Document <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><?xml-model href="https://www.tei-c.org/release/xml/tei/custom/schema/relaxng/tei_all.rng" type="application/xml" schematypens="http://relaxng.org/ns/structure/1.0"?><?xml-stylesheet type="text/css" href="null"?><TEI xmlns="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0" xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"> <teiHeader> <fileDesc> <titleStmt> <title>Zeller letter 1942-09-19</title> <author>John Zeller</author> <respStmt> <persName>Susan Falciani Maldonado</persName> <resp>University Archivist and Director of Special Collections</resp> </respStmt> <respStmt> <persName>Diane Jakacki</persName> <resp>Digital Scholarship Coordinator</resp> </respStmt> </titleStmt> <publicationStmt> <distributor>Special Collections/University Archives, Bertrand Library</distributor> <authority>Bucknell University</authority> <address> <addrLine>Lewisburg</addrLine> <addrLine>Pennsylvania</addrLine> </address> </publicationStmt> <sourceDesc> <p>John F. Zeller Papers</p> </sourceDesc> </fileDesc> <xenoData><rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#" xmlns:rdfs="http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#" xmlns:as="http://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams#" xmlns:cwrc="http://sparql.cwrc.ca/ontologies/cwrc#" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:dcterms="http://purl.org/dc/terms/" xmlns:foaf="http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/" xmlns:geo="http://www.geonames.org/ontology#" xmlns:oa="http://www.w3.org/ns/oa#" xmlns:schema="http://schema.org/" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#" xmlns:fabio="https://purl.org/spar/fabio#" xmlns:bf="http://www.openlinksw.com/schemas/bif#" xmlns:cito="https://sparontologies.github.io/cito/current/cito.html#" xmlns:org="http://www.w3.org/ns/org#"/></xenoData></teiHeader> <text> <body> <div> <pb facs="https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2025-05/1942-09-19_001.jpg" n="1"/> <opener>F-10-H F.A.R.C. Sunday-- <salute>Dear Mother, Dad, + Grandma --</salute></opener> <p>I'm sending in another envelope the letter and leave of absence form I got from the Univ. of Pa. Please file them in my large green file case in the file in front marked “Law School”. It's important that I have them when the war is over.</p> <p>I'm also sending the church program for today. I stayed in bed this morning and missing breakfast here -- so I went over to the Service Club and had a waffel, butter + syrup, pineapple juice, and sausages. While I was eating, George Purcell came in and we had breakfast together and then went to church. </p> <pb facs="https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2025-05/1942-09-19_002.jpg" n="2"/> <p> The chapel is quite nice, and this Chaplain was quite good.</p> <p>Thank you, Dad, for the Drew Pearse article from The Record. I would be very happy if I could get into a school like the one at Fort Washington. When the time comes I'm going to see what I can do. </p> <p> I don't remember whether I thanked you for the slippers and money belt or not. At any rate, I got them, and thanks. The other package you mentioned in your letter, Mother, has not as yet arrived. But can I use it. We have two weeks laundry out right now and haven't anything back yet. All I have left that is clean is on my back. I worked a few things yesterday, so I'll have a clean fatigue suit for tomorrow anyway. </p> <pb facs="https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2025-05/1942-09-19_003.jpg" n="3"/> <p> I have all the money I need. I still have $12 of the money I started out with and we got a partial pay of $10 on Thursday. So don't worry. If I ever do need money you'll hear from me post haste. </p> <p> it will be okay, Mother, to wait til Janet comes to see about those films. I just don't want to lose them, that's all. Thank you for selecting the gift for me. I appreciate it a lot.</p> <p>I don't think I'll get a radio until after I'm made a Sergeant or Corporal or Lt. or something. It wouldn't be too good to have it in this barracks where we are all in one room. When I get into a semi-private room, I will get one however.