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 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

March 20, 1943

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

Dear Pa,-

I received your letter with the enclosed check but didn't get the time to take care of it untill now as we were very busy out in the woods getting ready to come back in, we got in at three thirty this afternoon as I just endorsed the check & am sending it along.  All it did the whole time we were out there was rain & I was soaked most of the time, it was one of the toughest experiences a man could run up against but its all over now till later then we go out again.  I haven't heard yet about the xray but I intend to go over there the first chance I get.  Well there isn't much to write about so I'll close till I hear from you again.

Luck, George

March 1, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure 31157709, CoE. 12th Infantry. A.P.O. #4, U.S. Army, Camp Gordon, Augusta, Georgia.

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

Dear Pa,-

I received your letter yesterday & have already answered it but right now I'm waiting to go on guard & haven't anything to do so I thought I'd use the oportunity to write again & find out how Martha is getting along.  Keep me informed as to how she is because if she should become any worse than she is I want to know so that I can put in for an emergency leave & come home  We are alowed to go home when there is serious illness at home but I hope that this letter will find things in better condition than they have been.  No I didn't have to go right to work drilling when I got back here because I still had one day left and I took it so that I could sleep & on the next day we didn't work either so that's two days I had to rest.  As yet I haven't talked to the medics about my trouble but I intend to just as soon as I get the chance to get over there.  Well I'll close now because the next thing I have to do is fill out the income tax blank.  It has to be done wethere we pay into it or not. (They get you coming & going in this place)

Luck

George

February 28, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure 31157709, CoE. 12th Infantry, A.P.O. #4, U.S. Army, Camp Gordon, Augusta, Georgia.

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

Dear Pa,-

I got your letter today & was glad it came because I've been anxious to find out whats been going on up there.  I'm glad to hear that Martha is coming along okay & hope that she continues to improve.  Get the adress of the place where she is so that I can write to her.  There is quite a few cases of that same disease here in the camp but there isn't much chance of it spreading because we are watched pretty close also we are being watched & have to go to the dispensary twice each day so there isn't much danger of any sickness getting ahead of them.  As for those letters that you tried to deliver, just let them sit till Martha gets home or send them to me but I think Martha will look after them when she is well enough because the girl will be in to see her.  I'm going over to the kitchen & see what I can get to eat  I slept through supper & nobody woke me up.  We don't get enough to eat half the time on account of that darn rationing, they tell you people back home to sacrifice foods so that the soliders can have it well we don't get it we even have to eat margarine in place of butter also we have a god damn rebel in the kitchen who hates like hell to give any body anything all he knows how to say is (no more) I had a couple of jams with him so far & if it helps me I'll get him outside someday & pound hell out of him.  A lot of the other boys feel the same way too.  Well there isn't much of interest to say from here so I'll close hoping to hear from you soon.  If I go I've got to send those shields home because I'm not allowed to keep them but before I send them I'll clip the points.

Luck

George

February 21, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure 31157709, CoE. 12th Infantry A.P.O. #4, U.S. Army, Camp Gordon, Augusta, Georgia.
To: Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street., Allston Mass. (Boston)

Dear Pa,-

As yet I have received no reply from my last letter that I sent out to you over a week ago so I'm writing to find out if you got it or not.  Well things are about the same as usual here, the same old thing day in & day out.  I want you to get those two railroad magazines with the streamliner pictures & send them down.  Well there isn't very much to say from here so I'll have to close now because I'm going out to go on guard in a few minutes so will look for those magazines.

Luck,

George

February 18, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure 31157709, CoE. 12th Inf. A.P.O. #4, U.S. Army, Camp Gordon, Augusta, Georgia

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

Dear Pa,-

Just a few lines to see how everything is going up there & to ask if you received my letter because I sent it out the day I got back here & I haven't received a reply yet.  There is a little more been added to our adress so I'll put the whole works on this letter so when you send letters use it the way that I have it because otherwise the letter may be turned back.  Well things are pretty much the same with me down here except that Its very cold here for this section (18 above) so it must be real cold up there.

Get those Railroad magazines with the streamliners in them & send them to me as I forgot to take them when I left.

Also if you see a little black book around there with a soldiers pay book inside of it send the pay book but put the black one away.  Well this is about all there is from here so I'll close for now.

