June 27, 1943

Dear Mother,
          Well here it is Sunday and time for me
to drop you a letter. Last Wednesday we went on
a 12 mile hike and a bivouac. We stayed all
night. I am so chaffed I can hardly walk and I
am all bit up with mosquitoes and chiggers.
          It has been plenty warm or hot here all
week. No signs of it cooling off either.
          Yesterday we had an inspection in ranks
just as we will be dressed as we leave here.
It was awlful warm. Then we had inspection
in the barracks. We have our barrack bags all
packed and ready. It looks like it will be the
comeing week. If it is I will try to let you know
I have left here.
          We have been busy preparing to go so I
have been rather busy. I hardly know what to
write about. I didn't here from Luella or Cliffs
this week. I have been to busy to write and I
don't know of a thing to write about. I think
this letter will be a short one. I went to church
this morning and that is all I have done all
day. Last night I did my laundry. This
barracks looks like a laundry. Cloths hanging
all over the place. I am going to the ballgame

this afternoon. It is with Hondo and Stinson
at Tech. Stadium in town. It is a grand day for
a ballgame.
          Well mother I can't think of a thing to write
about. I hope I get your letter before I leave
here. Goodbye for now and don't worry about
me.
                                               Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on July 3rd.

Background Information (and comments):

• Hondo TX is about 45 miles west of San Antonio.
• From a Wikipedia site:

Tech Field was a baseball stadium, located in San Antonio, Texas, from 1921 until 1946. It served as the home of the San Antonio Missions of the Texas League. It also served as the spring training site of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1936 and the St. Louis Browns from 1937–1941.^[1] The field belonged to the city high school today known as Fox Tech.

• The Missions team moved to Tech Field after a June 18, 1932, fire destroyed the club's former home at League Park. The Missions then were affiliated with the St. Louis Browns, which had made some moves in the late 1930s toward buying the property. The Browns front office passed when offered the opportunity again, months before the city school district decided to sell it to the San Antonio Transit Company, forerunner of VIA Metropolitan Transit, for $160,000. Alamo Stadium, then opened in 1940 and become the chief venue for high school football. Tech Field was deem non-essential to the school district. The Missions were allowed to play there for a final season in 1946, before the field was demolished.^[2]

  
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June 21, 1943

Dear Mother,
          Well here it is the longest day in the
year. I still am quite busy and I almost forgot
when I wrote to you last. I don't know if I told
you about haveing been awarded the good conduct
medal or not. This was given me last week.
          Yesterday morning I went with some of the
fellows down along the river fishing. Then yesterday
afternoon I went to the Stinson baseball game and
into town later one. Then at 8:00 o'clock we had
a band concert. They have the dance band on
Wednesday nights and Sunday nights the military
band. There always seems to be plenty of entertain-
ment in camp lately.
          We are just about packed up and ready to
go. It won't be long now. We are suppose to leave
sometime near the 1st. So I will try to let
you know where when I do leave. Where we
are going I don't know. We have our bags
stenciled but no one knows what the numbers
mean. If we knew we would know our destination.
          There is always plenty of work to getting ready
for the move. I wish it was over with. Time
is going a lot faster now then it did a year
ago. Gee it seems like a long time. I was

still in Fort Custer a year ago.
          We have been haveing grand weather here
all the time. It is hot but I guess that can
be expected all most anywhere now.
          Wednesday noon we leave on a bivouac.
It is an overnight stay. It is about 12 mile
on a hike. Stay in pup tents and then return
the next day.
          Well mother I can't think of a thing to
write about. It is so it is just the same old
thing day after day. How is everything at
home? Have they got the corn in yet? I suppose
they will be making hay soon. Are they going
to have the school reunion this year?
Well I must say goodbye for now. Write soon
and all the news.
                                         Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on June 27th.

