Episode 40: Holy Jumping Joseph

Episode 40: Hey Wildcats! This week Feloma quickly sends Donald some cash, and Donald gets selected to try out for the Expert Infantryman Badge. Also; Tuffy  makes an appearance! 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:13

Hello, listeners, and welcome to 500 runners to Panama. Hi. Hi, Katie. How are you? I'm doing great. How are you? I'm grand. And we have something special today. Do you know what it is? No. Are you sure?

unknown 0:27

No.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

Are you ready? Yep. Okay. First of all, we're happy to be here with our new wildcats. And this is our new special thing.

SPEAKER_00 0:41

We found side effects. We did find those two.

SPEAKER_01 0:46

Ha ha ha. Yeah, we we we wanted us to throw in the sound of a wild cat.

SPEAKER_00 0:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 0:54

Do it again.

SPEAKER_00 0:58

It's incredible. Um, if you don't like it, let us know. But honestly, it might become a recurring theme in these letters. So I love it. We promise not to go wild with it, but it is kind of iconic.

SPEAKER_01 1:11

At the very least, we can play it at the very end.

SPEAKER_00 1:13

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 1:14

Yes. On the uh on the outro.

SPEAKER_00 1:17

So yes. So amazing. And yes, we are wildcats now.

SPEAKER_01 1:22

So we are.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

Um, I don't have any new info. Okay. Do you have any info?

SPEAKER_01 1:29

No, I just like the sound effect. It's better than me trying to be a wildcat.

SPEAKER_00 1:34

Just keep hitting that button, girl. We would love it.

SPEAKER_01 1:36

I'll do it again and again and again.

SPEAKER_00 1:39

Okay. And this actually is the perfect letter to start that sound effect on. Okay. Okay. Um, all right. We are starting with letter 136 today.

SPEAKER_01 1:51

Before we start with 136, let me say this. Uh-huh. Donald hasn't found his people yet. No. No, he hasn't. I know he will, but he hasn't. And I think in part it's maybe who he's sharing um his cabin with, his tent with, some sergeants who aren't around as much. I don't know where they are, but they're not there. He's too broke to go anywhere and do anything. Right. And so he he needs people.

SPEAKER_00 2:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:22

And he needs to find his his tribe. So I mean, and I know he'll land on it. I know he will. Because he has.

SPEAKER_00 2:29

Of course he has. He can't keep his mouth shut. So I think he's gonna be just fine. Yeah. It just takes time. You don't make good buddies overnight.

SPEAKER_01 2:38

No, you don't. And I think a shared experience is a building experience.

SPEAKER_00 2:42

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 2:43

So he'll get there, but he is kind of funny with his um you can kind it's not despair in his letters. It's I think it's loneliness, actually.

SPEAKER_00 2:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:54

Like he's he's accustomed to missing his wife. He isn't accustomed to not having friends. That's right. So he needs he needs his tribe. He needs that.

SPEAKER_00 3:04

I think that's right. Okay, I'm ready. Okay. March 31st, 1944. Okay. My dear Philoma, I received your letter of March 28th and was glad to get it. I'm sorry Madeline sent that letter home to mom. I don't want them to worry about me. I always write about the same to everyone, except when I write to you, and then I try to write as though I'm telling you directly. So I think he wrote something to Madeline. Madeline. Is that a sibling? That's his sister. Yeah, that's hit the youngest girl in the bunch. So she said something to their parents. Yeah, showed it to them, and they got worried or something about, you know. They're just worried. They're parents, you know. Yeah. You understand.

SPEAKER_01 3:51

I mean, Donald has it much harder than anybody else.

SPEAKER_00 3:54

So his parents are gonna take that to heart. Exactly. And he's the baby boy, he's the baby of nine, you know. Yeah. Today was another crazy day. I had to pack all my clothes and my barracks bags for the shakedown inspection we're having tomorrow out in the field. Holy jumpin' Joseph. Just about the time a fellow got all his clothes cleaned, he has to wrinkle them all up and drag them over the ground, getting them all dirty and messed up so you can get them cleaned again. This living out of barracks bags is torture itself. If you have to get anything, you have to get in your bags and upset everything to find it. Boy, I certainly hope we move out of this place. It's getting on my nerves more and more every day. Just wait to the next place he goes. It's gonna be worse. Oh, I know. Oh, yeah, it's listen, it's only gonna get worse.

