The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1943-08-19
Good News from
Home is Soldiers
Greatest Need

III LII
of experiences in train
, ing for the service
Good news from home is the
sreatest need of men in the armed
s sar1ices, according to a letter
e.;,ten this week to his parents,
W. and Mrs. Bruce Lampson, of
.he highlands by Mert Lampson,
nh has just been commissioned
lieutenant chaplain. He ex-
a : to shortly be sent overseas
Fycerpts from his letter home
follow: In this short time I have
ssen and experienced what it
Means for the men in the service
= receive letters from home.
When mail is delayed or isn't
cont the boys get quite restless,
svpn those who have been married
long time. The psychology of
tbe situation is quite different
from anything else I know. Per-
hans these are some of the new
elements:
This is desperate, danger
Gus, grilling, nerve and body
Wracking business. Anything
which rests mind and spirit from
tbe ordeal is welcomed. There is
nothing, aside from worship, to
help this more than good news
from home.
2. The job and surroundings are
so predominately masculine that
the men get lonely and distraught
for lack of feminine companion
ship. This has its wholesome as
pect, and its unwholesome one, of
course. Letters of the right sort
help a lot in this, serving as a
fairly good substitute for social
contacts no longer possible. i,
8. So many of the enlisted men
and officers feel that nothing short
Of a war. could, or would, have
persuaded them to leave home and
family and friends as they have
done. They feel let down I know
when the folks they think about so
constantly are forgetful or care
less in remembering them. And,
perhaps there is some genuinely
permissible G o u n d S for
some feeling of resentment,
though those emotionally and
spiritually mature refuse to har-
Dor such resentment. Neverthe-
less, even the best are called upon
to exert all their powers to keep
on an even keel.
There is another side to the
picture, and that is the failure on
the part of men and officers to
fully appreciate the lot of those
remaining in civilian life. We
must not allow ourselves to be-
come spoiled because of the spe-
cial privileges we have. We must
not see our contribution out of
perspective. There are other
sacrifices land we have to use
that word in war time) just as
important and Just as essential in
tne making of a better world,
aside from anything which can be
zone or accomplished by the
armed forces. In some ways, it
IS harder on the folks remaining
az nome than it is for those actual
y participating in the conflict.
Enough of this.
Follows some details concerning
me camp life of those taking the
special training courses.
Before leaving Cambridge we
VIII receive our assignments from
me war department. No one can
.eu a thing about where he may
pe sent and there is a great deal
u guessing, wishing, hoping and
speculation concerning orders not
yel received. Some will be al
pWed to get home on their way
Diners cannot.
WIN have pictures completed a
n'lie later and will send one to
!ou with a short line for the Ken
newick paper.
I'm being sent to Camp Bowie,
iexas. May be on my way over
Ieas IN SIX months or even sooner.
auout these matters there is no
'aln prediction. AS nearly as
:. TN discover from here, my out
~ will be a mobile one and is
Ea aing for active duty on a
tsnung front. If 1 go with it, my
auon may be only a few hun
Aeu yards behind the actual fight
ing line. will be in a first aid
lon, collection hospital, evacu-
m On point or base hospital. The
sa lei LOT whom I will be directly
ponSlble will be medically
salned, intelligent and socially
a.l Ioed. This part of my work
VIII be a genuine n1o,e,,,