Luck

George

January 22, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure 7709, Co E 12th Inf. A.P.O. No 4, Camp Gordon, Augusta Ga.
To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston Mass. (Boston)

Dear Pa, -

Received your letter yesterday & was glad to hear that you received the insurance papers, photographs & camera. I want that camera put where it won't be carried off by Jimmy. Before he reports to the board tell him that I said to do everything in his power to stay out of the Infantry because it's too tough. We do have to make application for furlough & I've done so but for different reasons they canciled them so I was unable to get there. Evidently that lieutenant that told you I should have saved a sum of money by this time hasn't been in a camp like this because $50 isn't much for a whole month & it don't take very long to go through it. I got the presents from Theresa & Martha okay and have written to thank them for them but don't know if they got the letters or not. Well I must close now as lites will be out soon.

Luck Geoge

January 6, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. Gleasure, Co E 12th Inf. Camp Gordon, Augusta, Ga.
To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston Mass. (Boston)

Dear Pa:,

Here is the application I got for my insurance, I'm sending it to you as I think it will be safer with you because I'm liable to lose it. The government was supposed according to this application to have sent you the policy so if you didn't get it, go to a U.S. Army finance office in town & find out about it because there is no way that I can do it because it takes too long. You don't have to pay anybody any money as that is being taken care of by me. Well this is all for now.

Luck George

I'm sending some photos if I can get hold of stamps so be on the watch for them.

January 1, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure, CoE. 12th Infantry, Camp Gordon Augusta, GA
To: Frank Gleasure, 56 Garder Street, Allston, Mass. (Boston)

Dear Pa,-

Received your letter today & I'm just dropping a line to tell you that I've received all the mail to date, it was late but I finally got it so there is no need to talk to anybody about it.  Well today was new years day & it was just another day for us, there is no enjoyment here at all just work and plenty off it.  We earn every cent of the fifty dollars a month that we get.  I've got another cold & it bothers my chest again but I think its due to this climate because its warm during the day & its cold at nite.  How did the holiday go off up there?  better than it did here I hope because we had to work so our Christmas wasn't anything to talk about.  Well this is about all there is from here so I'll close for now.  Tell Theresa if she is going to send any mail to me to send it as soon as she can because there is danger of floods here in the south & it may not get through for some time.

Luck

George

December 30, 1942

From: Pvt. Geo. Gleasure, Co E. 12th Inf, Camp Gordon, Augusta Ga.
To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston Mass. (Boston)

Dear Pa, -

Just a short note to let you know that the railroad magazines have arrived & I have received all cards & letters from home. I also received a Christmas gift from Madeline & Tom, a pen & pencils set & some handkerchiefs which were just what I needed as they are so high priced here, we can't buy them Well this is about all for now so -

Happy New Year.

Luck George

December 27, 1942

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure, Co E. 12th Infantry, Camp Gordon, Augusta, Ga.
To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston Mass. (Boston)

Dear Pa, -

I received your letter & card & was glad to hear that everything is okay up there. I also got a package from Madeline & Tom yesterday, it had a military pen & pencil set in it & some handkerchiefs, both of which I needed. I went up to the post exchange to buy some handkerchiefs the other day & they wanted $1.65 for six of them so I didn't by, so you can see from that what things cost here. Today is Sunday & its a duty day so we have to remain here & can't go out anywhere they are getting worse & worse all the time, Friday was Christmas & it also was a day of work, its getting so that when it comes Sunday or a holiday you can expect work & plenty of it. As yet there is no sign of the railroad magazines, I'll write & let you know when they come, the only way to send anything to this place is by air mail then it will get here otherwise you take a gamble on it getting through, this part of the country is 60 years behind the times. Well there isn't much to say so I'll close now hoping that you had a good holiday up there.

Luck
George

December 24, 1942

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure, Co E. 12th Infantry, Camp Gordon, Augusta, Ga.
To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston Mass. (Boston)

Dear Pa, -

I received your letter yesterday and also the Christmas card but as yet there is no sign of the railroad magazines There have been three or four packages sent to me from Boston & I never got any of them so there is dirty work going on someplace I don't know wether its up there or in this camp but I don't get half of my mail and it don't do any good to say anything about it because these people in this area don't know any more about it than I do. I don't know how long it will be before I get a furlough as we have a new commanding officer and everything is all balled up, so I'll just have to wait but as usual the favorites went home for Christmas while the rest of us have to work. I received an Xmas from Madeline and her husband today but they didn't say anything about the baby so we will have to write to get the story on what caused its death. Well this is about all there is from here for now so I'll close.

Luck
George

I can't send any holiday cards as we are unable to get them here.