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

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, 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

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 9, 1943

From: Pvt. Geo. Gleasure, 31157709, Co. E, 12th Inf., A.P.O. #4, 4th Inf Div, US Army, Fort Dix, NJ
To: Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston, Mass (Boston)

Dear Pa:-

I received your letter in yesterdays mail + didnt get the chance to answer till now. When you write again send the address of that place where Theresa and Martha are staying. Yes you told me that your received pictures from Madeline I also got one of her and she does appear to have put on weight. I didnt hear anything about that train wreck you spoke of as the only papers we get here are New York and Philadelphia papers and they only have local and war news in them I would like however to have some of the Boston papers sent about once a week because I cant get used to what papers we have here. Well this is about all there is from here for now except to tell you that the address here has been changed due to the fact that the vehicles have been taken from us. So the new address is

Co. E. 12th Inf
A.P.O. #4
4th Infantry Division
U.S. Army
Fort Dix N.J.

Luck,
George

July 27, 1943

From: George Gleasure, Fort Dix
To: Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston, Mass (Boston)

Dear Pa:-

I received your letter yesterday but didn't get the opportunity to answer till now because things have been pretty busy lately but I've got a couple of hours this afternoon so I'm using them to get caught up on my mail. I didnt see Jimmy at the South Station while I was there but I suppose it was due to the very large crowd that was there that day, the crowd was so large that they had to put on a second section to that train I took and it was "the Patriot" one of the New Haven and Pennsylvanias fast steamliners so thats why I was able to get to Trenton so fast. The cars were jammed full of soldiers and sailors and to make things more miserable than they were there was too damn many civilians pushing around and grabbing seats, there should be something done about them because they are a nuisance wherever the soldiers are. I received a picture of Madeline but as yet I didnt receive her husbands but she said she was sending one. Well Ive got to close now so I can get my stuff ready to go out to the rifle range, Ill be there for a couple of days so Ive got a lot of stuff to get together before I go so Ill close now till I hear from you again. Also tell Martha to write, she hasnt answered my letters yet.

Luck,
George

Excuse pencil as pen is lost.

June 13, 1943

From: George Gleasure, Co. E, 12th Infantry, 4th Motorized Division, Fort Dix, NJ
To: Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston, Mass (Boston)

Dear Pa:-

Just a short note to let you know that I received the magazines and all letters to date and that so far everything is okay.

We are starting out on a 125 mile hike soon so I dont think we will feel very good after that, we just got in from one that was 40 miles and you should have seen some of the fort here. A lot of the gang staggered in like drunks but it didnt effect me too much so it looks like Im getting tough. I got a letter from Madeline yesterday and she says that she would like to come home for a visit but is afraid her husband would be shipped out while she is here. Well this is about all from here so will close till I hear from you again.

Luck,
George

January 10, 1943

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

Dear Pa,-

Just a few lines to let you know that everything is okay & to tell you that I sent you my camera & some photographs so put them away where Jimmy won't get hold of them, I don't want him to get that camera as I paid $4.00 for it & its a good one.  Don't send any more of those railroad magazines till I tell you to.  Did you hear from Madeline yet?  Well there isn't much to say from here so I'll close for now so write & let me know if the pictures & camera get there alright.  Well this is all for now.

Luck, George

March 14, 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.-,

Received your letter day before yesterday but didn't get the oportunity to sit & answer till now & at that I haven't but very little time as I'm going on guard duty at four oclock.  We are out in the South Carolina woods as you probably know from my last letter & we will be here for some time yet & its cold as blazes hear at nite sleeping in tents.  How is Martha getting on now?  she should be in pretty good condition by this time.  Have you heard from Madeline yet?  I haven't had a letter from her for about two months now.  I got the magazines alright & you can forget about the pay book because I have a new one now.  I haven't heard how my Xray come out yet because being out here things are pretty well primative but I hope to get results because in this nite air that pain in my side raises the devil with me & also I seem to be loosing strength so I'll have to go to the doctors again (Its not much use because they won't do a damn thing for you anyway)  Well I don't know of any more news so I'll close for now I hope to hear from you soon.

Luck
George

March 6, 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 the day before yesterday & received the magazines yesterday & was very glad to hear that Martha is home & alright so I hope that there won't be any more sickness up there, we have had quite a little of it here but I've been lucky so far I didn't get any of it.  I went to the dispensary yesterday to see the doctor & he sent me up to the hospital for an Xray so I won't know what the story is for a couple of days till the reports get back but I'll let you know.  It probably will be nothing but a big bluff like everything else they do here.  Well there isn't much to say so I'll cut this short & get to bed as the lites go out pretty soon now.  So write & let me know how Martha is getting along. & also if you here from Madeline, I write to her but don't get any answer.

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.

December 1, 1942

From: Pvt. Geo. F. Gleasure, CoE. 12th. Inf. Camp Gordon, Augusta, Georgia
To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston, Mass.