SPEAKER_01 4:46

He's gonna wish you were back in Camp Adair.

SPEAKER_00 4:49

I know. I just feel it. I know. All right, now this is gonna be a callback to all the murderinos out there. Okay. So um, we love you all. Thank you so much for listening. Okay, here we go. I don't know if I told you about this before or not, but this outfit has a wild cat in a cage.

SPEAKER_01 5:09

There you go.

SPEAKER_00 5:10

In the middle of camp that they call Tuffy. Tuffy. Oh, that's right. He is the mascot of this division. I seen him tonight when we had another parade, as usual. Every time we have a parade, they bring him out in the cage to watch us. That poor cat. I know. So I originally posted those pictures in one of our first episodes or something, but I will repost them. So, but yeah, he actually spelled Tuffy. T-U-F-F-Y. Okay. So um he actually got to see Tuffy. So there he is. That's funny. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:48

There's Tuffy now. There he is.

SPEAKER_00 5:51

He's in here, he's in the studio. So funny. You should see the haircut I got. It's really GI. It's about a quarter of an inch long. In fact, I look like a ground mole. Donald. I've been forgetting to write in my letters about a wedding band for me. Well, here it is. If you want to buy me one, go ahead if you have the dough. But buy a good one if you do. I certainly would wear it if you did get one, but maybe you can't spare the dough. So maybe you better let it go. Did he not wear a wedding band? So in that picture, he's wearing a wedding or he's wearing a ring on that finger. Uh-huh. But I don't think it's a band. I think it's more like a um signet ring. Okay. Yeah. So she must be like, hey, do you, you know, do you want me to get you a band or something?

SPEAKER_01 6:43

Oh, maybe for their anniversary.

SPEAKER_00 6:44

Oh, maybe.

SPEAKER_01 6:46

Maybe she was like, hey, would you want one for your anniversary?

SPEAKER_00 6:49

Yeah, would you want one and stop wearing that bulky thing around? Yeah. If by any chance you run across a double edge razor, I wish you would get it for me. Someone stole mine about two weeks ago. This certainly a mess here though. Gosh, I don't know why we have to keep throwing going through all this bull manure. It's one o'clock AM now, and I'm not altogether done with my work. I don't see how a fellow goes with so little sleep. In a way, it's a good thing they give us these shots, or we'd probably be dead.

SPEAKER_01 7:23

Gosh. Donald.

SPEAKER_00 7:26

I was called up to the personnel office today, and when I got there, they wanted me to make another beneficiary on my insurance. So I made it to dad. They wanted three names, and I only had two. So your name's first, mom's a second, and dad is third. They're making all the fellows make out their wills here. But I didn't make mine out as yet. I haven't anything to will anyway, but whatever I have is yours. Now that's real. I know because you've been through it too, but they do have you do a will before you go overseas.

SPEAKER_01 8:04

Yes, they do.

SPEAKER_00 8:05

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 8:06

They do. It's just a I mean, I I do understand it, but it's it's a lot. If you're not ready for it, it's a lot. If you're not ready for it, it's a lot.

SPEAKER_00 8:17

I remember one time my brother was I think my parents were talking about their will, and my brother was, and they said something to him about, hey, you know, you should do you have any kind of paperwork or proxy or anything set up. And he was like, No, why would I need that? And I said, Well, you know, me and my husband have wills, and he said, Why? And I said, because he deploys, like we, yeah, because you said nobody gets out alive, right?

SPEAKER_01 8:47

Yeah, there's an end for all of us. Exactly. We have an expiration date. Yeah, he was he was dumbfounded, and I think we actually did our first wills after we had our first child, of course, you know, because it becomes very real. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:01

And if you have a child and you don't have a will, that's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 9:05

Yeah, no, we did it. So, I mean, we we we took steps before we had to do that. Um, you know, before he had to go somewhere, but we we we had a will. Yeah, we have a will, you know.

