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*.
10 Oct 1945
Officer’s Pay Sec.
Helo Mom and all my sweet family:
I’m at work again, but as this is a slack period of the month, I’m going to steal a few minutes to write you all.
This Georgia weather is the queerest I ever saw: It has suddenly turned so cold we need our overcoats or a reasonable facsimile at nite and morning and the afternoons are so darned hot. You can imagine what this does to my poor nose and throat. It is a perpetual state of distress.
Last weekend, 8 of us went to Manchester, just 5 miles from Warm Springs, Georgia (when
Roosevelt died) and had a very nice time. It is a very little hamlet. You can walk down the middle of the street any hour of the day or nite, and everyone speaks and even the old cap on the corner tips his hat. There are no M.P.’s and we can go out without hats, ties, socks or even put on civvies if we had them. The hotel is a clean cool brick building with vines and an old-fashioned swing. Everything is so sweet and old worldish. We were the first WAC’s to visit there and we went to the U.S.O. Sat nite and Sun for dinner and everything was free and we could go out into the kitchen and help ourselves, if we wanted to. We really had a beautiful time. This coming weekend I’m going to try and visit Roosevelt’s shrine, if I can make it- (no K.P. or nothing).
Next week I’m getting a
3 day pass and either going to Chattanooga, if not, the other place. I really would like to see Florida.
Mom, don’t plan on it, but if the office can let me go, I might get home for Xmas, if not it will be soon after. One way or the other, it won’t be long before I’ll be seeing you. And will that be swell. I’ll be so proud to strut up that old road in my O.D.’s.
Poor Robert Mom, I feel so sorry for him, but half his battle is his mother and I can’t help him there. I’ve written
him a letter, but if you see him, tell him “hello" for me.
Oh, I had my picture taken last week and will go in for the proofs today. I’ve got my fingers crossed. She took six poses and said she got some good shots. I sure hope so. I’ve put this off for so long cause I was dreading the result, but bad or good you’ll soon have that other soldier to hang on your wall.
Tomorrow nite I’m going to a party given by Co. I the 1st PTR (Parachute Training Regt). They asked for 15 of us girls and of course they had to twist my arm.
Mom, you’d love these kids down here. They’re so young, so tall and straight and fresh-looking. And I believe, a paratrooper has an air about him that no other soldier has. They’re living a dangerous life and they seem to revel in it. Their beautiful boots are always so shiny
and their pants so beautifully pressed. Really I’m proud to be even such a small part of this organization. And I’m meeting people from every (and I mean every) walk of life and in uniform, we are all one big happy family. I’m possibly making contacts I’ll never forget. Oh, I feel so glad today and I’m so glad I’m alive and that I’m a soldier.
Before I start getting sloppy, I’d better quit and get to work.
So long and love to you all
Mommy loves you Donna
and Sunni.
Audrae
P.S. The Army must be good for me, I ain’t got no complaints.
Bye darlings
P.P.S. I didn’t tell you that since coming down here we have been issued with another pair of service shoes, 5 more pairs of hose and H.B.7’s (a denim slack suit in green)
Bye now!