Dear Pa-

I received your letter yesterday but didn't answer till now as I've been very busy.  I don't know what the racket is with the mail but I don't get half of what I should & half what I send out don't get to its destination.  There isn't any reason to keep letters from you as I don't put any thing in them any different than an ordinary letter.  No I didn't get any letter from Madeline & I haven't heard from her since just after the baby was born.  No, as yet I haven't put on any weight, I lost for a while then I got it back, now I'm losing again.  I don't know how long the furlough will be for but if its long enough for me to get home & be back here on time I'll be home.  It won't take me three days to get home from here it can be done in about 27 hours on the Silver Meteor, a streamliner that runs from Columbia S.C. to New York & if it stops at Providence I can change to the Comet & get there sooner.  We will get what is called a furlough rate I don't know how much but I'm going to find out.  As for the card from Waldon, I never got it.  Well I think this is about all the news there is so I'll close & get to bed as I have a heavy cold.

Luck

George

October 8, 1942

From: Pvt. Geo F Gleasure 7709, Co A. 15th Bn. 1st Platoon, Camp Wheeler, Macon, GA
To: Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston Mass. (Boston)

Dear Pa.-

I received your letter this evening when I got back from work, they had me on kitchen police for two days now & I still have one more to go.  They pay you $50 per month and you earn every cent of it too.  That k.p. is a killer you have thirteen & one half hours a day for three days & the start in by getting you out of bed at 4.30 am.  it seems that you no sooner shut your eyes when some monkey is yelling "fall out."  I figured that sooner or later somebody would clamp down on that draft board, its about time somebody did & I hope they put some of those rats in a camp like this one.  Yes I got the letter from Madeline & also a card but where did they get that name they hung on the kid?  If you can't get an iron let it go Ill get by with out it.  Did Jimmy make out alright in the Masons?  I'll never get used to the heat down here because it doesn't seem natural for it to be hot this time of the year.  Well this is about all the news there is from this end so I'll close now as I get up at four thirty in the morning.

Luck

George

September 27, 1942

From: Pvt. Geo. Gleasure 7709, COA 15th Bat. 1st Platoon, Camp Wheeler, Georgia
To: Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston, Mass. (Boston)

Dear Pa.-

I didn't mention in my first letter which should arive at the same time as this one but what I want to know is if you can pick up a small travelers electric iron in Liggits.  Dont get anything expensive they have them made to fold up flat and go into a box.  I don't want anything too costly as I probably will be doing a lot of traveling.  You people think you have heavy rain storms up there, well you should be here today and yesterday.  its been pouring steady with a high gale.  I think it might be the tale end of that hurricane that wiped out Camp Huber in Texas.  I received a letter from Madeline yesterday and she mentioned that she has not heard from you for some time.  She asked me if I had heard from you, I told her that I did but that the others are too busy with other things to be bothered writing.  I was talking to some of the boys here about the railroad unit & they seem to be of the opinion that the paratroops are the ones who handle that end of the work.  I don't think I'd care much for jumping out of a plane five or six thousand feet in the air, but you can inquire from Pacillis and see what's what.  Well I've got to close so I can get my clothes, shoes & gun ready for tomorrow.  If they want more than three dollars for an iron don't get it  Don't send by express, just regular mail because if it comes any other way I've got to go through a lot of red tape to get it.

George

September 4, 1942

From: Pvt. Geo Gleasure 31157709, C.A. 15th Training Batallion, 1st Platoon, Camp Wheeler, Macon, Georgia
To: Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston Mass. (Boston)

Dear Pa.-

I got your letter this noon & was glad to hear that Jimmy came out alright.  I don't think that he can hold his job much longer as the army is pulling them in faster than ever before.  I had nine teeth pulled yesterday and I had today off on account of it, they are going to put in a lower plate before I leave here.  so thats so much money saved.  I haven't been able to eat any solids since yesterday morning I've been drinking coffee lemonade and eating stewed tomatoes but when I do get some solid I'll eat plenty, I think I can start in the morning.  I don't know how I'm going to make out in this outfit as that pain I had in my chest is back again and when we go on heavy drill I get pretty well played out and I'm losing weight fast so if it don't improve within the next week I'm going to see the Colonel and see what he can do about it.  That pack we carry is pretty heavy along with the rifle, bayonet and the heavy belt we have to wear its quite a load.  I've already written & received an answer from Madeline, I took a guess at the adress & got it right.  I wrote to her again today I also got a letter from Martha today.  If Jimmy writes have somebody adress it for him so that will be readable because the envelopes have to be plain or they will have trouble knowing who its for because there are thousands here.  Well I think I'll close now because lites go out soon & I've got to clean my gun.  Write soon.

