Episode 33: Unattached

Donald explains why he doesn't want to get out of the service and continues to wonder about his fate. He also tells Feloma that he plans to send her a field jacket. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:14

Welcome to back in the letters of the name. Hello, hello. Hi, Katie. Hi, how are you doing, Carson? I'm grand. Good. Uh, you know, those last letters were a little emotional. Yeah. It ended on a good note with some letters from your husband. I know. So that was kind of funny. I loved the essence of his letters because they were so similar to Donald's.

SPEAKER_02 0:36

Yeah, Philoma and I have a type apparently.

SPEAKER_00 0:39

Uh, runs in the family.

SPEAKER_02 0:40

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. What are you gonna do?

SPEAKER_00 0:43

Did Philoma know your husband? He yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 0:46

They both did. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 0:47

I knew I knew Donald did. I wasn't sure about Paloma.

SPEAKER_02 0:49

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00 0:50

That's fun.

SPEAKER_02 0:51

Yeah. No, they liked him.

SPEAKER_00 0:53

They liked him. Yeah. Okay. No, that was just, it was kind of interesting. I think he's um Donald's and Philoma for that matter are really going through it right now, knowing the next step.

SPEAKER_02 1:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:05

And I think that's a very hard next step. Very real and very hard.

SPEAKER_02 1:09

Absolutely. Yeah. And again, just being in that holding pattern.

SPEAKER_00 1:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:14

So this is a replacement. Oh. Hate it. So this is kind of interesting.

SPEAKER_00 1:20

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:21

Before we start with the actual letters today, I have two formally written letters, like typewritten letters from Pennsylvania from Donald's family. And basically they were, it appears to me like they were trying to get him released from service.

SPEAKER_00 1:43

His family wrote to the state of Pennsylvania asking for him to be released.

SPEAKER_02 1:49

Well, they're from Pennsylvania, they're from the state of Pennsylvania.

SPEAKER_00 1:52

So you don't have their letters, you have what has been received from the state. Kind of, yes. Is it his family or did it go to Faloma?

SPEAKER_02 2:02

Um it's his family. Okay. How on earth did you get these letters? They were in that, they were in the the box of letters.

SPEAKER_00 2:10

Maybe his parents gave them to him when he returned and said we did our best to get you out of the war.

SPEAKER_02 2:16

Maybe Faloma just saved copies.

SPEAKER_00 2:18

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 2:19

Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, so I wanted to This is a real twist.

SPEAKER_00 2:22

I wasn't ready for this.

SPEAKER_02 2:23

I know. Surprise. So I wanted to read them to you just to kind of get a feel for it. So the first letter, um, the the heading, the date is February 1st, 1944. Okay. So the heading is Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, State of Pennsylvania. And it is from Bloomsburg, PA, and it says to the commanding officer of Private Donald Fiorini, Company 275 Infantry, um, APO Campadere, okay, says this is to certify that a farm of approximately 140 acres in a high state of production is owned by John Fiorini, father of the above-mentioned soldier, and that he is needed there to carry on the production of feed and food production. We have in this area a definite shortage of full-time experienced farm workers. This is particularly true in the case of men with experience and knowledge of all phases of farm operations. Private Donald Fiorini was reared on a farm and for the greater part of his life was connected with the farm operation. His release from military service is sought in order that he may return to the farm and assume responsibility for the operation there. Yours truly, P. G. Nisele, County Agent. And then it's like uh notarized.

SPEAKER_00 3:53

So this letter was sent from Pennsylvania to wherever he is at Camp Adair, to his commanding officer. Do you think that Donald would have written a letter to his parents asking him to do this?

SPEAKER_02 4:07

No, he talks about it.

SPEAKER_00 4:10

Oh, yeah. So his dad just did it. His dad just did it. Yeah. Okay. So they love Donald more than Jack because they didn't write a letter for Jack. Well, Jack volunteered. Oh, you can't stop that.

SPEAKER_02 4:22

Yeah, Jack volunteered. Donald got drafted. Yeah. Okay. Okay, so I have another one. Okay. Okay, same kind of idea. Okay. Okay. So this is the heading on this letter is the Sullivan Coal Company, miners and producers of anthracite coal, uh, from Sullivan County, PA.

SPEAKER_00 4:46

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 4:47

To Colonel Peter T. Wolf, which is his commanding officer.

SPEAKER_00 4:51

Peter T. Wolf. That is a solid name.

SPEAKER_02 4:54

I know. Pete Wolf.

SPEAKER_00 4:56

Oh, I like that.

SPEAKER_02 4:57

Yes. To the 25th, 275th Infantry, Campadere, Oregon.