SPEAKER_00 9:20

How is everything going along with you? I'll bet swell, and that's the way I want it to go. I guess I told you before about that four-day problem coming up, so I won't be able to write for another four days or so. Every time I turn around here, I get gigged for something being dirty. I don't care anymore what happens. I'm getting just about ready to throw in the sponge and tell these officers to blow it out their rear end. Well, kid, I have to close. Keep your long letters coming. They're really swell. I don't know what I would do without them. You should get a letter tomorrow from me. Loving and missing you as ever, love and kisses, Don. Now, there's not an official PS, but there's a message. Okay. Okay, and it says, There's a fellow here by the name of Schrader from Tawanda. Tawanda is about 30 minutes north, not even maybe 20 minutes north of Du Shore. So he says, There's a fellow by the name of Schrader from Tawanda. You ask Amelia about his sister. I think she works at the telegraph office, and wherever I go, his company goes to. And he telephones home a lot. So maybe you can keep in contact with me through her. That is so convoluted.

SPEAKER_01 10:44

Ooh. In other words, that's free.

SPEAKER_00 10:48

100%. He's like, maybe we can two for this, and he can let you know what's happening with so in my mind, I see ten cans with string from town to town.

SPEAKER_01 11:01

100%. Hey, this is where they are. This is what's happening.

SPEAKER_00 11:05

100%.

SPEAKER_01 11:06

It's kind of like a sneaky way to communicate.

SPEAKER_00 11:08

Exactly. And I wonder how many little networks like this there were. Oh, there were all people know that. Yeah, that's so funny.

SPEAKER_01 11:16

I mean, the it's absolutely what was happening. You know, that is a great way. Yeah. To have a phone call without a phone call. Right. To get very up-to-date information is what that is. Yeah. I love that.

SPEAKER_00 11:33

It is kind of cool though. Okay. The next letter is April 1st, but it says April Fool 1945.

SPEAKER_02 11:42

So it's like April Fool's Day.

SPEAKER_00 11:44

My dear Philoma. Well, I received a letter and your telegram today, and I was glad to hear from you, but I didn't go up to get the money as yet because I was on a detail till six tonight digging foxholes.

SPEAKER_01 11:59

You know, I have been waiting to hear her response to the I'm broke and I need money letter. Yep. So obviously there's money coming. And I wonder, like, because I feel like all the mail he's gotten, she hadn't gotten that news yet. And like you you know it's coming. I'm very curious if she was upset with him. I mean, some of it was his fault and some of it wasn't. That's right. Okay. So I'm glad the money has arrived. I'm a little concerned for Donald's well-being.

SPEAKER_00 12:33

Well, he goes on. Boy, I'm certainly proud of that telegram. It was short and sweet, and it really shows how you stand with me. I'll never forget it either. Instead of you asking a lot of questions, you send me the dough and say, I hope you can double it, love. Not the response I was thinking. I will have to go up tomorrow and get it, I guess. Isn't that I mean, I don't know, I don't want to condone gambling, but like it's so sweet. She was like, I know you can do it. Here you go. No problem. Don't even worry about it.

SPEAKER_01 13:14

Wow. I know. Oh my goodness. There's a part of me that's like that's so sweet. And there's a part of me that's like, don't be happy. Don't drop it. Don't encourage him. Yes. Don't encourage him. But I think she understood he was blowing off seam, and some of that wasn't his fault. What I I believe that.

SPEAKER_00 13:31

I believe that.

SPEAKER_01 13:33

She's not mad at him. Yeah. She's not mad at him.

SPEAKER_00 13:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:37

She's mad at the situation.

SPEAKER_00 13:38

And she would never want him to feel unsafe or uncomfortable not having money. Right.

SPEAKER_01 13:42

I mean, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 13:44

Of course. What did he say? What'd she say? She said, I hope you can double it, love. So sweet. I know. I'm obsessed with that. It's it is very sweet. I know. And it does like she's supporting him, you know. And he he knows he has that backing. And that's just gonna make him feel more confident if he needs something else in the future, reaching out to her.