George

August 26, 1942

From: Pvt. Geo. Gleasure, COA 15th Training Batallion, 1st Platoon, Camp Wheeler, Macon, Georgia
To: Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street, Allston (Boston), Massachusetts

Dear Pa-

I got your letter at this noon's mail call & was glad to here from somebody back home.  I don't like this country down here at all, the people from around here are not very sociable at all  I haven't been into Macon yet but those that have tell me that the people have little or no use for a soldier.  You don't have to waste paper like that when you write, you can write on boath sides because I don't think they sensure any letters other than those that go outside of the country and if they do they don't cut out any parts, they will just blot the words they dont want us to see they have a regular blot out stamp for that purpose.  Teddy might have been out looking for me the time he was gone for a week, because he used to sit up in front of Moskos every nite till he saw me coming.  I wrote to Madeline the other day but I'm not sure whether I had the adress rite or not, but I think it is 717 El Dorado Ave. Valejo Cal.  If this is wrong tell me.  How did Jimmy make out with his girl & Shepherd?  Tell Theresa, Jimmy & Martha to write I want to here from everybody back in Allston, it's the only enjoyment I have here because I'm holed up in this place and things are about the same every day, same old thing fall out for this & fall out for that they keep us on the jump from 5.30 in the morning till 9.00 at nite and the drilling is tough as hell, I don't know if I can stand up under it on account of the heat or not but I'll hang on anyway and see.  Are you thinking of having your sister come to live with the family?  I got the check alright and it come in handy.  Thanks.  I can't tell you much of what is going on down here because we are not alowed to mention anything of a millitary nature to anybody.  Well I think I'll sign off now as there isn't any more news from here for now.

George

July 10, 1938

From: Jimmy Gleasure, Citizens Military Training Camp, Fort McKinley, Maine

To: Frank Gleasure, 59 Royal St. Allston, Mass.

Dear Pa,

I arrived yesterday we got of at Portland, then got a ride to the wharver.  a ship comes and brought us to the island.  We get up at 5.40 get dressed and make our bed and be out a 6.5.  then we line up for inspection.  Next is breakfast.  After breakfast is exercise then drill to twelve then dinner and more drill. 

The "[enearshion?]" is K.P. auther words is table water for 24 hours You have to wate at the side for breakfast dinner + supper then wash the dishes.  And boy are you pauped then is guard duty 2 hours a night.  Tell Martha, Theresa, George + Madeline to right.  If I don't write for a while that means they ran out of stamps and I will have to what a while untill the ship brings the stamps across the bay.  Well I have to go to bed now

Your Son

Jimmy

COH

November 21, 1916

From: May Gleasure, The Square, Listowel, Kerry, Ire.
To: Frank Gleasure, 36 Litchfield St., Brighton, Mass, U.S.A.

[Opened by censor 3633]

My dear Frank

A few lines to let you know I got your card yesterday morning also your letter a short time ago, I expect you've had my answer to it before this I hope the arrival of this one will find all the family and yourself quite well, we are just the same as usual here, but are witnessing some very bad weather, since the first October we've had three great floods, the river Feale over-flowing its banks to an awful extent and drowning cattle and destroying crops especially potatoes, which has made them very scarce and dear, the present price of potatoes is 14 pence a stone thats about three times as dear they would be at this time of year. Always, in fact every-thing is carrying an awful price and some things very hard to be got at any price.

How are the Kiddies getting on I do hope well especially the baby I hope she is getting strong before the winter sets in of course the little chap will be better able to rough it now than her. I should like to send him something for Xmas but the way things are going present we'll put it off for a little time until things will look brighter which will not be long I hope. The war is going on as strong as ever and no knowing when its to be over Do you still hear from your wife's brother I do hope he will come out of it successfully, it's appalling the fine men and boys that are never to come home to their people again, it would be a blessing to everyone if it were over. Annie is still without writing to you I never see such a person as she is she just simply hates writing a letter, the last letter Miss Reardon sent her is still un-answered thats about nine months ago, however I expect she will write to you before long as they say "a long threatening comes at last." Things are quite here now but you never know what to expect from them day to day, I should not like to have a repetition of what happened in the summer time I shall never forget it and the way he went on to me, I often wish to myself I were over with you, but then again I imagine I would be an awful burden to you, in case I would not get on what would I do, as you know the business I'm at is not fit for me, or in fact any other girl. and I'm not very well up in housework never having any time to practice it. I often get thoroughly disgusted with myself the way we two girls are working away the best part of our lives and not having a pound note to our name as yet getting nothing only our support and what we wear and thats very little, the only thing is to hope for better times to come. I will be finishing up for this time now and I hope to hear from you soon again I should like very much to get a letter from your wife does she ever think of writing me a few lines. I expect you were afraid that your letter did not reach me or fell into other hands but if were a thing that a letter of mine was opened other than myself there would be music I can tell you so you need not be afraid of that happening. I will now Wish you and all family A Very Happy Xmas with a Bright and Prosperous New Year to you all Iremain with love to all
Your loving Sister
Mai.

PS Let me know if you got promoted in your work.