SPEAKER_00 5:02

When was this one dated?

SPEAKER_02 5:04

Uh, February 5th, 1944. Okay. Okay. Um personally appeared before me the subscriber, author minor, a justice of the peace in and foresaid Sullivan County PA, John Ferini of Mildred, Pennsylvania, who being duly sworn according to law, doth dispense and say, dis depose and say that I am an anthracite coal operator at Mildred, Pennsylvania, shipping 500 to 600 tons of coal daily, all of my time being required in the operation of the mines, and I am unable to operate my farm, excuse me, of 140 acres located at or near Bloomsburg PA, all of the said farm being in a high state of production, all buildings are in good condition and farm machinery adequate for operation of the farm. Owing to the definite shortage of experienced farm workers in this section, I am unable to secure a competent man to operate my farm. My son Donald G. Fiorini is an experienced farm worker, having been brought up on the said farm, is now a private in the U.S. Army. If he could be released from the Army, I would give him employment operating the farm during the war, and as long as he would care to continue on the farm, he would be of great service to me and as well as the government by putting in production another good farm to supply the necessary food we need to win the war. And so it is signed, basically notarized by Arthur Minor, and then it's also signed by um Donald's dad.

SPEAKER_00 6:41

Interesting.

SPEAKER_02 6:42

Yeah. So he was like, Bring him home. But maybe he truly was like, I need help.

SPEAKER_00 6:51

I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 6:52

Yeah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 6:54

Either way. Wow.

SPEAKER_02 6:56

Yeah. Interesting, right?

SPEAKER_00 6:58

It is interesting that these letters landed here. Yeah. You know, I mean, they got sent to Camp Adair. I wonder if somebody at Camp Adair was like, uh, Donald, we're not gonna release you. You've made it all the way through your training. Where are these letters?

SPEAKER_02 7:14

You're now you're not going home. Right. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 7:19

And then Donald sent the letters to Philoma?

SPEAKER_02 7:21

I don't know. I don't know. And again, I don't know if they're copies.

SPEAKER_00 7:24

These aren't meant for Philoma.

SPEAKER_02 7:26

No, no. No, no, no. And they're um they're notarized, like they're stamped. Like they're real letters. Yeah, you know what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_00 7:34

And those were, yeah, those were letters that made it somehow. Donald ended up with these letters.

SPEAKER_02 7:40

Yeah, and he sent them home, must be.

SPEAKER_00 7:42

I wonder Interesting, right?

SPEAKER_02 7:44

The platform.

SPEAKER_00 7:45

I wonder if he got called to the office and he's like they're like, what's the meaning of this? Soldier, do you want to go home? Do you want to be a baby and go home? And Donald's like, uh, I'll go to war.

SPEAKER_02 7:55

No, but also they're like, Yeah, I'm sure you are a good farmer. You know what you also are? A great shot.

SPEAKER_00 8:01

We're keeping you. Yeah, we're gonna keep you. Yeah. At this point, he's 14 weeks invested, or at least. Yeah. I mean, yeah, yeah. Absolutely. He was done with basic two weeks ago, and that's been like four weeks ago.

SPEAKER_02 8:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:15

I mean, that's crazy.

SPEAKER_02 8:16

I just think it's interesting. Yeah, for real.

SPEAKER_00 8:19

And you just found these letters. Man, you have a whole treasure trove of letters.

SPEAKER_02 8:23

I have a trove. You have a trunk full. Yes, I am my own museum.

SPEAKER_00 8:28

You are your own museum. You and Philoma. I know. Oh my goodness. Yeah, you know. That's kind of interesting. Yeah. So those are very interesting letters.

SPEAKER_02 8:39

I wanted to read those because in the next letter he talks about it.

SPEAKER_00 8:43

Oh, fascinating.

SPEAKER_02 8:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:44

Okay. Okay. Does he complain about it?

SPEAKER_02 8:47

I wouldn't say complain, but he's kind of like, well, you will we'll see. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Here we go. All right.

SPEAKER_00 8:54

Are you ready? Yeah. I want to hear what he says. Okay. I want to hear Donald's response.

SPEAKER_02 8:59

February 11th, 1944. My dear Philoma, I received two letters from you tonight and was very glad to get them. I also received the papers from you that dad and mom had fixed for me. I don't believe I would want to do it if I could, because when I get out, I don't want be I don't want to be afraid to face anybody. Anyway, Wolf is not my CO at the present. You see, I'm sort of unattached to any outfit. This may sound good to you, but there's a rumor around that Ward and my names were taken off the list and that we're going back to our respective platoons. If I go back now, I won't be a squad leader anymore. Thank the Lord for that. Heberling and Houseman went up for their new promotions yesterday, and I was supposed to go, but being on the shipping list yet, I wasn't up for promotion. So I didn't care anyway. But I received the news from a very good source that we're going to have our names taken off the list. Good news for you, isn't it, kid?

