November 18, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure, 31157709, Co. E 12th Inf. A.P.O.#4 U.S. Army, Camp Gordon Johnston, FL
To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston, Mass. (Boston)

U.S. ARMY 

AMPHIBIOUS TRAINING CENTER

CAMP GORDON JOHNSTON, FLORIDA

Dear Pa: - 

Received your letter a couple of days ago but didnt get the chance to answer till just now. Have you had snow yet up there? Its pretty cold here & I figured from that, that it must be pretty cold up there. Glad that Martha got that job but isnt it sort of a dangerous place for her to be? Is Jimmy behaving himself at work or is he still the same way? I received a letter from Madeline the other day & have already answered it. I cant tell these people here that I cant do this or that because they pay absolutely no attention to you at all the story here is the same as every place else so we just have to see it through

Three fifty to pay for a fur coat is too much money she must be crazy. Yes Macks wife is working at that place where Martha was & somebody told me that he is working on the CI but that it was in the maintenance department. Well this is about all for now so till I hear from you again Ill close.

Luck

Geo

November 8, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure, 31157709, Co. E 12th Inf. A.P.O.#4 U.S. Army, Camp Gordon Johnston, FL
To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston, Mass. (Boston)

U.S. ARMY 

AMPHIBIOUS TRAINING CENTER

CAMP GORDON JOHNSTON, FLORIDA

Dear Pa: - 

Received your letter today also one from Martha, she tells me that she is going for a physical to work at the Navy Yard but I doubt if she will pass because those tests are pretty stiff. 

It did take that registered letter about a week to get here but thats the best way to spend money into this place because if it had been a money order Id had to go one hundred and thirty miles to cash it so a few days delay isnt much as long as it gets here. The newspapers didnt arive till three days later & that is due to very poor railroad sceduals down here. The railroads here have the best of engines & cars but the speed is [???]. 

We have had a couple of days of rain here & its pretty cold & we had to go for swimming lessons today but the air was too cold for us to stay very long so we got out of the water after we had all turned blue from the cold & you can bet that they wont get me in there again when its cold. Well this is all the news from here so till I hear from you again Ill close

Luck

George

October 30, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure, 31157709, Co. E 12th Inf. A.P.O.#4 U.S. Army, Camp Gordon Johnston, FL
To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston, Mass. (Boston)

U.S. ARMY

AMPHIBIOUS TRAINING CENTER

CAMP GORDON JOHNSTON, FLORIDA

Dear Pa: -

Received your letter this afternoon and by it I see that you didnt get my last letter thanking you for that money you sent. It got here okay but you shouldnt have sent so much because you need it for things up there. Whats the matter with Jimmy? One time he wants a day job another time nights it looks to me like he dont know what he does want. You say you turned in some insurance policies on me & that there is more due next October - How many policies do you hold on me altogether? It seems to me that you have been spending quite a little money for insurance. That fellow Beck that you were talking to in the Harvey Steel is a friend of mine but dont say too much to him because he is an awful gossiper, just like a woman, I dropped my friendship with that girl I used to write to because she is married so dont say anything to him about that because there would be a hell of a lot of trouble.

I was thinking things over one day & decided to stop that affair before there was trouble.

Things here are about the same as usual, right now the weather is very hot in the day time & very chilly at night so we have to be careful of colds. They have us down in the Gulf of Mexico every day trying to teach us to swim but I havent gotten any place yet & I dont think Ill ever be able to swim because I havent the strength to keep it up very long. Do you ever hear from Madeline at all? I wrote to her about three weeks ago & never did get an answer from her so I was wondering if things are okay out there.

I received a letter from Martha the other day & a birthday card from Theresa on the 14th also I got one from Jimmy but his handwriting is so poor that I couldnt read it so if he writes again the thing for him to do is to have one of the kids in the house re write it so that its legible otherwise I cant read it at all.

As yet newspapers havent arrived here but should be here in a few days, anyway the postal service from Washington on through the South is very poor & unreliable so we here just have to wait for things to come through. Like yesterday I got a letter that was mailed from Boston one month ago it never got here till yesterday afternoon so thats an example of the mail service down through here. Well this is about all from here for now so will close till I hear from you again.

Luck
George

P.S. You have made an error in addressing letters to me. You make is look like Johnston is a town here but it isnt, its part of the camps name.

