night when we went down to get a key to the outside door, in case we came back when everyone was sleeping, I asked about the price of the room. They had told us that they would be out all day Sunday and we had the house to ourselves. They informed us that they would accept nothing for the room. They have so many sons and relatives in the Army that they thought that giving up the room was the least they could do, and they did intend to make a paying business of it. […], then surprised, we […]Furthermore, they said any time we came to Baltimore we could have the room! As if that weren’t enough when they left early Sunday morning they set out a swell breakfast for us! It’s nice to think that there are still people like them around. Judy and I want to repay them for their hospitality some way or other. So we had a grand weekend completely to ourselves and we didn’t have to worry about getting to anyone’s house at a certain time. The only trouble was that I had to be back in camp at 5. But otherwise it was terrific. I’m sure you’ll feel the same way when you get together with Ann. Don’t forget to send our best regards to her.
Our bivouac last week was good in one respect – the weather was perfect. The scenery was beautiful and a noticeable absence of the insects. But, boy, we worked like hell. I was lucky to get K.P. […] is very easy and I got 10 hours sleep last night while the rest of the boys were working in the night on road and bridge building. We worked it by platoons 6 hours on and 6 hours off for the four days. Are my hands blistered!
So much for the news. There isn’t much else. That big event hasn’t materialized for me yet, I wonder whether it ever will.
The next three weeks will be without passes for me – not a happy prospect – but that’s the Army. Let’s hear form you soon Lou. Tell me what happens with the transfer, whether you’ve seen Ann etc. Haven’t heard from Milt – have you?
Your pal,
Arthur