SPEAKER_00 10:08

This list, this ever mooming list.

SPEAKER_02 10:12

And again, I know that he kind of bounces around. So we'll get back to the letters that were written to try to get him out. So he's kind of all over the place. Sorry. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. He's, you know how he is. Okay. Okay. I didn't write last night because we were out on bivouac, so I couldn't write if I wanted to. I want you to explain to mom and dad for me and thank them very much for doing all this. But with all the punishment and torture that I have taken in the last six months, I might just as well try to keep going and that someday this will all be over and I won't have to be afraid to face anybody. But tell them I thank them very much for everything they tried to do for me and help me get along. I know deep down in your heart that you wouldn't want me to be a quitter, and so I'll try to keep going as long as I can.

SPEAKER_00 11:03

That's what I was gonna say. I feel like somebody called him into an office, talked to him about these letters.

SPEAKER_02 11:11

Yeah. Or she just sent them to him. Like, here, here are these letters if you want to turn them in.

SPEAKER_00 11:16

Oh, maybe.

SPEAKER_02 11:17

Yeah, because he says, and the letters you sent from my parents.

SPEAKER_00 11:21

Oh, maybe that's it.

SPEAKER_02 11:22

Yeah, and he's like, I'm not gonna turn them in.

SPEAKER_00 11:25

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 11:27

Yeah. I don't want to be afraid to face anybody. It's interesting, like the cultural impact of I think that makes the most sense.

SPEAKER_00 11:34

Yeah. That maybe they gave her letters and then she sent them to Donald with these in them. And I mean they do make a strong argument for him. They need him.

SPEAKER_02 11:49

Well, again, he could have easily gotten a deferment.

SPEAKER_00 11:52

And he one, he's not a quitter. And at this point, he's already been through it.

SPEAKER_02 11:59

Yeah, he's like, no, I'm good. Well, I and again, to your point, I think um, I can't remember what episode, but a long time ago you said, you know, I think he he might have wanted the experience of it. And I think that's true. I think at least part of that is true.

SPEAKER_00 12:15

I think it's true in that he not only did he want to know if he could do it, I think it was the unknown. But could he do the unknown? Which he knows he can. But imagine being drafted, okay, and not doing it.

SPEAKER_02 12:36

Right.

SPEAKER_00 12:37

And then having to face everybody.

SPEAKER_02 12:39

Oh, yeah. I'm sure that was a huge part of it, too.

SPEAKER_00 12:42

Hey, Fiorini did he got out of it.

SPEAKER_02 12:44

Yeah. Coward.

SPEAKER_00 12:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:46

You know, we're losing boys left and right. That guy didn't even go.

SPEAKER_02 12:49

Yeah, he could have. He works, he's a farmer.

SPEAKER_00 12:51

Yeah. Tough guy. So he's yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:53

And so he's out fishing all the time. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:55

With his wife. Look at him hanging out. Yeah. You know, he was he is a young, healthy male. Right. And I think he felt the call and he answered. And he went for it. Yep. So I mean, talk about duty and duty and duty and honor. A hundred percent. Yeah. So I think I think he stood up for it. Yep. You know. I know. It's interesting. It is interesting. Boy, I wish he took that deferment. Now he's got letters in his hand where he could.

SPEAKER_02 13:26

I know. And he's still like, nah, I'm just I'm still gonna. I appreciate these. This guy's not my commander anymore. He does talk a big game about it, but at the same time, I think he wanted to do it.

SPEAKER_00 13:36

Yeah, and they may have hatched a little plan while he was home to do this. Because he was really missing home and he was like, I don't want to leave here. Right. And then he got back there and he was like, I'm letting these guys down. I need to go. Right. You know, and that's true too. I yeah, I don't know. That's it's very interesting. Oh, wow. Okay, no quitting for our Donald.

SPEAKER_02 14:01

No quitting for Donald.

SPEAKER_00 14:02

Okay, he's gonna stick it out. He is gonna stick it out.

SPEAKER_02 14:06

My feet are very tired and sore, but not as they not as bad as they were right after I came back from furlough.

SPEAKER_00 14:14

They're in better shape, breaking them in.

SPEAKER_02 14:16

I'll have to tell you this, but you'll probably laugh. But the sun finally came through today and shone. And it was very warm and nice.

