John F. Zeller Papers
Well, as I told you I might be, I've been moved. The new address is above. But I doubt if I'm here very long, so don't write. I don't expect to get any mail now until some few days after I get to Sill. Anything that should have been sent to D - 8 - 3 will be transferred here -- of course -- but will probably arrive here after I leave and then be transferred on to Sill. Incidently, if you wrote a Sunday letter it will fall in that class, for I didn't get it.
However Amanda Miller's box did arrive just about an hour before I moved here -- so I won't need to worry about that. I also received a 2 lb box of Purity candy from the O.E.S. I think it was so nice of them and I've already written a note of thanks to Kathryn Krowl -- she is still Sect., isnt she? Did I tell you I got a box of cookies from Lib? I've had cards from Mr. Thompson, Clarence Comstock, Howard Broscies, the Fishers, Fred Shoffer, Mr. Busser, The Rotary Club, Mr. & Mrs. Stall, & Mrs. Mathias.
I also had a card from the Higgin's. It included a dollar. I've written to thank them. But what tickles me is that she evidently wasn’t convinced by your argument, Mother, for she said it was to get yourself something to eat.
Monday back in D - 8 - 3 I got up at 4:00 and was on my feet until 10:00 at night -- busy every minute. I was on K.P. in the morning. In the afternoon they put me on a landscaping detail - we shoveled clay. And in the evening we were closely supervised to see that a thorough clean-up job was done to get the barracks ready for the new cycle. I wish someone had pleased it up for us when we came in a few months ago. At any rate, by time for bed I was pretty tired.
Yesterday, however, they forget about me. I got up in the morning, and after policing the barracks loafed for the rest of the day.
Last night we moved over here -- and I can truthfully say that I was never so glad to leave any place in my life as I was D - 8 - 3. I didn't begin to tell you the things we had to do there and the guff we had to swallow. Too many of the officers and N.C.O.'s thought themselves little tin Gods.
The new place is wonderful. When we arived here we discovered that the Sarge had already made our beds. Everything was clean and neat and the officers and men are fine. It is well ordered and well run. It's worth it not to go to Sill last Sunday just to be here to see what a really good outfit can be like. It's even a lot better than F - 10 - 4.
Today we sampled the chow -- and its really good. This cook knows what he's doing. He's making doughnuts for supper -- I'm anxious to taste them. They have nothing for us to do here except wait for shipment. So all we've done all day is act as table waters at noon and this evening. This morning four of us played bridge from 9 til 11:30 -- the 1st I've played since I left home, I think. This afternoon I got a haircut and wrote letters.
Now don't count on it -- but we may be getting passes. In fact I just may be home before this letter. The battery Commander is trying to see what he can do.
They say there is not to be another shipment to Ft. Sill until after Xmas. In the case, I may even get an furlough and be home for the holiday. However, I'll be plenly satisfied with even a pass for 3 days. I guess, we'll just have to wait and see. At any rate, I don't mind not going to Sill nearly so much since I'm in this new outfit.
It began to rain about 10 o'clock -- and about 1:30 it changed to snow. Now the ground, roofs, trees, etc. are covered. Just like Pa. I guess this will be our white Christmas. But I suppose it won't last long.
I guess that's all the news. I hope I do go home before this letter.
Oh yes, I wanted to ask you. Forrest Brown wrote that a letter I had written to him was to be reprinted in the Bucknellian. Will you save that issue and send it to me when you get my address?
P.S. There is no phone here -- so you can't phone me as we had arranged. Perhaps I'll get a chance to call you from some place else if I don't get home.