Background Information (and comments):

• If you're interested in barracks/duffle bags, here is a website with photos and information:

http://olive-drab.com/

Postcard from June 18, 1942

I did not know this post card existed when I began the blog last June 10th. It was only when I was looking through other cards and photos that I realized that Ralph sent this card to his dad 8 days after he entered the Army.

For all of you who have been wondering about Ralph's relationship with his dad, it still remains somewhat of a mystery. However, he did send at least this one greeting to him personally. Ralph's dad, William Stephen Brown, was 62 years old at the time.

June 17, 1943

Dear Mother,
          I received your nice letter today and
the knife yesterday. Thanks a lot and I will also
thanks Cliff's. I suppose you have received
my letter from Austin by this time. It really
is a lot nicer place then San Antonio.
          It started to rain here about 4:00 o'clock
today. The sun was out bright and no one
thought of it raining. It has been so hot and
muggy though. Almost anything is possible
to happen here in Texas. It also rained
last weekend here. We are getting quite a lot
of rain lately. They need it here to. The cotton
is about six inches high and the corn is
eared and tasseled out. I seen a field of peanuts
and it must have been about 80 acres in it. The
people we were riding with said it was peanuts.
          Our orders for our destination were
changed this noon. Now we have turned in
some of our equipment and will be issued
other kind. I am working in the supply room
and this really makes a lot of extra work.
          Yesterday I was awarded the good conduct
merit award. It is a ribbon. It shows I
have no bad points against my record for
one year of service in the Army.

          What are the folks raising this year? Are
they raising tomatoes for seed or for canning
and who for?
          You spoke about haveing your first
strawberries. We have had some strawberries
and have had corn on the cob for about a
month now. We have been getting real good
meals here lately.
          I also heard Glenn was going to get
married. Irene said Lenore had told her.
What is this all about anyway? Or is it
just Lenores idea.
          Irene's sister Ferne came home last
week. She is expecting the last of this
month or the first of July. I guess Mrs.
Setzler is haveing her hands full. Fred is
going back to work next week or maybe
went this week.
          Well this is about all for tonight.
Please write soon and often.
                                    Love Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on June 21st.

Background Information (and comments):

• Glenn was one of Ralph's older brothers. He was 26 years old when this was written.
• Here is what I found on the internet about the Army Good Conduct medal:

• Product Description

  
  

  Service: Army

  Instituted: 1941

  Criteria: Exemplary conduct, efficiency and fidelity during three years of active enlisted service with the U.S. Army (1 year during wartime)

  Devices: Bronze, Silver, Gold Knotted clasp

  Overview

  Authorized on June 28, 1941 for exemplary conduct, efficiency and fidelity and awarded to Army personnel who, on or after August 27, 1940, had honorably completed three years of active Federal military service. These military medals could also be awarded for one year of service after December 7, 1941 while the U.S. was at war. The award was not automatic and required certification by a commanding officer (usually a battalion commander or higher). The Army Good Conduct Medal was designed by Joseph Kiselewski with an eagle perched on a roman sword atop a closed book. Around the outside are the words, “EFFICIENCY, HONOR, FIDELITY.” The reverse of the medal has a five pointed star just above center with a blank scroll for engraving the soldier’s name. Above the star are the words, “FOR GOOD” and below the scroll is the word, “CONDUCT.” A wreath of half laurel leaves, denoting accomplishment and half oak leaves, denoting bravery surrounds the reverse design.

  The ribbon was designed by Arthur E. DuBois, the legendary Director of the Army Institute of Heraldry, and is scarlet with three narrow white stripes on each side. The ribbon is divided by the white stripes so as to form thirteen stripes representing the thirteen original colonies of the United States. During the Revolutionary War, the color scarlet symbolized the mother country and the white stripe symbolized the virgin land separated by force from the mother country.

