Harry S. Truman letter to Bess Wallace - February 25, 1919
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not fixed. If we shouldn't succeed in getting our men altered to fit their service records it may require an unreeling of pink tape to such an extent that we'll be delayed thirty days. What's a mere 30 days to G. H. Q. (which some say means get home quick - I doubt it myself)? There's also a new General Order out to the effect that all battery and company commanders whose funds are messed up will be detached from their organizations and held in France until a proper balance is struck. Now they may reach out and yank me off the gang plank just as I'm getting aboard in order to have me untangle my money from the company's but if they do I'll be much richer by some hundred of francs. You know a battery commander has as many duties and as much prying around to do as the chairwoman of a Ladies Aid; besides having to write to various wives, widows, mothers, sisters, cousins, aunts and paw in laws as to the general health and financial condition of Privates James William O'Grady, King and O'Toole, you've got to keep 'em clothed and fed. If they lose their clothes or trade 'em for
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Knights of Columbus letterhead] Vin Rouge and don't make 'em pay for the loss the B. C.'s stuck. If your reserve ration goes up in Willie Stew by a careless mess sergeant the B C pays. If the battery fund gets tangled the B. C. pays etc etc ad lib. One bird I have refused to write to his mother because Uncle Sam fined him $60.00 for going A W O L to see her and I got a letter from the Commanding General of the Second Army wanting to know why I didn't make him write her. Well he did all right, all right but he wound up his epistle by saying he was only doing it because the Captain would put him in the jug if he didn't, and I let it go because it was true. They aren't all like that though. I have an overwhelming majority I wouldn't trade for a million dollars.
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They have real Irish hearts and they love their mother and sweetheart just that way. Some letters to mothers I've censored are masterpieces and I know they are meant because I know the men. I don't think there's any of 'em thought who are as deeply in love as their own Captain to whom they bring their troubles and I guess that's why he can sympathise with 'em.Please write as often as you can to one who loves you madly. Always yours Harry. Harry S. Truman Captain 129 FA American E. F.
Details
| Title | Harry S. Truman letter to Bess Wallace - February 25, 1919 |
| Creator | Truman, Harry S. |
| Source | Truman, Harry S. Letter to Bess Wallace. 25 February 1919. Papers of Harry S. Truman Pertaining to Family, Business and Personal Affairs; Correspondence from Harry S. Truman to Bess Wallace, 1910-1919. HST-FBP_6-20_01. Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, |
| Description | Letter from Harry S. Truman to his future wife, Bess Wallace, informing her that he had been giving a sail date and was making prepartions for his unit to return home. Captain Truman was placed in charge of 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; United States. Army. Division, 35th; Military discharge; World War, 1914-1918--Censorship; Bar-le-Duc (France) |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Site Accession Number | HST-FBP_6-20_01 |
| Contributing Institution | Harry S. Truman Library and Museum |
| Rights | Documents in this file are in the public domain. |
| Date Original | February 25, 1919 |
| Language | English |