Slit Trench

"A tank ran over a foxhole I was in."

August 23, 1943   
Camp Croft, South Carolina
Sunday

Dear Folks,
Well, here it is Sunday again, and being that I haven’t written anybody for the past two weeks, except home, I’ll have to write a few this afternoon and then go see “So Proudly We Hail.”  I saw “The Human Comedy” last night.  Good acting, but I thought it was far too sad.

Friday, I had a new experience happen to me.  A tank ran over a fox hole I was in.  All part of a course in Defense against mechanized attack.  How to destroy a tank and all that.  We’ve also been doing quite a lot on Techniques of Fire.  That is the way a squad of men fire on an enemy position.  Getting into concealed position & understanding the fire orders.  Just like those landscape targets I told you about, only using the real countryside. 

Friday nite we went on a practice bivouac. We went off in a dense woods & pitched our tents while it was just growing dark.  Then we had to dig a slit trench 2 feet wide, 2 feet deep, 6 feet long.  Nobody dug it that deep however because it was so dark we couldn't even see the dirt where we were digging (no moon) & because there were big roots running all the way thru the earth.  It was really funny.  Everybody was falling & stumbling over the holes & bumping into the trees.  And when we got ready to move out we had to hold on to each others pack until we reached the Troop Trail.  Then, marching home in the dark on that trail was really a scream. 

Next week we’re going to have village fighting.  In preparation for it, we practiced on our own Battalion barracks.  The Battalion is arranged like this.  I’ll make a better picture.  Well anyway half the company took C & D & the other half took A & B.  We crawled under the barracks, threw grenades (firecrackers in potatoes) & rushed the building.  There were some stationed in the barracks representing the enemy.  They blockaded the doors & things like that.

Got your box this noon & was I glad to see those plums.  They were out of this world.  Don’t know what I need for next week except fruit, bottle of glue & couple of packages of gum.  I got a box from Madeline yesterday.  Toll House cookies, candy bars & potato chips.  Those cookies were very good.

About Dave’s letter.  I can’t imagine what the surprise could be.  I guess you’ll just have to wait.  I bet Mom was glad to see the company drop in on her.  If they’re still there when you receive this letter, give them my best. Well, so long for now,

Love, 
Ben

Reserve Energy

Letter to sister, Ruth.  Ben’s folks first had a deli in Elmira, New York and when the family moved to Rochester, NY during the Depression, they also had a deli that he mentions here.  In this letter, he says that many fellows in his outfit are feeling sick.  Eating an orange with milk doesn’t sound like a remedy for a stomach on the bum.  Sounds like he has a terrible diet over and above the Army food.

August 7, 1943
Camp Croft, South Carolina    
Fri. Nite

Dear Ruth,
I’m addressing this letter to you because you’re the boss, now that Mom & Dad are away on their much needed vacation.  I really feel sorry for you slaving away in that store, cooped up all day, while I’m out in the nice sunshine all day.  That beer must really be a problem.  The boys at camp sure go for it even though it’s only 3-point-2.  Don’t worry, I haven’t drunk any.  And I haven’t gotten into any card games.  I’m a good little boy!  But my money just seems to flow like water.  I’ve spent $6 since last Saturday. 

Probably those suppers in the P.X. (Post Exchange) and pop & ice cream.  I’m going to try & cut out eating candy, cake, cookies, pop & etc. as much as I can.  Because I haven’t lost my stomach yet.  Surprised?  So am I.  I thought I would lose it in a week.  And I thought surely I would lose it yesterday or today.  I woke up yesterday with my stomach on the bum.  Couldn’t eat anything.  Had 1/2 cup milk & orange for breakfast & practically no dinner.  It’s a good thing we had an easy morning.  But in the afternoon we marched out to the range, no shade in the vicinity, for a rifle demonstration with tracer bullets.  Didn’t think I could make it back, but I did.  I feel fine today though.  Probably the reason was that our bowels aren’t free here.  But they were free yesterday.

Today we marched out to some hill & built up a defense against attack.  We were digging foxholes.  Our company did while others were laying mines & putting up barbed wire!  Before I entered the Army I always used to think that a foxhole was something like a shell hole, just something to duck into.  But it’s very different from that.  Here's a picture of it.  Hard to dig too.  Have to make a firing stoop to stand on when firing & to sit on while a tank goes over.  I ran into a rock pile & couldn’t dig over 3 feet down.  We have to camouflage it too. 

They stress camouflage very much.  We also ate C-rations.  They come in 2 little cans, something a little bigger than Red Cross milk    There are 3 types.  Stew, Hash, & Meat & Beans.  I had the beans.  Pretty good, too.  The other can contains biscuits (hardtack),   a beverage in dry form (lemon, coffee, cocoa) cigarettes., sugar, candy.  We also had only one canteen full of water. That is one of the hardest things to adjust to.  They call it water discipline.  The sun went in & out all day for which we were mighty thankful.  Pretty soon we’ll have to go 24 hrs. on one canteen.  (Excuse the mixed up line of thought, but I’m in a hurry.  I’m sitting on the steps because lites are out).

For some reason or other, we were all tired & weak as hell.  Can’t understand it and 30 fellows were stretched out under the trees.  I was almost ready for that pile.  I didn’t believe I could make it home.  But we always have reserve energy to call upon.  But it’s torture when we pass the swimming pool, as we always do, & see guys frolicking around in it.  On the way back, everybody was wishing for ice cream. pop, lemonade, etc.  I wished I had a watermelon.  And what do you think happened.  When we got back, there was a huckster selling watermelon.  First time we’ve seen any fruit sold inside the camp.  We can get it in town before 8 P.M. on Sat., but not on Sun.  Not very convenient.  Boy, that melon was delicious.

I forgot & wrote on the face of the letter.  But to continue.  I went over to the Beer Garden for a Pepsi.  I know I shouldn’t have done it, but it tasted so good. But now that it’s over with, we’re still in one piece, although tired.  That’s the way it is everyday.

Love, 
Ben