Harry S. Truman letter to Bess Wallace - February 4, 1918
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[Huckins Hotels letterhead]Dear Bess: I am at Oklahoma City this time sure enough. Wired you this afternoon. I am like a parrot out of his cage. We have been hitting it up at such a rate down at camp that some of us almost have nervous prostration. The Scottish Rite are putting a class through and Gen Wright issued a bulletin allowing 4 day passes to Guthrie. It came out yesterday morning and was revoked at noon. I got mine before the cancellation intending to go to [Kansas City] on it, but after they recalled the privilege I thought perhaps
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[Huckins Hotels letterhead]I'd better not risk it. They are always hunting for some good excuse to rim a N.G. officer and if they should suddenly take a fool notion to call me at Guthrie and I not be there it would be all up but the signing. It is most surely a disappointment because I was planning on stepping into your front hall this evening at about seven-thirty and perhaps causing you heart failure for one minute anyway. I have been doing squads east and squads sideways arms up and hand down until I can't open my mouth without telling
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[Huckins Hotels letterhead]someone to straighten up or get in step. Hold your head up. Look at the back of the head of the man in front of you if he isn't there look anyway. This ground's level you won't fall down if you don't get your feet tangled. - - - -xx straighten up, step out like a man, put some snap into etc. etc. ad lib. Then after some hour or so of that I go count nickels and dimes up to four hundred dollars a day more or less. I guess I should be very proud of my Jewish ability. My thirst emporium is the only one in camp that's open. The rest are insolvent or can't
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[Huckins Hotels letterhead] make a clear statement of their financial standing. I am going to forget drill book exercise and all of it for three days anyway and occupy my mind on higher things. Perhaps that won't hurt me any because I have acquired an ability to swear like Sam Jones or Captain Kidd, and there may be a high reckoning on it sometime. I think not soon. We have exams every Saturday. I have passed every time yet but the next one I'll probably blow up on. The hotel is full of soldiers and first lieutenants. Some going to Guthrie
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[Huckins Hotels letterhead]and some going to the School of fire and some I fear, just playing hookey. I sure wish I could have happened in this evening, but I can't. I look for a letter every mail even if I don't send one. Yours always Harry
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RETURN IN FIVE DAYS TO LEE-HUCKINS HOTEL OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. [stamp] OKLAHOMA OKLA. FEB 4 10 AM 1918 Miss Bess Wallace 219 Delaware St Independence [Missouri]
Details
| Title | Harry S. Truman letter to Bess Wallace - February 4, 1918 |
| Creator | Truman, Harry S. |
| Source | Truman, Harry S. Letter to Bess Wallace. 04 February 1918. Papers of Harry S. Truman Pertaining to Family, Business and Personal Affairs; Correspondence from Harry S. Truman to Bess Wallace, 1910-1919. HST-FBP_5-3_01. Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, I |
| Description | Letter from Harry S. Truman to his future wife, Bess Wallace telling her of their drills and his daily life. Captain Harry S. Truman commanded Battery D of the 129th Field Artillery Regiment from July 11, 1918 through the end of the war on November 11, 1918. During his military service Truman frequently wrote to Bess informing her of his experiences. |
| Subject LCSH | Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972; United States. Army. Field Artillery Battalion, 129th; World War, 1914-1918--Military life--United States; Love-letters; United States. Army--Examinations. |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Site Accession Number | HST-FBP_5-3_01 |
| Contributing Institution | Harry S. Truman Library and Museum |
| Rights | Documents in this file are in the public domain. |
| Date Original | February 4, 1918 |
| Language | English |