SPEAKER_00 14:26

So for me to see the warm sun.

SPEAKER_02 14:29

I know. Finally a nice day.

SPEAKER_00 14:31

It's February, it's been months.

SPEAKER_02 14:35

Next week we're going to have inspections all week, and boy, they're going to be killers. They're really getting strict around here anymore. You can't wear anything unless it's GI. You don't have to send me a box for Valentine's Day, because I can get along without it, and it would cause you a lot of work. You can go ahead and buy a bond if you wish. It's okay by me. I'm going to try and get you and Chip each a field jacket, and I'll send them to you. And if you can, go and give it to him. I'll let you know later if I can get them, okay? I believe that would be a good gift for him, don't you? How is everything around that place? I hope you know I haven't written letters to anyone but you and mom since I've come back because everything is so mixed up and you can't even keep anything on your mind. It's one hell of a suspense waiting like this.

SPEAKER_00 15:34

He's in a constant state of flux. He doesn't know if he's coming or going. Right. I mean, like he could be here today and gone tomorrow. Right. So I do think I think just this waiting is hard.

SPEAKER_02 15:45

Oh, it's terrible.

SPEAKER_00 15:46

Yeah. And not just like I'm getting ready to go do this field problem. I am getting ready to get on a train and leave here.

SPEAKER_02 15:52

Right.

SPEAKER_00 15:53

Like you gotta get all your stuff together.

SPEAKER_02 15:55

Mm-hmm. Also, side note, I think I have that field jacket.

SPEAKER_00 16:01

I was gonna be like, do you have a field jacket? But I was like I believe that I do.

SPEAKER_02 16:05

I do you really? I do. I think it's in the box. I have a box with his uniform in it, and there's a field jacket. I'll have to see if it's the size that he sends her. Because he he sends two different sizes, one for her and one for Chip.

SPEAKER_01 16:17

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 16:18

So I will let you know. I'll keep you posted on the field jacket.

SPEAKER_01 16:22

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 16:23

Okay. But I believe Monday I'll know definite if I'm going to go or not. But right now it looks as if I'm going to stay with the outfit. If I do stay, we're not going to stay here very long, anyways, because we're going to be moved to another camp by March 2nd. And I imagine if we move to another camp, I'll let you know the situation and maybe you'll be able to come to me there. How does that suit you?

SPEAKER_00 16:50

I'm sure that suits her fine.

SPEAKER_02 16:52

Mm-hmm. Okay, ready? I hope this letter finds you in good health and good shape. Too bad your friend from Red River Valley came to visit you. Ha ha. So here's the thing. He was home about a month ago.

SPEAKER_00 17:12

Do you think they were trying to have a baby?

SPEAKER_02 17:14

I think so. I think so. Oh. And I think she was like, oh.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

It didn't happen.

SPEAKER_02 17:20

Didn't happen. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 17:22

Gosh. I think it's probably the best that it didn't happen because she would have had that baby all on her own.

SPEAKER_02 17:28

Oh my gosh, I know.

SPEAKER_00 17:29

Well, I think in the 40s when we're having babies on their own anyway. So don't give me that.

SPEAKER_02 17:33

And to be fair, she did have a village at home.

SPEAKER_00 17:35

She had a great two living nannies. Literal nannies.

SPEAKER_02 17:40

I mean living the dream. Yeah, literal nannies. So I mean, but I thought that was interesting because I I was like, oh.

SPEAKER_00 17:49

Oh, interesting.

SPEAKER_02 17:51

What did he say? He said, Too bad your friend from Red River Valley came to visit you.

SPEAKER_00 17:56

I think they must have.

SPEAKER_02 17:58

I think they might have tried. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 18:00

That's interesting. I know. Donald could have had an older brother or sister.

SPEAKER_02 18:04

I know.

SPEAKER_00 18:06

Oh.

SPEAKER_02 18:07

I will write tomorrow night again, dear. So take care of yourself and be a good girl. Loving and missing you as ever. Love and kisses. Donald. Nine X's.

SPEAKER_00 18:19

You know, when she wrote him, she must have been like, Oh, I'm not pregnant. Yeah. You know what I mean? And that probably made her a little sad. So he did respond with something. Yeah. You know? To acknowledge. Yeah. Because it sounds like they were like, let's have a baby. Let's try. Yeah. Because I think one of them said it in a letter. She said it.

SPEAKER_02 18:39

She said, I wish I were pregnant. And I wish that I had a boy and he was as devilish as you.

SPEAKER_00 18:45

Can you imagine? Could you even? I mean, he could have come home to like a two-year-old. I don't know. I don't know how old the baby would have been. Yeah. No, no. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_02 18:55

I know.