</p> <pb facs="https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2025-05/1942-09-19_004.jpg" n="4"/> <p> My neck is healing nicely. I just got too much sun on it at once. After the Doc painted it with mercurochrome - I kept it covered + greased it with vaseline.</p> <p>We pay 15¢ for movies. I went yesterday afternoon. Quaranteen ended at noon yesterday - so I can get around now. </p> <p> I have a pass from the battery commander to go to Raleigh over this weekend - but I decided not to go. I had thought might use it to go to Fayetteville this afternoon - but I'm going to the movies instead After a week here, I can't feel at all guilty about going to a Sunday movie. It is one of the few places you can really relax. I saw Irving Berlin's "Holiday Inn" yesterday. "Panama Hattie" this afternoon. </p> <p> Yes, please send my Phi Beta Kappa paper. </p> <pb facs="https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2025-05/1942-09-19_005.jpg" n="5"/> <p> One of the boys had a banjo sent down - and the boys are having a song session. A mouth organ just joined in. It's moments like this that make barracks life interesting. </p> <p> I'm going to try, but I can't hope to answer all the letters and cards I've received. I've had letters from [illegible] Dyer, Ben Kauffman, Harry Stein, Amanda Miller (imagine!), Isabelle Bond, Aunt Nelle, and Prof. Band – and of course from you folks and Alice. I had a card from Dan Sholl (he's in training at Bloomsburg, I also had cards from Mrs. Purnell and Mrs. Jacob Miller. </p> <p> If you see any of these people, thank them for me. I do appreciate it that they are <pb facs="https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2025-05/1942-09-19_006.jpg" n="6"/> thinking of me. I also got the latest Bucknell Service Club mailing to the men in the service. It included the addresses of all of the B.U. boys in service. There are a few here at Fort Bragg - but none with whom I was especially chummy. It also included letters from Forrest Brown and Mrs. Sholl as Pres. of the Mother's Assn. Her letter was very nice.</p> <p>One of these days I'll send a package home containing the letters I've received. I don't know how soon or when it will be. But I'd want to save these letters and I have no place to store them here. When it arrives, you can store them someplace for me. </p> <p> I wrote Tuesday to you. Now I'll review the rest of the week. Wednesday was a fairly ordinary day - drill, boxing, calisthenics - rifle positions, etc. </p> <pb facs="https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2025-05/1942-09-19_007.jpg" n="7"/> <p> Thursday we went on our overnight hike. That pack was really heavy. We carried, it for five miles - but it seemed like fifty. We slept in pup tents -- just like boy scouts -- and then hiked back on Friday. We had a campfice out there and had an old fashioned song fest in the evening with all officers & men joining in. The moon was out and it was really nice. </p> <p> Every once in a while big Army transport planes would fly over in formation. They're a beautiful sight. There is a parachute troops group here and they go out every day. The air is always filled with planes. </p> <pb facs="https://leaf.bucknell.edu/sites/default/files/2025-05/1942-09-19_008.jpg" n="8"/> <p> Friday I was ordered to report for tryouts for the Regimental Musical Show. The officer said they had plenty of singers but they need actors for the skits. Since my card indicated I had experience - was called. It should be fun - and it will relieve me of fatigue and K.P. for a while. </p> <p> I must go to chow now. I'll finish when I come back.--- Back now. It wasn’t bad. We had ice cream for dessert. the 1st time since I've been in the Army. there was some left over (bricks slices wrapped separately) and the cook stood in the middle of the dining room and tossed it out. I got two slices. </p> <p> Yesterday we had a battery picture taken and got our third typhoid shot. No ill effects. Next week we get tetanus shots and they really pack a wallop As I told you quaranteen ended at noon and I roamed around just enjoying my new freedom yesterday.</p> <p>I guess that will be all for now. I'll try to write again Wednesday or Thursday.</p> <closer><salute>Yours,</salute> <signed>John</signed></closer> </div> </body> </text> </TEI> Document Download Object Type XML document Related Item No
