Document Type
Personal Letter
Rights Management
All rights retained by Bryant University
Transcription
[Transcription begins]
L. G. H.
Fort Devens
June 10, 1942
Dear Mom,
It seems a long time since all the nurses and friends gathered at the Greenfield Station to give us a great send-off that April Fools Day.
Good news and bad news! Priscilla and I are being transferred to Fort Dix, N.J. to a station hospital that is forming down there for overseas duty. Where? No one knows. Ten of us are going—I shall be home this week-end to say my farewells. Of course we volunteered!
Later June 18
Dear Mom,
I have been going to write for ages but I just didn’t have the energy to even scribble a card. W got a good send off at the station—we had a Pullman going to N.Y. so had we not been so excited we could have slept. We arrived at Grand Central about 7:30 a.m. What a busy place—hundreds of people—uniforms of all branches of the service—what an exciting place! We had a terrible time getting our baggage from N.Y. to Fort Dix. Finally after 3 hours of walking around N.Y.C. we were able to get the bus. It took us 3 hrs. to get to Wrightstown. We were “dead” when we were finally dumped on the sidewalk in front of the barracks. One of the girls called the Chief Nurse to tell her we were here and she didn’t know we were coming. Finally she came down in her car and told us the hospital was right up the street so once more we started hiking up the street. The barracks have been closed for months and were dusty and musty. At least the twelve of us are all alone. It seems most desolate to me, no trees or grass just red sand and mud—We are depressed!
Finally it is straightened out—we belong to the 16th Station Hosp. unit. It hasn’t arrived here yet so until everyone arrives we are to go on duty.
We walk miles to the mess hall—Last night we went to a U.S.O. Show given at the open air theater on the post. We got lost coming back until an ambulance drove by and the driver offered us a ride.
Priscilla is in bed all covered up with a hairy black blanket, scratchy as all get out—it is so chilly and damp this a.m.
I met a young man on the bus coming home yesterday. He was with a bunch of new recruits just coming in. He sat beside me and we started to talk. Can you imagine he is from North Adams and he is cousin to Dr. Kronick. Another coincidence!
Thank you for your welcome letters, Mom. Kiss Dad, Ron & Joanny.
Love to all,
Marj.
Had these cheap snaps taken at [location cut off at the margin]. Dreadful aren’t they?
[Transcription ends]