SPEAKER_00 18:56

That's crazy.

SPEAKER_02 18:57

Wild.

SPEAKER_00 18:57

That is wild. That's kind of a sweet little insight. I know. Oh my goodness. Okay. Somebody else could end it up with these letters.

SPEAKER_02 19:07

How dare they? These are mine. They are yours. My letters. Yeah. Oh, okay. All right. Are you ready for the next? Yeah. Okay. February 12th, 1944. My dear Philoma, I received two letters. Only one was where you sent me the fishing articles in it.

SPEAKER_00 19:28

Oh, because he asked for the flies. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 19:32

Yes. Lieutenant Smith didn't pick us up to go fishing today. Maybe he will come tomorrow. At least I hope so. So I would like to spend an afternoon fishing.

SPEAKER_00 19:43

Oh, I bet he would.

SPEAKER_02 19:45

Well, I received the rest of my clothes today, so I'm subject to be shipped anytime now. It's awful this way. I'm with Donald. You don't really know if you're going to be shipped the next day or not, and you have so many rumors and different things that you can't even think straight. As you wrote yesterday, I heard Ward and I were taken off the list. Well, it doesn't look that way now, but you never can tell what's going on. I might be here for a day, a week, or even months. I don't know, but it's a hell of a thing having to wait like this with everything packed and everything in a mess.

SPEAKER_00 20:25

I mean nightmares.

SPEAKER_02 20:27

I hate it.

SPEAKER_00 20:28

I mean, it's sort of like when you're in a state of waiting, you're like, okay, just send me like let's just move on. Like let's just get this over with. Right. And then there's a part of him that's like, well, maybe I'm not on that list and they won't call me. Right. Maybe I'll be here for months. I don't know. Yeah. I'm gonna guess that he is not gonna be there for months. He's not.

SPEAKER_02 20:51

We're not gonna go through this for months, everybody. Thank goodness. Yeah, we have a few letters left and then we find out where he goes.

SPEAKER_00 20:57

But still, I just think waiting.

SPEAKER_02 20:59

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right. The yeah. I see you got right on the ball and sent my flies out in a hurry. That's a good wife, and I love you for it. The only mail that I received is the letters that you have written to me. I only get mail from you anymore. I should try to write to other people, but it's hard this way when you don't know if you're leaving or not. Monday, we're going on a 25-mile hike. It's gonna start at 6 at night, and we should be back four o'clock Tuesday morning. I'll have to go and get my feet taped up though, or I won't be able to make it. I just keep getting blisters right on top of another, and it's not good. But they go numb after a while, and then I usually don't feel them hurt until I get back in camp.

SPEAKER_00 21:53

So I've never pushed through a blister long enough for it to go numb. Right. I'm the baby that's like, I have a blister. Yeah, we gotta go home. Yeah. Uh no. Yeah, who knew? Mm-mm. Who knew? But a 25-mile hike. They live at six o'clock at night till four in the morning. Yeah. Oh, we're not gonna let you sleep either.

SPEAKER_02 22:16

Right, exact. That's what I'm saying. I can do I can train for one singular thing. I can't train for multiple like uncomfortable things. I just can't.

SPEAKER_00 22:29

Oh, that's tough. Okay. Do you know if he goes on the hike?

SPEAKER_02 22:33

He does. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 22:34

Poor Donald.

SPEAKER_02 22:36

How is everything at home? I hope okay. I certainly miss being home and doing what I like to do and everything. It's staying tough missing all that. Some more of the fellows are leaving tomorrow for California again. Only five out of our company, though. I haven't seen Wallace as yet, but maybe I'll go over and see him after I eat dinner tomorrow. I got a compass, and I'm going to send it home, and I want you to take care of it for me because it's a real good one. Will you?

SPEAKER_00 23:09

Cool.

SPEAKER_02 23:09

I bought it for five bucks, which is again roughly$90.

SPEAKER_00 23:13

Gosh, that's a lot of money.

SPEAKER_02 23:15

Off a fellow, and I'm not kidding you either. You see, the fellow owed me five for about six weeks. So he came over the other day and asked me if the compass would pay the bill. And I said, You're damn right. So I took it, and now I can use it when I'm hunting again.

SPEAKER_00 23:32

I like that he bought it for hunting at home. Oh, yeah. I'm not gonna take this toy. Oh, yeah. No, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_02 23:38

Immediately sends it home. Yeah, no, I need you to keep this safe for me because this is valuable, and I don't need this to get all junked up in the army.

SPEAKER_00 23:46

Oh my gosh. Yeah, I love that.

