3/7/43
Sunday Mar 7, 1943
Dear Millie,

I held of writing because I expected to write you in the hospital but since you continue to hold off I’ll have to write you at home.

I called Mom this morning and she told me that you are well so that takes care of how you are. I have had things very easy since I returned here. Our outfit goes into the woods for a couple of weeks but I don’t think that I will go. My boss said something about me staying back. If so I won’t be to mad.

Well not much else to write so will close with best regards to Sam and take good care of yourself Yours Louie

Wed. Mar 10 (1943?)
Dear Mom,

Just a few lines to let you know that I received your letters and am happy that you are all well.

I am glad that you got that woman to work steadily as it will be a big help for you and also as she seems like a good saleslady.

Well the company went into the woods and I have been left behind. Every fellow in the outfit was jealous of the few left behind as it is very cold down here and it won’t be funny living in tents, shaving working and laundering in cold water.

I’ll get some K.P. and other work to keep one busy but not enough to get tired.

Well, write me using the same address.

Regards to all Yours Louie


Thursday (Mar 11, 1943?)
Dear Folks,

How are you? I hope that you are all well and that things are under control.

Yesterday and today I laid around and didn’t do a darn thing. Tonite I do a little guard duty and I’ll be thru with that about 7 in the morning.

This place is like a real ghost town with all the men gone and almost everything closed up.

It is a good the Service Club is open and that one theatre is open otherwise a fellow could go nuts hanging around here.

The big trouble is getting mail. All the mail goes to the division out in the woods and then by the time we get it it takes a little while. I expect that they will try to improve that as soon as possible.

All in all it seems like I am having a vacation with pay.

I have gained back about seven pounds and if I don’t watch out I’ll be up to my old form again and I don’t want that to happen to me.

I guess by the time you get this Millie will have burst her balloon and made everyone especially herself feel lots better. I hope so and also hope that everything is ok.

Please let me know about the income tax results as I would like to know what happened.

Not much else to say will write in a few days again.

Also I will not call this week as there is no need of it.

Love, Louie

Phillip Reuben Moskowitz Born 3/12/43

Idle Gossip Sinks Ships
Monday Mar 15 (1943?)

Dear Mom,

I have just received your letter in which you sent me 10 dollars. Thanks and please send me about $15 more.

Today a bunch of fellows came in from the woods and went on furlough. I had to check them in and out and also the other fellow who stayed back with me went so now I will be the only one left in the whole company.

So until next Tuesday I expect to have a very quiet week.

In one of your letters you said something about my not feeling well, well don’t give it an other thought as I am perfectly well and expect to be that way for a long time.

I hope your last letter saying that Millie was in line for one is correct as it is a tough proposition raising two at one time.

Well, then not much else to write so will close with best regards to all Love Louie

P.S. I didn’t think that my tax would amount to that much. I must have made a fortune last year or didn’t I? Well it could be worse Louie


Thursday
Mar 18 (1943?)

Dear Mom,

Just a few lines to let you know that I am well and hope that you and the rest of the folks at home are also well.

This is proving to be a very long and lonesome week as I am still alone here.

Imagine sleeping alone in a building the size of the two stores. I surely don’t lack for beds either. I could sleep in each one about 10 minutes and not sleep in the same one twice during the night. I guess that is what you call comfort.

It has rained here for the last couple days and turned cool so I have been hanging around listening to a radio that one of the boys left behind for me. I, also have gone to the library and gotten some good books to read. All in all it hasn’t been too bad. Tomorrow I have K.P. and so that will keep me busy all day.

I expect that the outfit will be back either Saturday or Monday. Tonite, I am going to the movies which are near by and so with all these things time will pass pretty fast.

I wrote Bernard a letter telling him that I might get over to see him some day. About the first of April I’ll ask for a three day pass and if I get one, I’ll go over to Charleston and spend a couple hours with him.

