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Letters from Harold J. Dahl

November 24, 1942

PictureMary Van Duyne,
in the Army Nurse Corps
U.S. Army
Fort George S. Meade, MD.
[Tuesday]
11/24/42
 
Dear Mom & Lou,
​
Thanks for the letter - but don’t mistake my position - I am not a mere sharpshooter, but an expert, which is better.  And the medal is prettier.  I’ll bet you are proud, and I must say that I am too.  It feels pretty good to be second-highest man in the Battalion.  I understand that at parade on Saturday I’ll have to go before the Colonel.
 
The furlough list was posted today & I am on it for Dec. 6 to 11 [1942]. That means that, excluding anything unforeseen, I’ll leave here at 12:00 on the Sunday night - go right to N.Y.C. and pop into bed at the Pennsylvania.  George can reserve me a room, I guess.  Then I’ll do my visiting in town that day & come home with Lucy.  I’m glad Norman & Gladys [Dahl] will be there for Thanksgiving - it will make things jollier for you - it will also make me miss being there all the time.
 
Today we had drill in bayonet practice for endless hours & then in anti-air craft fire.  Tomorrow [11/25/42] we go to the combat range and learn to shoot rifles at airplanes.  That should be good sport.  But I’ve never been so weary as I am tonight.
 
Lou, I’d say that if Maris doesn’t come for the bicycle this coming Sunday [11/28/42] that you let Mr. Ogg have it, complete with the extra tires for the $40.00.  I’d rather Walter had it, anyway.  I’ll probably be wanting some of that money when on furlough, which will be an expensive proposition.
 
Better tell Franklin & the Wolfson boy & Fogelson that I’m coming home - I’ll want a little to eat anyway.  While I was at Clint’s he said he had the first package of bacon he’d had in 4 weeks!
 
It would be nice if we could all eat at the Pudding Stone Inn some night - you folks & Geo. & Pat [Dahl], etc. Don’t you think so?
 
Maybe Mary [Van Duyne] did write to me, but I haven’t received the letter yet.  I’ll be glad to get it, though. 
 
Give Halsey money for the battery & charge me for it - nice of him to take care of it.
 
Well, I think I’ll go to bed - I’ll write to you again soon.

Love,
Harold

  • Home
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    • The Latest From Us
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  • Gold Medal
    • Overview
    • What Can I do ?
    • Letters of Support
  • The Unit
    • Overview
    • Soldiers >
      • Rosters
      • Veteran Bios
      • Bio of the Month
      • Photographs
      • Honoring the Dead
    • Selected Operations and Maps >
      • Operation Brest
      • Operation Bettembourg
      • Mapping The Ghost ARmy
    • Sonic Deception
    • Secrecy and Leaks
    • Links
  • Archive
    • Archive Overview
    • Official History
    • Selected Interviews
    • Curtis Collection
    • Nussenbaum Scrapbooks >
      • Nussenbaum Book 1
      • Nussenbaum Book 2
    • Dahl Letters >
      • Training in the USA
      • Overseas
      • Back in the USA
      • Postscript: Love and Loss
    • Katz Letters >
      • Training in the USA
      • England
      • France
      • Luxembourg
      • Germany
      • Back in the USA
    • Tompkins Diary
    • National History Day
    • Selected Documents
  • About Us
    • Board
    • Contact
  • Donate
  • Multimedia
    • The Ghost Army in Color
    • WWII Museum Exhibit
    • Tintype Photos