Camp Gordon Johnston. Florida

October 24, 1942

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure, 31157709, Co. E 12th Inf. A.P.O.#4 U.S. Army, Camp Gordon Johnston, FL
To: Mr. James F. Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston, Mass. (Boston)

U.S. ARMY 

AMPHIBIOUS TRAINING CENTER

CAMP GORDON JOHNSTON, FLORIDA

Dear Jimmy: - 

I received your letter yesterday so Im answering it now while Ive got the chance to. Dont forget that oil drum. Well things here are going along okay, we go out on boats every day and we have quite a time of it as for what we do I cant tell you that. Boy you should see this gang when they get seasick boy what a mess. I wish I was up there instead of here because its hot as hell & the insects pester hell out of us all the time. Well this is about all for now so dont forget to write soon.

Luck

Geo.

October 24, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure, 31157709, Co. E 12th Inf. A.P.O.#4 U.S. Army, Camp Gordon Johnston, FL
To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston, Mass. (Boston)

U.S. ARMY AMPHIBIOUS TRAINING CENTER

CAMP GORDON JOHNSTON, FLORIDA

Dear Pa: -

I received your registered letter with money yesterday but you shouldnt have put so much in because you can use it more than I can but I got it safely anyway. I got a letter from Jimmy yesterday, he didnt have much to say & besides I couldnt read half of his handwriting in the first place. I wrote to Madeline about a month ago but as yet havent received an answer. I also got a card from Theresa on my birthday. Things here are going along as usual except that the boat training is getting tougher all the time but it will soon be over, we were out in the boats all night once last week and about 90 percent of everybody on board were sea sick, you never saw such a sorry looking bunch in your life, it didnt get me because I stood on my feet so that I could ride on an even keel, if you let yourself sway with the boat you get sick and I didnt do that so thats why it didnt effect me. Its Sunday here now & its so hot you cant breathe. Well this is about all for now so Ill close till I hear from you again.

Luck
George

October 15, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure, 31157709, Co. E 12th Inf. A.P.O.#4 U.S. Army, Camp Gordon Johnston, FL
To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston, Mass. (Boston)

Dear Pa: -

I thought I had written to tell you that I arrived on time & okay but my mind & nerves are in such a state that I dont know whats going on half the time so Im writing this on to be sure. The weather here is hot & keeps one half dopey all the time & we had to go out on a 25 mile hike the day after I got back & before it was over there were plenty of them out at the side of the road, my feet were killing me but I kept on going because if you stop & fall out they make you get up & walk anyway so a guy is licked whatever way he turns here, you cant tell those people a darn thing & you cant beat them because its impossible. I could use a couple of dollars if you can spare it but if you cant dont bother because Ill get by some way but if you do send any just put it into a registered letter because Ive got to go over 100 miles to cash money orders or checks and thats too far.

Did Jimmy hear anymore about the money? Also tell the other to write me, Id write first only theres nothing of interest here so they have to ask the questions so that I can make the answers. Is it cold up there yet? Its hot as blazes here and I wish I was up there instead of in this hole. Well that is all for now so Ill close till I hear from you again.

Luck
Geo

P.S. Im sorry to have to ask for money & I wouldnt if I didnt need it

October 13, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. Gleasure 31157709, CoE. 12th Inf. A.P.O. #4, U.S. Army, Camp Gordon, Johnston, Florida
To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston Mass. (Boston)

Dear Pa:-

Arrived here Monday afternoon about six after a very long and dirty train trip and was very tired so didn't feel much like writing so I washed up and went to bed & yesterday we made a twenty five mile hike & you should have seen them dropping out, the weather was very hot & we were walking on an asphalt highway with full field packs & they dropped off like flies, I made it all the way myself but my feet are so sore I can hardly walk & I don't intend to do a thing till they improve.  How is the weather up there, is it cold yet?  I got all the letters & papers when I got here so the mail is up to date.  Well I don't know of much else to write about so I'll close till I hear from you again.

I didn't fall out of the hike myself because they only force you to get up and walk anyway, they all had to come in on foot no matter what the condition was, so you see there is nothing we can do but just take it because if we don't they make things damn hard for us if we try to buck against them.  Well this is all for now.  So write soon.

Luck
Geo.

Tell the others I'll write after I get a little rest, and don't forget - Don't put 4th Inf. Div. on any mail.

