Sunday, April 19, 2009

Letter 53- December 27, 1943




December 27, 1943
(Camp Abbot, Oregon)

Hello Mother and Dad,

You’ll probably receive this and my last letter to you in the same delivery. I wrote the other one yesterday afternoon and then forgot to send it.

Well, today I was on K.P. 15 hours straight and yet tonight I feel like a million dollars. How do I do it? Well it’s quite a story. The last time I was on K.P. I worked like a dog all morning in order to get some time off to go to the post office. I made such an impression on the Mess Sarge that he let me take it easy all afternoon. Today he gave me all the jobs that look tough but are actually easy. Most of the time he spent shooting the bull with me. I don’t have to goldbrick. I’m literally forced into it.

Tonight we drew “K” rations for our overnight bivouac. A whole day on that crap. Of course, I’m not complaining about that. The fellows overseas live on “K” rations but they don’t like ‘em either.

I sure hope the candy and camera get here soon. I don’t know about the condition of that little one. The way I treated it when I was little was a crime. Here’s hoping anyway. I don’t have a hell of a lot more to write so good night.


Best Love,
Bill

2 comments:

  1. K Rations were not supposed to taste good. The Army needed a lightweight and nutritious food source that did not require refrigeration. The canned goods that made up C Rations meant that soldier could not pack more than a day or two of meals. The original specification for the K Ration included the requirement that it have "the taste of a boiled potato." The generals didn't want the troops to snack on the rations leaving nothing for supper.

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  2. Despite tasting like boiled potatoes the Quartermaster Corp procured over 105 million K Rations in 1944, the peak year of production. I'm certain Bill had his fair share of the 1944 allotment.

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