"They had fixed it all up with evergreens, etc." - December 27, 1942
Sgt. L. Winsauer
Camp Pickett, Va.
Miss Jean Johnson
Sheboygan, Wis.
Dec. 27, '42
Dearest Darling,
Hi again hon' with a Merry Xmas (a little late) and a Happy New Year and darling I miss you like all hell— and to coin a phrase, 'that's for sure'.
How about this stationery? It's slightly dated by now, but from here on in I'll be using so much of it it'll probably be gone in a hurry — Yea, man!
How was Christmas a'way up there in the North? Was there any snow? That's one thing I always liked — snow at Christmas — walking to midnight Mass Christmas Eve in a nice soft snowfall — you know, not too cold, with the flakes about as big as baseballs and just sort of lazily floating down. 'always made Christmas seem more Christmasy, if you know what I mean. 'member I wrote that there had been snow here at Pickett? Well it didn't last very long. Tuesday there was a Nice warm sun which Melted a lot of it, Wednesday afternoon it started to drizzle, Wednesday night it rained and it's still raining tonight. Four of us sloshed over to the Field House at about 11:15 Thursday night for the Midnight Mass — 'thought we'd get there early and get some good seats — but the place was already jammed and we had to stand. Must have been about 3500 G.I.s there. The altar was up on the stage and they had fixed it all up with evergreens, etc., but it still didn't seem much like Church. Before Mass started an all G.I. choir sang Christmas Carols and then a color bearer with two color gaurds with rifles marched from the rear up on to the stage. (The poor guards had to stand at attention all through the Mass) The three priests then followed with their eight guards who also carried rifles. At the offertory, instead of the bell the guards fired blanks — 'didn't seem quite right to me — but you should have seen everyone jump at the first volley. 'Course no one was expecting it.
Wednesday night our detachment had a party over at the Service Club. We each put in a $1.59 (That "9" should have been an "0") and had a swell turkey dinner with all the trimmings. It was just for the Dispensary and our officers and that made 17 of us, as one of our men was on furlough but lieutenant Cawley (he's our C.O.) brought his wife. (Boy that sentence is slightly screwed up). We had each drawn one of the other names and had to get a ten cent present for him, Lieutenant Welch is from Ohio and I'm forever razzing him about the Ohio state football team and he's always running down Wisconsin. Course Ohio State would have to beat Wis. this year and I've never heard the end of it. Well anyway when I opened up my "present" here was a card with four big gold ten-cent store buttons on it and a neat little note — "To replace a few of those lost by the Badgers that day in Columbus". Boy you should have heard Welch roar.
We didn't have to work Friday so I slept till nearly noon and then had another marvelous turkey dinner over at the mess hall. The hall was all decorated up and the dinner was swell. I could only get one menu which I'm sending to Mom, but you ought to see it — everything from oyster soup to pumpkin pie. After dinner I went over to the Western Union office to see if I couldn't send a telegram to the folks and to the "Mrs.", but no soap — no greetings were allowed. Wanted to call earlier, but one of the other fellows had tried and he was still waiting after five hours. I came back to the Dispensary and banged out a couple of reports and chewed the fat with the boys until about 7:00 (None of us wanted any supper) and then we went to the show. Don't know what the name of it was, but it wasn't any too good — about an Englishman and a German who looked exactly alike and who got mixed up in a rugged spy plot — can't even think of who played the double role.
Today I slept late (Had a little game last night) and went to 11:00 o'clock' Mass. Right after chow I had to come over to the Dispensary as I'm on Charge of Quarters from noon today till tomorrow morning, and have been here ever since.
Have'nt got the bonus from the Kohler Company as yet but am just hoping it's just because the mail is so screwed up now. I hit it pretty lucky in the game last night, but not to the tune of 60 smackers. Here's hoping the Govt. didn't clamp down on the K. Co., like it did on your outfit.
I got your letter Thursday afternoon and the old morale went up about 100%.
With the mail service the way it is now it'll probably be a week before you get this so you'll probably be back in Sheboygan by that time — weren't you going to work in Manitowoc the 27, 28, and 29th?
Well darling my eyes are starting to droop so I better say adios for now and hit that G.I. cot, innerspring matress and all. (Say, you know I did dream about us last Monday when I wrote. It was just some sweet and smooth and that's for sure — Fireplace, boxes for chairs (Phooey), your bed and you — O Mammy!)
Goodnight for now darling. I love you forever and ever, Amen.
Louis
P.S. Tell Toots "Hi" for me.
P.P.S. And your mother — not bad, not bad!! (Course I was awfully shocked)
