Letter from William H. Gernert to Richard T. Gernert, December 17, 1942

(#11) [centered] [top right] Thursday Dec 17-42 [end top right]

Dear Son-o-mine-

forget this Xmas - since we cant do anything [illegible] you, we [illegible] look out for Sally.

[unsure br] Remember those Vitamin tablets and Quinine is a present from me - I hope to high heaven you get them. Be sure and let me know when you do. If the Postmaster opens the box he might confiscate that 496 grams of Quinine for the Government, then they will come back on me and say "Where did you get all that Quinine"? I'll tell them buried in the garden.

-2- [centered] [top right] Friday p.m. 18th [end top right]

Jane Mercer Thomas has a 6 lb baby girl - Catherine Ann. Everybody OK, Orla came thru in good shape, too.

BGU defeated Wayne Univ., 65-41 last night - nothing to the game after the first quarter.

[centered] Co E, 8th Q.M. Tr'n'g. [unsure sp] Regt.

2nd Platoon, Camp Lee, Va. [end centered]

He says "if the patience of the non-coms [unsure sp] holds out, they may make a soldier out of me yet." 

Mom is busy working on Sally's rug and making pajama's for Shirley.

Do you ever hear from Old Pudge? Is he still north west of you? I sort of read between the lines of your last letter that you might be "moved on" around the 1st of the year. If so, do your stuff, God be with you, but dont be reckless, old Pal.

[written along righthand side, "(you can carry Bills picture [illegible] your purse)"]

[centered] Saturday am [end centered]

"5" above zero here this morning and 10 to 12 inches of snow.

High school beat Fostoria 44-21 last night at Fostoria. I didnt go too slippery + cold. Shirley went.

Wooster has been accepted as a navy training school - 200 will come Jan 7th, then every 2 weeks 200 more till 600 are there. "Mose" will have his hands full trying to teach the Navy boys how to "weigh anchors" wont he?

Say, Pal, as soon as xmas mailing is over I will send you Sally's picture that you want - is that all right? 

The mails are just swamped with all sorts of mail and the post office dept from the top, down, are short handed.

Today is Herb Bowmans birthday, so the Woughs [unsure sp] + The Gernerts are picking them up and taking them down to the "Chinks" for supper. It will be the first time I have been in Toledo for months.

[bottom right] I love you so much.

Your Pop.xxxxx [end bottom right]