  Unlike other additional award devices, e.g., oak leaf clusters, bronze, silver, or gold clasps with knots (or loops) are used to indicate the total number of awards of the Army Good Conduct Medal. For instance, two awards of the medal are indicated by two bronze knots, three by three, etc. Six total awards are indicated by one silver knot, seven by two silver knots, etc. Eleven total awards are indicated by one gold knot, twelve by two gold knots, etc. While all regulations since World War II only authorize a clasp to be worn after the second award or higher; it is not unusual to see veterans with a clasp having a single bronze knot on their AGCM or ribbon; this may have indicated either a single or second award and seems to have been an accepted practice.

  Although the AGCM was officially instituted by executive order in 1941, it really goes back to the American Revolution. When General George Washington established the Badge of Military Merit in 1782 he also created an award called the Honorary Badge of Distinction. This was the first good conduct award since it was to be conferred on veteran non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the Army who served more than three years with bravery, fidelity and good conduct. General Washington directed that the good conduct badge be made of cloth and each soldier who received it sew a narrow piece of white cloth on the left arm of his uniform jacket. Soldiers with more than six years service were to be distinguished by two pieces of cloth set parallel to each other. General Washington went on to express that this good conduct badge was a high honor and those who received it should be treated with particular confidence and consideration. However, just as the Badge of Military Merit disappeared after the Revolution so did the Honorary Badge of Distinction.

  When President Roosevelt signed executive order 9323 on March 31, 1943 he officially changed the policy that the Army Good Conduct Medal could be awarded after one year. It should be understood, however, that additional awards of the Good Conduct Medal cannot be given for each additional year of service in World War II but required completion of a subsequent additional three-year period.

June 13, 1943

Dear Mother,
          Here I am again in Austin this
weekend. I presume this is our last
free weekend for sometime. They let
the whole outfit off at noon yesterday.
We all have been working night and
day getting ready to pull out. This
week should see us on a train
somewhere. If all the orders go through
as they are now we will be out of
Texas soon after your receive this
letter. Although orders can be changed
we might not leave as soon as
I expect. Keep writing to this address
until you are notified different.
          I don't know where our port of ^(P.O.E.)
embarkation will be or if I am able
to write from there. If I can write from
there I will.
          In one of Irene's letters she said
Lenore had invited her to come over
to her dinner in July when all of you get
together. Irene said she would rather
not go because she gets so lonesome
for me and misses me more like
that. But I am trying to get her to go.

She told me not to mention it to
you, but I think you will understand
why she doesn't want to come. I know
I would feel out of place around her
folks without her around.
          Last Sunday so people took us
all around the University Campus here
and we really saw a good share
of the town. The state capitol here is
almost like the one in Michigan.
The town and residential part of it
is a lot better than San Antonio.
They have high towers here with
blue lights on them all over the
town. It gives it a moon light
effect and really is nice at night.
Last night we stayed in a private
home. The woman use to keep college
boys but now most of them are in
the army. I think there were twenty
five stayed at the same house last
night. The U.S.O sent us out there
to stay. They sure are doing a lot
for the boys while away from home.
I am at one of the clubs now writing this
letter. It really helps a fellow around.
If Freeman ever goes into the army tell
him to look up a U.S.O. and they will

always have some entertainment
lined up. It is a grand organization.
          Well I think this will be all for
now. Please write soon and tell me
all the news. I hope they are able
to farm now at home. The corn here
is all tasseled and eared out already.
It seems almost natural again to me
now to write June. It is just like our
weather at home now. I must be getting
use to it.
          Goodbye for now. I hope I will be
able to tell you where we are going.
                            Love Ralph.

The next letter will be posted on June 17th.

Background Information (and comments):

• Freeman was Ralph's youngest brother. He was born on June 10, 1925, which meant that he had just turned 18 years old 3 days before this letter was written.
• Here are internet photos of the capitol building in Austin (top) and Lansing (bottom):
  

Postcard postmarked June 6, 1943

Dear Mom,
Spending the week
end in Austin. It
is a grand town.
About 80 mile from
S.A. Will write more
back at Stinson
           Ralph.


The next letter will be posted on June 13th.