Encoded for the Veterans History Project, September 20, 2021.
All letters in the Henry Walker McIver 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*.
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[[The top half of the page is dominated by a sketch of people and livestock around a fountain, likely a sketch of the laundry women and other Italian townspeople mentioned later in the letter.]]
Dec 15
Dear Folks -
This will be a foundation for a letter, as I just mailed one home yesterday - and have time again today to put a little down. Usually when it comes to writing I forget the hundreds of things I've
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meant to speak of. And along that line - I wish you'd hang onto my letters from this side of the Atlantic - for when I get home again they will serve as a sort of guide to me in remembering what's been going on along the censorable line.
And I have another request - this might be enclosed in a letter envelope - it's for a wristwatch band. The watch is going fine, but the band shows signs of weakening. The luminous dial [[an empty space is left in the letter with text saying "THIS IS THE SIZE"]] is valuable beyond my expectations, too - as in a total black out area and when I might wake up in the middle of the night (something, I still very seldom do!!) it's easy to read. And as it's near
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Christmas now - this fountain pen is nearing it's [sic.] first anniversary and holding out well. I'm glad I've got a good one as I've seen too many of the cheaper ones which couldn't stand the knocking around they get - and anyone over here with out a fountain pen is in a bad way.
Remember the fireplace I mentioned a few letters back? Well, I guess I should have kept my fingers crossed and not said anything, for no sooner had I written of it, than we pulled stakes ... and this stop is definetely [sic.] without one. In fact today was the first chance I've had since then to clean up. It's a sunny day
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and a couple of us heated up some water and sponged off. It was cold while the water was on us, but pretty warm otherwise. The fellow I was with is a cotton farmer from the Mississippi delta and, oh, how he hates the cold!! He's got quite a layout in Miss; he's a college grad, has a 28,000 acre farm, and 100 negro families working for him. Takes quite a ribbing though, as he's the only southerner in our particular group!
After crashing I took some of my dirty cloths and turned them over to a local senora I think every thing's OK, although neither of us could understand a word said by the other; at least, OK if we
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don't move before it's back. When we move there's not much time to go chasing up laundry. But neither do we have time to wash it ourselves. For a bath towel, set of fatigues, about 3 pair sox and underwear, hankies, and couple of hand towels we give them 25 liras (25ยข) and a small piece of soap - and at that it's considerably more than they ever saw for such work. And it's a good job they do. I don't know how long the clothes stand up under it, but it gets them clean.
The women all go down to the village fountain balancing their hammered
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copper, or earthen jugs on their heads - then proceed with their washing by pounding the garments on the stones. Those fountains are great places in these Italian towns. A sort of gathering place. I think everyone in town is there at least once a day; of course sometimes they have to shove a couple of watering oxen, who have wandered up the street, out of the way - or maybe a goat. Some towns have two fountains, or maybe [three?] - but each one serves many families.
We don't drink that water - or at least not without treating it. That was a topic of discussion the other night. How things would seem when
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we first get home. Water for instance. We've had nothing but chlorinated water for months and are afraid pure aqua will taste flavorless without a couple of pills - and then too, with an ordinary thin glass - we'll probably crush it. As for going to bed - we'd do it in the dark - at about 8 PM - and, with our clothes on, roll up in a blanket on the floor next to the bed - in order to get a good nights [sic.] sleep. I'm ready to try it all, in any case!
Since reaching Italy in particular, I've been eating like a horse - hardly a meal where I don't go back for double portions. We've got excellent cooks with us - and
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although everything's out of cans - but for occassional [sic.] fresh meat - they make it good! It hasn't made any difference in my [contours?], but it's fun while I'm eating!
Dec 18th
Think I'd better slip this over to the censor now. Nothing new - I've got the aforementioned laundry back and she did a good job. I'm not sure if I mentioned recieving [sic.] Aunt Mary's V-Mail of the 27th (Nov) - I can't even remember how many days I've had it, as it's hard to keep track of days when I'm up for [some?] - asleep thru others.
for now, adio
love Hank
Pfc Henry W McIver 12130759
DETACHMENT CEF 1ST ARM'D SIGNAL BN
APO 464 c/o Postmaster NEW YORK N.Y.
Mrs Henry W McIver
202 MILBURN STREET
ROCHESTER 7, NEW YORK