Gigged

It’s hard to imagine Ben mailing his laundry home from the University of Connecticut, but in another letter he says there isn’t a laundry facility for them on campus.  Here the family is telling him not to send it home, but it’s too late.
 

December 1, 1943
Tuesday Night
 
Dear Folks,
I received your letter telling me not to send the laundry, just after I had mailed it at the post office.  Just have it done as fast as possible.  It doesn’t have to be ironed, just wet wash if it doesn’t take as long.  But if it takes the same length of time, have them ironed.  I finally got back the six pair of socks that was missing from the last laundry, something that I never expected would be done.

Well, they’re finally shipping some fellows out tomorrow, to the Airborne Infantry.  They’re only taking one fellow from our room.  Don’t worry, it isn’t me.  But it probably will be next time.  By the time you get this letter, the second monthly exams will probably be all over with.  We’re having the first ones tomorrow.

I got gigged last night for having the light on after taps.  Imagine gigging anybody for studying late.  But it was my own fault.  I should have gone down to one of the class rooms downstairs.  I only got 2 demerits, which doesn’t mean anything, because you have to have three to be restricted a weekend.

They’re getting awfully strict around here lately.  Coats & jackets have to be buttoned in chow line & either taken off or kept buttoned while eating.  And your collar has to be kept down at all times.  They made us take off all our insignias & we can only wear the A.S.T.P. patch, which made a lot of the fellows mad.  And when there is snow, we can’t throw any snowballs at any time on the campus, not even in our free time.

A puppy followed one of the fellows up to our room this afternoon.  It’s a cute little thing.  We brought some hash from chow & fed it.  We don’t know what we’ll do with it, but we’d like to keep it.

Love,
Ben