Encoded for for the Veterans History Project, January 14, 2021.
All letters in the Audrae Gandreau collection were digitized.
The following letters were transcribed from the handwritten originals by Veterans History Project staff. No alterations to this transcription has been made, although spelling errors are indicated with [sic]. Any special emphasis (i.e. underlining) is presented *between asterisks*.
Sept 5, 1945
Dear Mom:
Just a note in a hurry cause I’m broke. We were shipped out 2 hours before pay parade on the 31st and so we haven’t yet signed the supplementary pay-[?], due to the many holidays we won’t get paid ‘till the end of this month- so as I have five pennies to my name, I guess I’ll have to ask for the money Ed sent me.
There are so many men here I don’t need any for amusement but I do need somethings.
We left De Moines with very little. I had 45 [cents], Freeman had about the same and Edge
managed to borrow $10 but with three of us using it, it isn’t going too far.
This is a beautiful Post and covers a very large territory. It even extends into Alabama. Columbus, Georgia, the closest city is on one side of the river and Phoenix City, Alabama is on the other. Last night I went to Phoenix City with a Canadian boy and one of his pals (a boy from Georgia) and we danced and drank a little and had fun in general. Somewhere along the line coming home via taxi and two different buses, we lost the [?] and gosh do these Georgia boys work fast. I don’t think I’m gonna like this place, they get me all confused (I’m hibernating this afternoon, the other girls have gone out) all because of him, he scared me
to death. He swears he’s crazy about me and wants to take me home to meet his people- Oh gosh why do these things always happen to me? He isn’t handsome, but he can dance and is generous with his money- of which he seems to have plenty. You don’t have to worry about me, but gee I don’t like these things.
Well, anyway, they haven’t assigned us to our job yet, so I don’t know where I’ll be working or what I’ll be doing, but I imagine it will be office work of some sort.
Our barracks are not as nice as those at Des Moines- nothing is, but we have something here that is an asset- a loudspeaker system by which anyone can be called from any part of the barracks with a microphone in each day-
room and one in the orderly room. It’s fun to use.
They are not very G.I. here either. We can go to mess any old way (in Des Moines we had to be in uniform and no pin-curls) and reveille is a laugh. The girls fall out in anything even pajamas with utility coats over. They don’t stand at attention or anything. After Des Moines, this is pretty difficult to get use to. We are still supposed to salute but very few ever do. What an Army. I think I’ll like it a whole lot better when I get to work.
Another thing that may interest you, men are not allowed in any part of our area except one dayroom where the gals can meet their dates. We also have armed guards walking around all the time- The reason mens barracks all around.
They don’t seem to have real dirt around here, it’s all red sand and when the wind blows- Wow!
We haven’t done a darn thing since arriving here except fall out for reveille and wonder over to mess. It all sees so silly after P.T. and drill everyday.
Mom, I haven’t even got a stamp to put on this letter so be sure you send it in a hurry. Don’t send an m.o. cause I don’t know what address to put on it and if it isn’t exactly right they won’t cash it, so better just register it.
Gosh, I hate to do that- darn the Army- but I still like it. I got a pretty red patch to put up on my left shoulder that looks something like this
[drawing of an Airborne patch; with arrows pointing to designs on the patch] that’s a plane (white)
red
parachute (also white)
It’s quite pretty
When I put that up I’ll feel more like a soldier. I didn’t make the air-corps, but this is next best.
Well, I’m going to close now and write to my Honey.
So kiss my babies for me and tell them I love them and it may not be too long before I come home.
With all my love,
Audrae
P.S. This picture was one of those, “Take them yourself" and we took it in, Chicago. I almost didn’t get in. Freeman is on the left, Edge in the middle.