SPEAKER_01 14:08

Yeah. Which is important. Which is important. Yeah. I don't know if my husband would have had that kind of support from me.

SPEAKER_00 14:17

It would be difficult. It wouldn't be a lot. It would be enough to like shine your shoes and get a toothbrush or something.

SPEAKER_01 14:24

My husband bought a Porsche.

SPEAKER_00 14:26

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 14:29

My husband went out and bought a Porsche and didn't tell me about it. He came home with a Porsche.

SPEAKER_00 14:35

And here's here's what I have to say. Um he came home from Iraq. Whatever. When they first Don't defend him. When they first went in, and I in listen, of course you need to ask your spouse for any major purchases, even if they're gonna say it's okay. But I think he came home and he was like, I am doing everything I want to do right now because life is short.

SPEAKER_01 15:01

We did have this conversation kind of recently, and he was like, I was just happy to be alive.

SPEAKER_00 15:06

That's what I'm saying. That was my I'm alive purchase. I'm not gonna waste another day. If I want it, I'm gonna do it.

SPEAKER_01 15:13

Yeah, I wasn't happy.

SPEAKER_00 15:15

But didn't he get you a necklace too?

unknown 15:18

Don't defend him.

SPEAKER_01 15:23

He likes the thing get dressed up in the world. I think there anybody can understand this. Okay. When there are major purchases within a marriage, you have a discussion.

SPEAKER_00 15:33

Right.

SPEAKER_01 15:33

That's what I was upset about. I know. There was no discussion.

SPEAKER_00 15:38

Absolutely. There should have been a discussion.

SPEAKER_01 15:40

There should have been a discussion.

SPEAKER_00 15:41

I think you would have said yes anyway.

SPEAKER_01 15:44

I don't think I could have said no, but I didn't get the chance to say yes.

SPEAKER_00 15:48

I think I could have said or no. Right. I agree with that. Okay. I agree with that.

SPEAKER_01 15:54

Let me tell you, when your husband comes home with a snazzy little convertible Porsche and you've been paying the bills. And you have three under what? Four? Oh, they were they were yes, they were four and down. I had three children that were less than four. Four and down.

SPEAKER_00 16:08

No. Okay. Where are the car seats gonna go, boo?

SPEAKER_01 16:11

Yeah, there's no back seat. Where are we putting the children? Okay. And like it totally freaked me out because I'd be paying the bills. I'm like, there's no money for that kind of a car payment.

SPEAKER_00 16:24

Yeah. And also, who is this man? He came back a lunatic.

SPEAKER_01 16:29

Like, my husband left, and who is this? Yeah. Yeah. So I I mean, good, good on philoma. Yep. I I'm not there. I'm still not there.

unknown 16:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:42

Yeah. But I mean, we did get over it, and I was just like, don't make purchases like this without a discussion. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So we we've respect we have respected that ever since. Boundaries are important. But it did freak me out. Okay, go ahead. But then you got a necklace. I did get a necklace.

SPEAKER_00 16:59

Oh. It's happy I'm I mean, at least he has good taste.

SPEAKER_01 17:07

You know what? I'm just gonna start wearing that necklace every day. You should make a statement.

SPEAKER_00 17:12

I'll wear it to dinner. Boy, we had an awful inspection today, and my shoulders are really cut and sore from carrying them barracks bags. You know, we had to carry them all the way over to the parade ground without a rest, and the ropes cut right into our shoulders till the blood came. Do you know what a barracks bag is? I want to say it's like um those huge duffel bags, but I'm not entirely sure. I guess that's what I was thinking about.

SPEAKER_01 17:39

I mean, this is he is so he's been talking about the barracks bags, the barracks bags, the barracks bags. So I was just kind of curious. Let me see what I can find.

SPEAKER_00 17:48

Oh, it's like a laundry bag.

SPEAKER_01 17:52

You know what? Honestly, you could fit in one. Uh I couldn't fit in one, but you could.

SPEAKER_00 18:01

Well, we have some. We could go try. Okay, let's try. My my husband When we're done, let's play. My husband keeps one for his dirty clothes when we travel.