SPEAKER_02 23:49

It was a pretty nice day here today, and what do you think? They gave us the afternoon off, but only for the care and cleaning of the equipment. Every time they give you an afternoon off, they always tell you to wash your pack, belt, and other equipment. Boy, it certainly gives you a pain in the ass.

SPEAKER_00 24:10

Oh, that's funny.

SPEAKER_02 24:11

I hope you like the other pictures I sent to you the other day. Some of them are comical, I think, and I hope you like them. I'm sorry that I didn't get the other pictures that I sent to you before I was home on furlough enlarged like I did these. They were taken with the same camera, only I told them to enlarge them, and they come out nice. So, yeah, so some of the picture some of the pictures that I have from Campadare are like barely bigger than a postage stamp. Like they're tiny. I mean, maybe not that small, but they're small, small. Okay. Like I have to zoom in on my camera to see what's going on. Yeah. And then some are like normal size. Oh, that's interesting. So I'll try to show the comparison of like, quote, an enlarged one. Yeah. Yeah. Tomorrow is Sunday, and I really have a big wash because I daren't send any clothes to the laundry because I might be shipped out before they get back. Well, kid, take care of yourself, and I trust you as much as you trust me, so you can imagine what you do that I will do. Always remember that I love you very much, dear, and I miss you a lot. But this will be over someday, and then we'll take off where we left off. Okay? I remain as you want me to. Love and kisses, Donald. Nine X's. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 25:36

His mood is improving. Yes. He is in a better place now than coming off the furlough. He's kind of succumbed to okay, this is where I am. This is what's happening. It is what it is.

SPEAKER_02 25:51

Yes. This too shall pass.

SPEAKER_00 25:53

Yes. He's hoping for a quick end, but also it's interesting. The people that he's known there are like not disappearing, but they're they're heading out.

SPEAKER_02 26:04

Like his friends are gone. He's got no one to talk to.

SPEAKER_00 26:08

Like all his compadres from home um are in different places. And there was some guy he talked about that um uh let me think. I don't I can't remember his name, but he was gonna go to school for the radio for 10 weeks. Yeah, I was like, oh, he's not he's not shipping out for at least 10 weeks. Right, right. He's hanging in there. Yeah, I'm like, oh Donald, maybe you should have gone to radio school, right? But Donald doesn't want to learn more.

SPEAKER_02 26:37

No, oh no, no, no, not interested.

SPEAKER_00 26:40

Donald's like the least amount of effort.

SPEAKER_02 26:43

Yeah, the least and somehow the most. He's like, I'm gonna have to study and do stuff that I can't write philoma.

SPEAKER_00 26:50

No, no, thank you.

SPEAKER_02 26:51

Nope, send me to war.

SPEAKER_00 26:52

Not interested. Nope. Yeah, hurry up, send me so I can hurry up and get home. That's right. I think that's exactly what it is. Oh my gosh, that's funny.

SPEAKER_02 27:03

All right, all right, ready for the next one? Yeah, okay. So February 13th, 1944. My dear Philoma. Ooh, let me start over. My dear Philoma, I received your letter dated the 9th, and also the Valentine card from the Chilsons kid, and my usual letter from Mickey G. I don't know who these people are. You also stated if I had a luck streak and if I had a surplus, I should send some home. Well, I finally shot some crap tonight and I lost my ass.

SPEAKER_00 27:41

She's like, So have you been playing craps? Okay, uh-huh. Do you have any extra money?

SPEAKER_02 27:46

Yeah, she's like, maybe instead of uh continuing to gamble, you should just send it to me and I shall save it for you. Yeah. Like the responsible partner I am.

SPEAKER_00 27:56

No, I thought I could double up and I lost it all.

SPEAKER_02 27:58

Yeah. So this entire next paragraph is the play-by-play of the craps game. Oh god. So uh get excited.

unknown 28:07

Okay. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 28:10

All right. All I had left over was two bucks. And then there's a dash and in tiny little script, it says, a sigh belongs here. Oh. But I finally got on the ball and I built it back up to 80 bucks. So that's about 1500 bucks.

SPEAKER_00 28:32

It was up to$80 and he lost it all.

SPEAKER_02 28:34

Well, just wait. Okay. No, he he lost it when he was down to the two bucks. Okay. Uh-huh. I was certainly lucky because when you only have a few bucks, it's hard to win. I started with 50 bucks, which is about 900 bucks. So I'll send you home 30.

SPEAKER_01 28:55

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 28:56

Which is about 500 bucks. It will help pay the telephone bill. Okay. And you can get something for yourself. And if you want to save it, it's okay by me. So whatever you wish to do with it, it's up to you. You don't have to make no account for it in your little black book, as you call it. Ha ha.