September 26, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure 31157709, CoE. 12th Inf. A.P.O. #4, Camp Gordon, Johnston, Florida
To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston Mass. (Boston)

Dear Pa:-

Well here I am again, stuck way down here in no man's land once again.  The Gulf of Mexico is about one hundred yards from the barracks here & it's hot as blazes here.  I don't know when I'll be able to come home again unless we move back up that way again which I hope we do.  We are here for amphibious training & it's going to be about the hardest thing we've run up against yet.  I received the newspapers today just after arriving here.  Well this is about all for now so I'll close till I hear from you.  I'll put the new address on the back of this sheet.  Write just as it is, because if you add any thing to it I won't get it.

Luck
George

September 12, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. Gleasure 311577098, CoE 12th Inf. Reg. A.P.O. #4, 4th Infantry Division, U.S. Army, Fort Dix, N.J.
To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston Mass. (Boston)

Dear Pa:-

Received your letter about three days ago & haven't had the chance to answer untill now.  It's getting pretty cold around here now & they tell me that Pennsylvania & Jersey weather is the coldest there is on the coast.  I hope that we don't have to make that move to the South because I hate that damn place, one winter down there is enough I'd rather stay up here & freeze.  I received all letters and newspapers up to date so far.  How is Martha after her collapse?  If you ask me, I think there is something shady about that one she was with.  We had a big fire in the Pennsylvania Railroad station here last night & from what I hear the place is a wreck & it's a big place like the South Station.  They have been having quite a few train wrecks & now this fire, it looks to me like somebody's dirty work.  How is Jimmy doing at the engine house & how did he make out with the navy?  he said something about signing up.  I can't seem to think of anymore news to write up so till I hear from you again, I'll close.

Luck
George

September 9, 1943

To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston, Mass. (Boston)

From: Pvt. Geo. Gleasure 31157709, CoE. 12th Inf. A.P.O. #4, U.S. Army, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Dix, New Jersey

Dear Pa:-

I received your letter a few days ago and the newspapers arrived here yesterday.  Things are about the same as always with an exception of a possible move to Florida, it's not too definite yet & I hope they call it off because if we go down there, it will cost me plenty to get home & I haven't any too much as it is.  Has Martha gone to work yet?  I haven't heard from Madeline for some time now, so I think I'll write her when I finish this one.

Well, with Italy out of this mess, it looks as if the whole thing ought to be over this year, at least I hope so.  Did you hear much in the news about those two railroad wrecks last week?  All I could get was what the radio told about it.  I couldn't get much from the papers here in the line of news or pictures because these papers here are not very much good for news.  Well there isn't much more to write about so I'll close for now so don't forget to write soon so I'll get it before leaving here.

Luck,

George.

August 31, 1943

To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston, Mass. (Boston)
From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure 31157709, CoE 12th Inf. A.P.O. #4, 4th Inf. Div. Fort Dix, NJ, U.S. Army

Dear Pa:-

I wrote you just as soon as I got back into camp the nite I left & as yet I've received no answer so I'm writing again just in case you didn't get that letter. In fact I haven't heard from anybody at all back there at all.  Martha doesn't write anymore or Theresa or Jimmy either, if they don't care to write once in a while I wish they would say so, so that I won't be looking for letters every time the mail man comes in.  I'm not going to bother any further with writing to people who don't even answer your letters, this place is strain enough on the nerves without thinking about what's going on at home.

I received all newspapers & what few letters that were here when I came back so all the mail that I know of is here.  We have been out on the rifle range pretty regular lately & one day last week while we were out there, one of the fellows in a target pit a little way from where I was stuck his head up too high & got a bullet right between the eyes and it passed in through the front of his helmet, through his head & out through the back of the helmet & as a result they have been after us ever since to keep our heads down.

Did you see anything about that train wreck up in New York the other day?  They say that some dope locked a switch engine out onto the main line when that train come along.  Well this is about all for now so I'll close till later.

Luck,

George

August 24, 1943

To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner St., Allston, Mass. (Boston)
From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure 31157709, CoE. 12th. Inf. A.P.O. #4, 4th Inf. Div. U.S. Army, Fort Dix, New Jersey

Dear Pa:-

Just a short letter to let you know that I got back okay & it only took six hours for the whole trip so that was good time.  I don't know what happened to me but when I got up this morning I had a sore neck & a sick stomach but feel better now & I think I'll be okay, for a while I thought that I might be going to have another dose of pleurisy but it's wearing off now so I'm not going to worry over it.  Tell Martha & Theresa to write & also tell Martha to be sure that the letter I'm sending with this one is taken care of.  Well I got the newspapers & all mail due me so far, it was all on my bed when I got here last night.  Well I'll have to close now as the lights are going out so write again soon.

Luck, George