SPEAKER_01 18:09

Okay, we we're gonna put you in it. Okay. Okay, great, but that would be hard to carry because that's you'd be carrying it with a string. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 18:17

You're not carrying it with a strap. No, I guess in my mind, I was thinking like one of those big duffel bags, and they're thinking like shoulder straps.

SPEAKER_01 18:24

Yeah, you know, so I mean, if he had said laundry bag, I would have understood that. Right. For the record.

SPEAKER_00 18:32

It's about as far as our house to the church and a full field pack on your back and two bags over your shoulders. Oh my gosh. With a clothesline rope to hold them together.

SPEAKER_01 18:43

See, like I said, that would be hard to carry those. So he's carrying probably a 50-pound pack on his back in two of those bags.

SPEAKER_00 18:50

That probably weighed more than Donald. Oh, yeah. That rope certainly cut grooves in.

SPEAKER_01 18:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:56

Oh. I believe I'll stop here, kid, for the night and finish in the morning because I'm pretty tired and I have to get up early so I can wash my clothes. I have exactly 46 pieces of clothes to wash. And boy, I would give five bucks if somebody would do it. How can I tell you? I love that he knows exactly how many pieces of clothing he has. Oh, yes. Oh my gosh, that's funny. I haven't sent any clothes out to the laundry for the last two months, and I've been washing a few things every Sunday, but I know I'll have to get them all clean, for we're going to have another inspection next week. I believe I'll stop writing for tonight, kid. I'm awful tired, so good night. And then on that same piece of paper, it says April 2nd. Okay. Okay, so it's I'm not counting it as a new letter. No, it's it's in the it's the same piece of paper. It's the same piece of paper, yeah. So it says April 2nd, 4 p.m.

SPEAKER_01 19:54

Well, if we're being honest, he started this letter at like 1 30 in the morning.

SPEAKER_00 19:58

So it was already the second. Exactly. That's you know what? Totally fair.

SPEAKER_01 20:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:04

My dear Philoma, well, I washed all my clothes, and boy, was that ever a job. And I just went up and got my money. And in a way, I'm sorry I asked you to send it to me because you probably had plans for it. So you ordered your corsage. Well, I hope you enjoy it. Sure, I want you to have one, so don't feel guilty about anything. I don't know why she had a corsage.

SPEAKER_01 20:29

I know why she had a corsage. Why? Because it was Easter.

SPEAKER_00 20:33

Easter was their end. Well, oh, maybe it was Easter.

SPEAKER_01 20:37

I bet it was Easter.

SPEAKER_00 20:38

Let's look.

SPEAKER_01 20:39

Because I'm thinking, like, there were times growing up that my dad, or I I don't know, my mom and my mom and I would have a corsage when that we were to church on an Easter Sunday. You are absolutely right. That was just something that my dad had it for us.

SPEAKER_00 20:57

Yeah. You are absolutely right. Easter Sunday was the ninth that year, and this is the second. So she ordered a corsage for Easter Sunday.

SPEAKER_01 21:03

Yeah, because I think that that I mean it was just I know I did it growing up. I mean, well, my parents did it for me, but we would have a corsage on corsage on Easter. Oh, that's cute. I think it's weird that my dad would do that. So maybe my mom did it. Like, I'm not sure, but we had them.

SPEAKER_00 21:22

Cute. Yeah. Amazing. Yeah. Well, that's great. That answers the question then. Yeah. I mean, I'm glad you knew. I was like, I can't believe you never had a corsage on Easter, Katie. No. Never. The only time I had a corsage was you have prom. Well, it's funny because, like, you should you should have. I should have known. Yeah. Um, okay, let me see. I just opened one of your boxes of candy, and I'm enjoying it very much because I'm hungry at the present time. I was washing clothes at noon and I missed chow. And they had chicken too.

SPEAKER_01 22:03

So he does like the food there. He does. I think it's funny that he missed it. I'm sure he uh was doing laundry and he was just too busy.