SPEAKER_00 29:15

Ha ha.

SPEAKER_02 29:16

But boy, I don't know if I will ever play again.

SPEAKER_00 29:19

Oh.

SPEAKER_02 29:20

I was really sweating blood because I lost 48 bucks and only had two left. So I shot the last two and I made a seven. And then I shot four and made another seven. And then I shot the eight and made a point. I don't know what any of this means. I don't know either. I don't know how to play craps. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 29:38

I would think it would be in your blood to know how to play duty.

SPEAKER_02 29:41

Girl, what? Please. I'm the most like risk averse person. No. Yeah. Then I went wild. I shot the 16 bucks and made 11. Then I dragged 30 more bucks out and shot the two and two sevens out. After that, I won a few bucks at a time till I got to 80. And then the CO put the light out. Or I'd be shooting yet, I suppose. Maybe it's a good thing, or I would have lost it all again.

SPEAKER_00 30:07

Oh, I think you might be right.

SPEAKER_02 30:10

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 30:11

But thanks for the play by play, I guess. And he put$30 in the mail. Yep. To Philoma.

SPEAKER_02 30:17

$500. I know I'm dying. Are you insane? Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:22

I mean, it's scary putting cash in an envelope now.

SPEAKER_02 30:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:25

That's crazy. That is a really blow by blow.

SPEAKER_02 30:29

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 30:29

If only we understood that.

SPEAKER_02 30:30

If only we knew we would be like, wow, what a nail biter.

SPEAKER_00 30:36

Down to two bucks. Good for him. Yeah. But see, this is gonna make him think that he can play as much as he wants.

SPEAKER_02 30:43

Well, and remember, not to harp on it, but he said, you know, I'll never play again as long as I live. And when I put my mind to something, but here he is. But at the same time, he's probably bored out of his mind.

SPEAKER_00 30:54

So I don't he's bored out of his mind. Waiting. He's in this state of limbo.

SPEAKER_02 30:58

Yeah, I don't begrudge him.

SPEAKER_00 31:00

No.

SPEAKER_02 31:00

Yeah, a little bit of gambling. That's fine.

SPEAKER_00 31:02

But that's a lot of money.

SPEAKER_02 31:04

I I wouldn't do it.

SPEAKER_00 31:05

But I can I don't have the stomach for it.

SPEAKER_02 31:08

I don't either.

SPEAKER_00 31:09

I don't.

SPEAKER_02 31:11

Well, kid, it's dang late, and I know this is a short letter, and it's 20 minutes to 12, and we have a 25 miler coming up tomorrow, and the$30 I'm sending home will make up for it, I hope. I love and miss you as always. I don't know why. I always have to tell you that when you know that I worship you. You bullhead, but a lovely and beautiful bullhead. And I love you ever so much for being what you are and what you have done for me already. I know. I know.

SPEAKER_00 31:45

I know he's having some philoma appreciation. He really is. I mean, there's some good parts of this letter, and maybe not so good parts. You know, like, oh, I've been I've been betting a little. Yeah. And I won, so that's good, honey. And I love you so much.

SPEAKER_02 32:01

It's all good stuff. It's all good that I won. He sugarcoated it. He did. Now the next letter is gonna be like, well, well, I won't be able to write tomorrow because the 25 mile is going to be into the night. Love and kisses, Donald. And then there's 40 X's.

SPEAKER_00 32:22

Did he just fill the page?

SPEAKER_02 32:24

Yeah, he basically filled what was left with X's.

SPEAKER_00 32:27

Oh my gosh, with 40 X's. Yeah. I love that you counted it.

SPEAKER_02 32:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:33

I'm glad you had to count that.

SPEAKER_02 32:35

Yeah, well, of course. I want to I want to be blah by blah. When I can be accurate, I want to be we didn't have a bar graph of the X's throughout these letters. I know, honestly.

SPEAKER_00 32:45

We'd have lots of real peaks and valleys.

SPEAKER_02 32:48

Yeah, just like a sticker that's just all X's, like Lovedon. Love Don. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:54

It's kind of funny.

SPEAKER_02 32:55

Um, I want to pause real quick, and I want to go see if that field jacket exists. Oh, okay. Okay, so I just went and I looked through the box that the uniform I have is in, and I found a field jacket. It's amazing. It's in perfect shape.

SPEAKER_00 33:14

It's in perfect shape. And guess what, y'all? It fits Katie.