I had a fellow from my company look up Izzie when he was home on furlough but he couldn’t locate him. I suppose Izzie has been transferred. What did Mayo Cohen mean when he said he was in the same outfit as I? I thought he was in limited service.

Well I seem to have used up a lot of paper without saying very much. So will close with regards to all. Love Louie

P.S. How is business? I hope it is good. I’ll call Sunday unless you tell me that you can’t be home. Louie

P.S. #2

I hope Millie had it by now. If she didn’t tell her to get it over with
Louie


Idle Gossip Sinks Ships
Friday (March? 19? 1943?)
Dear Folks,

Just a few lines to let you know that we are still here for a few more days. We have almost completed packing and are all ready to go. I am getting used to the idea and am almost anxious to go. The nearer (?) back of that I suppose is just to see where we do go after all the rumours have been spread.

The weather here has been very lousy for the last week. It has rained and been cold and so it has been very uncomfortable. Because there has been so much to do, I have been in the supply room working for the last few days.

You will receive two packages from me as I picked out some more stuff after I sent the first package. There is a woolen shirt which Henry can have. He has asked for one. It may be a little big but if it is washed it will do, tho the sleeves will be short. I also sent the slip on back as it is small and I really don’t like the darn things. It made me look like Lana Turner, the sweater girl.

Well, not much else to write
Love to all Yours Louie

Idle Gossip Sinks Ships
Saturday (March 20? 1943?)
Mom
Dear Mom,

Just a few lines to to you about things here. I honestly don’t know what to make of it. One minute it looks as if we are going to move and the next it looks as if we are going to stay.

I know we will be here until next Thursday anyway and the way its shaping up I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they said unpack and go on doing your regular work. But I still look for a move of some sort.

Well whatever it is I now say the hell with it.

How are things going? I suppose with Hazel leaving you will be tied up until you can get another girl and I hope it is soon.

Not much else to say will close with best regards to all and tell Ellie I’d like to see some figures on Dec business.

Love Louie

3/21/43 (postmarked)
Idle Gossip Sinks Ships
Sunday (March? 21? 1943?)
I was happy to hear you over the phone this morning after the trouble of getting a connection.

Well, if things keep up you will really have a crop of grandchildren. I know you will have a lot of Nachas from all of them.

I was going to call Millie but they said she had no phone in her room. So please tell her that I tried to call so she won’t think that the event of her having a son didn’t mean much to me.

I am very glad and to have him named P.R. is just the thing to please all of us.

Well, the boys got back and I really was very lonely as they never had a dry moment and were up to (?) to their knees at all times.

So maybe I shouldn’t kick.

Well, I’ll write in a couple days again. Tell Ellie I got the box of candy he and Miriam sent and it was swell.

Regards to all Love Louie

Mon (March? 22? 1943)
Dear Mom,

As I told you over the phone, I am writing a few lines to tell you how very sorry I am that things broke the way they did.

The chances are that even if we stay here another ten days we would not be allowed to leave the camp, use the phone or have any visitors this procedure is used before a movement is made and as I told you we are moving the way it looks now is a trip up north, maybe near N.Y. So if it works out that way it would be lots easier to see one another.

As it is, we are packing, getting our stuff in shape, getting shots and all kinds of inoculations.

There isn’t much else to write now I will write tomorrow.
Regards to all Love Louie


Monday (March? 22? 1943?)
Dear Mom

I was very glad that I called you Sunday and was happy to be able to relieve your mind a little.

There still is an air of uncertainty about what ever is going to happen

As I said over the phone there is a lot of talk and no one knows what to listen to. But the talk of staying a little longer here is the strongest and so we like to believe that before we listen to any others.

I am not planning on anything and don’t want you to either until things are more settled so not much else to write

Regards to all

Love Louie

Idle Gossip Sinks Ships
Tuesday (March? 23? 1943?)
Dear Mom,

Just to let you know that I received your letter with the money.

I am sorry to hear that you had to tell the Chases as the are very nice people and it was pleasant having them upstairs. But in a case as exists at this time I guess there wasn’t anything else that could be done.