SPEAKER_00 22:09

Mm-hmm. The weather has been really beautiful. Flowers growing everywhere, and they've been cutting hay for the last two weeks already around the camp. There's a few farms close to camp, so I can see them working. I believe I'll go to the show tonight. Buffalo Bill is on, so I think I'll take a two-hour furlough and go see it. So Buffalo Bill is just about Buffalo Bill Cody. Yeah. Obviously. Fictionalized and whatever. Um, okay. So then back in. I don't believe we're going on this problem next week, so I'll be able to write for write to you. So if I keep writing, you'll know that I haven't gone bivacking. Okay. But they're going on this problem week after next, if they don't go this week. I'm waiting for some big long letters from you. The last few days I've been getting short ones, but they're good to get anyway. He's picky. Well, and also she just sent you a bunch of money in a telegram. Like, they're expensive. And some treats. Yeah. He had a box of goodies. I know I love when he gets a package and he complains about not getting a letter. Like, sir. Dude, you you skipped that chicken meal. Yeah. I get my mail regular, but I don't get many letters from people anymore like I used to.

SPEAKER_02 23:33

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 23:34

I haven't received a letter from anyone besides you in almost two weeks. So you're working down at the store all by yourself again. Well, kid, if it gets too hard, quit. The hell with working. I love it. Yep. I don't know if I'm going to double that dough or not. I hate to take a chance and lose it. I'll send it back to you though sometime if I ever do get lucky. Well, kid, there isn't a hell of a lot to write about. It's the same old thing every day for me. I haven't seen Wallish or Sparky Robbins yet. How is everything going at home these days? So you don't see Chip much. I wish you would. He's a great guy. It won't be long till you'll be able to go fishing back home. Good gosh, how I wish I could get out and do a little fishing. This dang place is getting on my nerves. Well, kid, take good care of yourself, and I think about you every night when I go to bed and I think about how you used to snug up close. Oh boy, them were the good old days. Aww. I'm missing you more than ever. Love and kisses. Don. Nine exes.

SPEAKER_01 24:48

Oh, that was good.

SPEAKER_00 24:49

He's bringing back his exes. Mm-hmm. Okay, next letter. April 3rd, 1944. My dear Philoma, I received a letter from you today and also your Easter card. And I do mean an Easter card. Boy, it surely is a dandy. That's the first one I've ever seen like that. It really hits the spot. I also received Easter cards from Aunt Mary, Nancy, and also from Tilly and Mary today. And he just said he hadn't gotten mail from anybody. I know I'm sure that helped him. So the weather is sort of bad some days and good other days. Well, it won't be long anymore till it will be warm. But this spring I won't be home to argue with you to who is going to cut the grass. Oh Donald. I guess I did see plenty of the Pacific. I don't care to see any more of it for my part, but I didn't mind it too bad.

SPEAKER_01 25:54

I know. Oof. Oh, Donald. I feel like there might be some more of the Pacific in his future. But I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 26:05

I don't know. They're training him on landing boats. So I don't think he's going to Europe. Good luck. What do I know? This thing won't be over till they make the till they make the invasion in France or somewhere along the channel. But I believe in about four months after they make the invasion, it will be over. I really believe this. He's not right. It's like a year. Yeah. But you know. It's the beginning of the end. It's the beginning of the end. He's right about that. Which is good. He needed that. So Jimmy Deegan is going pretty shortly. He's with the 91st, you know. Have you heard anything from Eddie Koch, or is he still at a dare? I'm sorry to hear about mom probably going back to the hospital. That's too bad. I don't know why she has to go through all of that again. So Poochie is on the war path. It's too bad I didn't fix her up when I was home for a while. Oh my goodness. I know. I don't know why Poochie's on the war path. I think I think she's on her cycle. Oh, okay. I was just like, what's happening? Yeah, I'm wondering if he means like, I'm sorry we didn't get pregnant. Oh. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:25

Yeah, probably. Yeah. Now that you say that, that's probably true.