SPEAKER_02 33:17

It does. It fits me, which is so funny. Like the sleeves and everything. It is. Dude, the same size as Paloma. I must have been. So this jacket, so later on, he does say that he sends home a 36 for her, and this jacket is a 34. So I don't know if it was his later on or he sent a different size. I don't know. But the one that I have is a 34.

SPEAKER_00 33:38

He has his number and everything.

SPEAKER_02 33:40

It has its, yeah. Um, fits like a glove. And I love Carson told me I should have it cleaned and wear it. And she said no.

SPEAKER_00 33:48

And then I said, Well, um, you can let it sit in a closet another 40 years and get passed down to the next generation. Yeah. Wear it and just love your grandparents every time. Yeah, I might just think about them.

SPEAKER_02 34:02

I might be convinced. I do love a field type jacket. I can tell this is a legit one.

SPEAKER_00 34:07

It does not look like it's a 1944. I mean a 19, a World War II coat.

SPEAKER_02 34:13

Yes. It's cool. It's really cool. And I don't think I've talked about this yet on the podcast. I might have, but um, I had reached out to the World War II Museum and they wanted, you know, um, I think that's going to be sort of the final resting pace for place for a lot of these letters and artifacts. And I was gonna give them, you know, the uniform too, but maybe I will keep the the jacket for myself.

SPEAKER_00 34:45

Because I couldn't fit into that one.

SPEAKER_02 34:46

We'll find you one. We'll find you one. Uh too big and too small. I'm gonna need the too big one. Well, it's a beautiful jacket. It's a beautiful jacket. It's heavy, it's in great shape, it's like a waxed canvas feeling material, but it's lined.

SPEAKER_00 35:04

I think you just need to have it cleaned, and I think you need to wear it and love it.

SPEAKER_02 35:07

Yeah, I'll definitely post a picture of it so everyone can see it. But um post a picture after you get it cleaned. Yeah, maybe a before and after.

SPEAKER_00 35:16

Yeah, do a before and after. I mean, it looks really good. It's just gonna look better. Yeah, smells a little musty.

SPEAKER_02 35:21

It is, it's definitely musty.

SPEAKER_00 35:23

So I think that it just needs, I think it needs love.

SPEAKER_02 35:26

Yeah, I do like the idea of wearing it. I think you should. Yeah, someone will probably be like, stolen valor.

SPEAKER_00 35:33

Like, no, no, no, it's not stolen valor. No, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:36

I'm not saying I was you know what, I'm not saying I was in World War II.

SPEAKER_00 35:40

Uh yeah, who who amongst us says that?

SPEAKER_02 35:44

Yeah, but anyway, um I'm glad, yeah. I'm I'm happy I have one. I don't know where I'm gonna find one. Oh, eBay girl, we can find you one. We'll get you a modern one, and then we'll go to dinner.

SPEAKER_00 35:58

You'll be cool and I'll be not quite there. Yeah. It'll be great. It'll be great. Sounds good. Okay, that was a good one.

SPEAKER_02 36:06

So thank you always for listening and following along with us. Um, you can find us at 500letters to nana.com and at 500 letters to nana on Instagram. Um, and we are signing off still from Campadare, Oregon for now. Before we leave.

SPEAKER_00 36:28

Okay. Next set of letters. Is he still at Campa Dare?

SPEAKER_02 36:31

Ooh, let me tell you. Uh next set of letters, I believe he's still at Campa Dare. And then after that, we're moving on.

SPEAKER_00 36:40

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 36:40

So, you know, I know it's painful to sit and wait, but he's also sitting and waiting.

SPEAKER_00 36:45

So I know, I know. I was just like, is he still there? Is he gone?

SPEAKER_02 36:49

He's still there, but it's the last one.

SPEAKER_00 36:51

I mean, I'm also kind of like, oh, I hope he stays, but I know he can't. He doesn't, yeah, yeah. I know.

SPEAKER_02 36:57

We need him to move on.

SPEAKER_00 36:59

And I think that we're gonna update the website at some point. Oh, yeah, yeah. And we're gonna show how many miles he travels. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 37:05

So that's going to be he's only been to Campadare so far, but he starts after after this, he really starts cooking around in different places. So okay.

SPEAKER_00 37:14

Are we going to include the mileage of him going to Campadere and then home and then Campadere? No, okay, yeah, just Ford. How far yeah, okay, yeah, yeah. Total miles traveled, total miles. Mm-hmm. It's gonna be quite a few. Yes. Okay. All right. Signing off from Campa Dare.

SPEAKER_02 37:35

Yep, 2300 miles from Nana. See you next week. Bye.

SPEAKER_00 37:51

Five hundred letters to Nana. Woohoo!