28 Nov 1943 "Thanksgiving Away from Family" ( Post #13)

                                                                           Northern Ireland

                                                                           Nov 28, 1943

Dear Mother and All,
       A few lines from across the pond. I received a few letters a couple days ago. Will see what I can do in answering. You may be sure it seems much easier writing to you now that you know where I am. I was waiting to hear from you as much as you were wondering where I was. If you're wondering why I'm writing in pencil here is the answer. I just started you a letter with the cheap pen I had and the darn thing blotted, it's not the first time so I just threw it on the concrete floor. I'll write a request for my other pen as you will have to show it to the postmaster before you can send it. Please send it as soon as possible.
     We had a good Thanksgiving dinner about five o'clock so you see we were eating about the same time as you folks back home. As I was eating I kept thinking of you all. I wrote to you how good the food was at first but I think it is slipping a little now although it's still good.

Thanksgiving Dinner

     If Dad starts on the open chamber don't forget to plan for a bathroom as that's one thing I want to have put in when I return and things get straighten out. After washing the way we have to here I intend on enjoying a few good showers. (The bathroom never got installed upstairs in the open chamber. For those who do not know what is an open chamber, it is a space in the attic that is not completed. You usually could still see the rafters and the exposed roof. In the house my uncle lived, it was where most of the children slept since there were only two completed bedrooms. Usually no heat except from the wrapped up heated brick put under the blankets at the foot of the bed. By morning time the room could be quite cold in the Maine winter months.)
     You wrote about the last check you received with the slip of paper saying it was not money from Uncle Sam but part of my pay. I know nothing about sending such a thing but all the same what difference does it make. I know it will help out a lot and as for something for me to start on when I return, well I only care about returning and starting over. When I do get home I intend to take a couple weeks of  good rest and that time can't come too soon.

     (Speaking about money or salary for a soldier in 1943: The average American private soldier who was single made a base pay of $50.00 per month, or $600.00 before any spending per year. Accounting for the soldier being in the military, and not having to pay taxes if their yearly income was under $1,500.00, or buy luxury or necessity items that were provided by the military such as food, clothes or soap that would scale out to a net annual pay of about $3,600.00 "civilian" dollars in 1943.
     A dollar in 1943 would have the same buying power as $14.29 in 2017. Therefore, $50 per month would equal $714.30 in buying power in 2017. If one considers the amount of $3,600 to include the necessities of life as stated above that would equal in 2017 to $51,429.60 per year or $4,285.80 per month. We must remember most privates in 1943 were fighting and many dying in a war for that income. The price of a life is priceless.)

     It's too bad about the boy's beans but that's a farmer's life. Tell Eugene to keep up his courage this old world will change some day. I wouldn't mind being home farming for my board and a few dollars a week.
     So they took 128 deer out of Richville (a part of Standish, Cumberland, Maine, USA) the first day. I guess the war is helping the wildlife as 128 is about half or even less than the number that used to be taken. I think it will improve the game a lot all around and also the fishing. (Uncle Charlie was an avid sportsman enjoying both fishing and hunting. Each year he would go up to the Allagash in Aroostook County, Maine, in the North Maine Woods region with some guys for a week to fish and hunt.)

     You wrote about Helen's father having a cold and her mother getting it. Gee, that poor woman sure goes through a lot. Why do some people have as much?
     So you know where Herbert has been? I mean somewhere near. It's been a long time since I've seen him. Did he call?
    How is Eugene's hand? I hope it is alright by now. You can't let things like that go too long. Guess I'll have to hurry home to be the doctor. That was a nice poem you wrote at the top of one of my letters.
     I went to the U.S.O. (United Service Organizations) show the other night and here is a little joke maybe you can get a laugh out of it. The fellow said he was in the next town when he saw two Bulldogs having a chat on the corner as Bulldogs sometimes do when along came a Pekingese around the corner. At that, one of the Bulldogs took off at top speed up the hill. Finally, the other dog caught up with him and asked why he was he was afraid of that little Pekingese dog. "I'll tell you Pal," he said, "I'm not afraid but that little fellow has the coldest nose of any dog in town."

Well Mom will close for tonight. Good night.
                                                         Love
                                                           Charles