SPEAKER_00 27:31

The euphemisms. Yes. Well, kid, tomorrow I have a big day. I'm going on an eight-station course for the expert infantry man medal. What is it? An eight? An eight course. What is that? Uh, it's like a test. Okay. Mm-hmm. So the ek this is different from like the expert rifle and like the expert grenade. So the expert infantry man badge is a special, ooh, a special is a special skills badge of the United States Army created in November 43. So to be awarded this, you must complete a number of pre-re prerequisites and pass a battery of graded tests on basic infantry skills. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 28:24

Okay, so this is like all the maneuvers he's learning shooting.

SPEAKER_00 28:28

Best infantry guy you can possibly be. Yes. I think Donald will get this. We'll see. There were 200 of us picked out of 1,000. See? And I don't know why it had to be me. I know. I really don't believe I'll be able to pass the test with the experience that I have. I was the only new man in the company that was picked to go through. So even if I don't make it, I'll be satisfied.

SPEAKER_01 28:56

What if Donald volunteered? He's like, oh, I was picked. No, you volunteered. You volunteered. Well, we'll see. Okay. I think he was chosen.

SPEAKER_00 29:08

I know. I know, but I mean he had a good he could shoot. Oh yeah. So he knew what he was doing. Oh, he has skills. He has skills. I'm only making noises because I know what happens. Okay. Okay. Well, I'm waiting. Anyway, we have to make 10 miles in two hours at one of the eight courses. And it's not good. One course is on military courtesy. One is first aid. One is bayonet. One is digging a hole under fire. I guess they shoot over your head at the same time you have to dig a foxhole.

SPEAKER_01 29:42

I know that Donald knows how to dig a hole.

SPEAKER_00 29:44

Oh.

SPEAKER_01 29:46

He dug a lot of holes in it, swamp and air. And he sat on them, too.

SPEAKER_00 29:50

Anything Donald can do, it's dig a hole.

SPEAKER_01 29:53

Yeah. He can dig him. He can dig a hole and put himself in it.

SPEAKER_00 29:58

He can dig a hole. That is true. He can. I agree. That is so funny. Courtesy might be another thing. I know. 100%. That's what's going to trip him up. Okay. So I'm sorry. No, that's a good one. Dig a hole. No, I love it. Another is a compass course. Oh, we can do that. Which has five different azimuth readings. So when you figure it out, so when you figure it out, it's going to be pretty rough. And I don't mean perhaps. I hope everything is going along good with you, kid. I have a feeling that this dang thing is going to be over soon. And if that happens, you and I have a lot ahead of us. I mean some real good times.

SPEAKER_01 30:38

Listen, I think they're gonna get that, but I don't. I mean, he is so hopeful that it's about to end. I know. He is so hopeful. I know. I don't want to burst his bubble. I know. I do know how it ends, but uh I mean, we'll get there.

SPEAKER_00 30:55

We'll get there, that's for sure. I mean, the podcast is called 500 letters, and we're a hundred summons.

SPEAKER_01 31:02

This is 138.

SPEAKER_00 31:05

But it's almost over, right, Donald? Right, right. Well, kid, this is a short letter, but you make yours longer, will you? Mine are short, but yours are long. Yeah, you have the time, woman. I mean, you don't work or anything. I remain as ever yours. Love and kisses, Donald. Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_01 31:26

Okay, well, don't leave me in suspense. I want to know how this thing plays out. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 31:31

April 4th, 1944. My dear Philoma.

SPEAKER_01 31:37

4444.

SPEAKER_00 31:39

Oh, weird. Well, I just came in and it's 11:30 p.m. And brother, I'm dead to the world. And I have to get up at 3:45 in the morning. Well, kid, I made the test today in very good shape. At noon, there was only 114 left out of the 200. Wow. And tonight before we started on the compass course, there were only 58 left out of the 200. And I was the first one through the course. So I don't know how many more flunked out. You know they did. Mm-hmm. Especially at night. Mm-hmm. I'm really dead tired, kid, and I haven't much to say tonight. So maybe tomorrow I'll have more time. This is going to be short, but it's better than nothing. I'll write tomorrow and tell you more about it. Well, kid, good night. Take care of yourself. Love and kisses, Donald. Three X's. Only three.

SPEAKER_01 32:35

He was so tired.

SPEAKER_00 32:37

He forgot the other six. He did. He's just like, that's enough. I have done enough today.