I do feel that you shouldn’t forget that you must have some income from the upstairs and even if it is your daughter you shouldn’t forget it.

Well, that’s enough of that. As for me here, well it still stays the same. So far we are staying and at the same time we are ready to go. Just what will happen I don’t know. But I do feel a lot easier as I myself believe that it will be a little while before we move, if we do.

So let’s not worry any more until we have to.

If you want me to call Sunday, please write at once and let me know.

Regards to all Love Louie

Idle Gossip Sinks Ships
Tuesday (March? 23? 1943?)

Dear Mom + Ellie,

Just a few lines to tell you that we are still here but not for long.

Today I sent home some extra underwear, a cap and an assortment of other things that I won’t need.

I also want you to know that I am sending $25.00 a month home. In case I go over I won’t need it and in the event I don’t go, well I can always have you send it to me.

Rumour has it that we will be in N.J. or N.Y so if there is a chance for me to see you I’ll write you to visit the girls and you can come out to see me. I don’t know whether it will work.

I honestly don’t know what to make off what’s going on. So I am planning on the worst and hoping for the best. In any event there is nothing to worry about.

There isn’t much else to write so will close with love to all Yours Louie


Camp Gordon (?)
Augusta, GA (?) (March? 1943?)

Dear Miriam,

I am sorry I haven’t answered your letters sooner but I have been busy and I knew that Mom would keep you in touch with the news.

I am still in Gordon and am not listening to any more rumours as they drive you crazy.

It is terrible hot here and you can’t get away from it no matter which way you try.

How is Sam and Rosie? I guess they are O.K. I hope so anyway. I guess Sam’s big trouble now is getting help and merchandise (?). It’s the same all over.

Well give my regards to Sam and also tell Mom that everything is O.K. although I spoke to her only this morning.

So will close another day Love Louie


Camp Gordon
3/27/43
Augusta, GA Friday (March? 25? 1943?)

Dear Mom,

I would have written a little sooner but I have been waiting a day or two for something to clear up.

Last Monday our Captain called the company together and made the announcement that our whole division is going to be moved to Fort Dix, N.J. about the 10th of April. Well we are all tickled as most of the boys are from that part of the country. If they don’t change the plans it will be a big break. It will mean being able to see you and the rest of the folks lots more often as I could get to N.Y. for Sundays and if I get a week end pass I can get home.

So, lets hope that no change pops up because it would be quite a let down if it didn’t go throu.

How are the rest of the folks at home? I suppose the new addition to the family is taking up most everyone’s attention.

Well, not much else to write except that I hope that this is only the beginning of letters with better sounding news. Regards to all. Love Louie

Sunday (March? 27? 1943?)
Dear Folks,

Received your letter and am very glad that you are all well.

It must be quite a change to have a houseful of people. With Millie with you know it means that I get away with writing one less letter for a little while.

Well, we here can’t wait till the 10th of next month when we are supposed to move to Fort Dix. All the boys from and around New York are all busy and dizzy in figuring out just what they will do when we get there and how to get home or to New York as possible. It gives you something different to talk of and now that it is official everyone except the Southerners are tickled pink. It would be an awful let down if at the last minute they decided to keep us here at Gordon.

How is business and how is the help situation? I hope conditions are good and it is a real idea to try to reduce the mortgage on the house. There is no need of paying (?) if you have money to cut it down.

Tell Ellie that in a couple of weeks he ought to take the car up to John Roy’s and have him do some work on it. He also ought to have the dents taken out of the body and have it simonized. A few dollars spent on it now will keep it longer and you still must figure that we will have it for a while longer.

Well, I guess I have covered everything so will close with regards to all and hope to see you soon.

The chaplain is trying to work out something in order for us if we are at Dix, to get a couple days off for Pesach. It would be swell to get home and have some (matzah?) balls as I haven’t had any since year before last and even if they were as hard as bricks they would taste like a million.

Yours as ever Love Louie