Letter, William S. "Billy" Jackson to his parents, undated
Dublin Core
Description
Correspondence from Billy Jackson to his parents. Jackson was fatally wounded at Nettuno, Italy, on 29 May 1944. In the letter, Jackson relates his pleasure in hearing that his friend, "Goober," married. He also speaks of his plans to marry someday and raise 14 children.
Creator
Date
Date Created
2020-09-18
Subject
War and families
World War, 1939-1945
World War, 1939-1945
Coverage
Language
en-US
Type
text
Format
Identifier
MFM_MSS_833_Billy_letter_001.jpg
MFM_MSS_833_Billy_letter_002.jpg
MFM_MSS_833_Billy_letter_003.jpg
MFM_MSS_833_Billy_letter_002.jpg
MFM_MSS_833_Billy_letter_003.jpg
Is Part Of
Source
Rights
Copyright protected by Mississippi State University Libraries. Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required.
Publisher
Scripto
Transcription
Camp Croft
Camp Croft, S.C.
Monday Night
Dear Folks,
I can’t find a fountain pen long enough to write a letter so I’ll have to use this pencil. Most everybody around here has the blues so almost everything has gone wrong today. Thus Army life is beginning to tell on some of the boys. They don’t have that shine in their eyes like they used to. This same routine day in and day out and very little pleasure to go with it. I guess I need not go into detail about that because its got to be done.
We went out on the range again today and fired some more. Made a score of 35 points out of a possible 40 points. I liked to have cut the bull’s eye out of the target. We have been working pretty hard the past week, running over and around these hills playing war games against each other. (These sentences don’t even make sense to me either. I’m gradually going nuts.)
I’m glad to hear that “Goober” got married and am sure sorry I wasn’t there when it took place. Tell him to find me a prospect by the time I get out of this mess and he can be best man. I’m going to raise 14 children.
Do you happen to know where James and Jack ended up in their flight to prepare to defend their country? Some of the boys from Shelby ended up here last week. Some came in yesterday from Alabama + Georgia, and then some from New York. I sure did feel sorry for those boys.
Tell Lem he don’t get up a damn bit earlier than I do and not half the walking. Hope all the family is as well as I am. If they are not they are still in good health because mine is excellent. Another boy in my platoon broke his arm all to pieces this afternoon. He will be in the hospital about three months. We don’t have but a little over half of our platoon left now. I just wonder who will be next on the list. From the looks of those nurses I don’t think I would mind so bad.
Looks as though the smallest man can take the knocks better than the larger ones. The most they have done to me so far is make me limp about a couple of days. I was falling down in prone position and a big rock happened to be in the place that my knee was supposed to be. It was pretty sore for about a week.
If there is anything that you would like to know that I have failed to write you, let me know. Tomorrow comes another cool day, and from then on, what? I have exactly sixteen more months to go and I have plenty of time to find out.
Love,
Billy
p.s. I could use a little cash if you have some to spare
Camp Croft, S.C.
Monday Night
Dear Folks,
I can’t find a fountain pen long enough to write a letter so I’ll have to use this pencil. Most everybody around here has the blues so almost everything has gone wrong today. Thus Army life is beginning to tell on some of the boys. They don’t have that shine in their eyes like they used to. This same routine day in and day out and very little pleasure to go with it. I guess I need not go into detail about that because its got to be done.
We went out on the range again today and fired some more. Made a score of 35 points out of a possible 40 points. I liked to have cut the bull’s eye out of the target. We have been working pretty hard the past week, running over and around these hills playing war games against each other. (These sentences don’t even make sense to me either. I’m gradually going nuts.)
I’m glad to hear that “Goober” got married and am sure sorry I wasn’t there when it took place. Tell him to find me a prospect by the time I get out of this mess and he can be best man. I’m going to raise 14 children.
Do you happen to know where James and Jack ended up in their flight to prepare to defend their country? Some of the boys from Shelby ended up here last week. Some came in yesterday from Alabama + Georgia, and then some from New York. I sure did feel sorry for those boys.
Tell Lem he don’t get up a damn bit earlier than I do and not half the walking. Hope all the family is as well as I am. If they are not they are still in good health because mine is excellent. Another boy in my platoon broke his arm all to pieces this afternoon. He will be in the hospital about three months. We don’t have but a little over half of our platoon left now. I just wonder who will be next on the list. From the looks of those nurses I don’t think I would mind so bad.
Looks as though the smallest man can take the knocks better than the larger ones. The most they have done to me so far is make me limp about a couple of days. I was falling down in prone position and a big rock happened to be in the place that my knee was supposed to be. It was pretty sore for about a week.
If there is anything that you would like to know that I have failed to write you, let me know. Tomorrow comes another cool day, and from then on, what? I have exactly sixteen more months to go and I have plenty of time to find out.
Love,
Billy
p.s. I could use a little cash if you have some to spare
Files
Citation
Jackson, William S.
, “Letter, William S. "Billy" Jackson to his parents, undated,” Mississippi State University Libraries, accessed December 22, 2024, https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/items/show/81.
Item Relations
This item has no relations.