SPEAKER_01 32:43

So the I mean, to his credit, he's got to get up in like four hours, fact. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 32:47

And the tests were over a few days. Yeah, clearly. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 32:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 32:53

All right.

SPEAKER_01 32:53

April 5th. Gosh, that was a short letter that's 1944.

SPEAKER_00 32:58

Is this a separate letter? Yep.

SPEAKER_01 33:00

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 33:01

My dear Philoma, well, another day has gone by and I didn't receive any letter from you either today. And I was expecting a long letter too, because you should have received my long letter and answered it. So I'll have something to look forward to tomorrow anyway. Well, I haven't received the final amount of men that finished up yesterday as yet, but I believe there were about 30 of us that finally finished. I'll try to explain the tests we went through, which was divided into nine stations. The first station I went to was first aid. Here I had to bandage and put a splint on a man's leg that was supposed to have been broken. Also give artificial respiration, put a tourniquet on a man's arm, and give sulfa drugs to a wounded man. Okay. Okay. He can do that. Yep. The next station was military sanitization. This one took the cake. They took my mess kit out and put grease all over it and asked me how I would clean it up without any water and soap. That would be so frustrating. So I naturally picked up some sand and rubbed it out. Then I walked down a little further, and a fellow had a pair of old socks on, and I had to tell them what was wrong with them. A little farther I had to dig a hole to show how deep I would dig it. That man can dig a hole. Absolutely. The next station was the bayonet course, which was in a creek bed, and dummies would jump out by surprise. Oh, that's funny. In a creek bed. It's probably a dry creek bed. True. The next station was crawling on our bellies up a hill for 100 yards and then fire at targets. The next course was scouting and patrolling. An officer gave me a map and asked me which route I would take during the day and which route at night. And then he asked how I would observe from a tree, a house, and a fence. And I made this okay. Then I went down on the compass course, which I mean was really hard. But boy, these compasses are swell. I'm glad I have one home. I'll show you how it operates when I come home again. I made the compass course okay. Of course he did. The next station we had individual camouflage and digging foxholes under fire. The next station was military courtesy. And the last was running a compass course at night. And when I finished, I was only 20 yards from my stake. So that was considered excellent. So that takes care of that. So he earned it. He did, he made it. Oh, of course he did. I knew he would. I knew he would. You have all the confidence in him, and that's wonderful.

SPEAKER_01 35:51

Well, when you hear what the stations are, I'm like, check, check, check, check, check, check, check. He can do all that. He's got it. He does. Yep. I mean, he went in with some of these skills. Oh, absolutely. It's not like they already taught him this. No, exactly. They may have taught him how to dig a hole, though.

SPEAKER_00 36:09

That is so funny. He got a blue ribbon for digging a hole. How are you getting along, dear? I hope swell. It's 11 p.m. again, kid, and I'm tired. I'll bet you're always thinking I'm kidding you about being tired or being late, but I'm not kidding you, dear. I still love you as ever and missing you much. I remain as ever yours. Love and kisses, Don. Three X's.

SPEAKER_01 36:35

Okay. You know what? Honestly, after running this course, I bet he was exhausted.

SPEAKER_00 36:41

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:41

I mean, 30 out of 200 make it. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:45

I bet it was absolutely exhausting.

SPEAKER_01 36:49

Yeah. Yeah. He knew what he was doing. He can do it.

SPEAKER_00 36:52

Yeah. That's cool. And that's where we'll leave you today.

SPEAKER_01 36:57

Holy jumpin' Joseph. He got his badge.

unknown 37:01

I know. I know.

SPEAKER_01 37:03

That was so funny when he said that. I know. Holy jumpin' Joseph. Q Wildcat.

SPEAKER_00 37:12

All right. So uh congratulations to Donald. We are, you can follow along with his journey at 500letters to Nana.com and at 500letters to Nana on Instagram. Um and we are signing off from San Luis Obispo, California. And we are about 43, 43, 2400 miles from Nana. Thanks for listening, Wildcats. Bye. Bye.

SPEAKER_01 37:51

500 letters to Nana. Woo!