The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-05-13

nave 1Org0tten you by any means.
1t has been due to the lack of IA
cilities that no news has been sent.
The censors have been rigid, too,
but now, I am allowed to write a
few things you will be interested
IN.
All Libby Men Well
All of the men from Libby are
well, and send their greetings to
you. They have been through a lot
over here, but not one man was
lost in battle, nor wounded, SO you
need not worry about them. Their
health is good, in spite of the heat
and conditions prevalent in this
country, and you will notice a. great
change in your men when they get
home again. They are just waiting
for that chance to return, and the
thoughts of those little comforts
of home are uppermost in their
minds. Before we left, everyone
had the tendency to take a lot of
things for granted, and thought lit
tie of them, not because we didn't
appreciate them but because they
were common thing Now we
have an altogether different outlook
on the matter of little comforts, as
well as big ones. Just to sit in an
easy chair, listening to the radio.
with our loved ones close to us,
would be perfect. / am confident
that, when your men get back to
you, marked change will be no.
ticeable IN their. character. They
! have been made over, SO to speak,
during the past year, and the boys
are men now A lot of foolish ideas
have been forgotten, and new ones
have replaced them. Being with
these men all the time, has given
me chance to notice that change,
because we were all quite irrespon-
sible during the first part of our
army life.
Your sons, boy friends, and
friends, have done and are doing a
wonderful job, and you are proud
Of them, aren't you? Well, when
they return your pride will be
twice that great. In my estimation.
such as it may be, every one of
those men should have silver star
for bravery in action, but they don't
give medals for their kind of cou-
rage, because it is constant and I'M
imposing, rather than brazen. 1t
is not their job to knock out pill
box, or kill the enemy, but every
day they have been on the job,
saving the lives of our fighting men,
giving them courage, cheering them
up, and keeping them fit to come
home to their loved ones. It's
tough folks, to be a medic, regard
less Of what others may think We
are right behind the men with the
guns, and | do mean right behind
We can see those men who get hit,
the minute they fall, and it is our
job to get them out where they can
be treated. From there, other med
les carry them through miles of
swamp, often up to their waists in
mud and water, to a portable hos
pital, giving them better than
fifty fifty chance of regaining their
health. BY telling you these things,
| have no intention of belittling the
fighting men, because it would be
impossible to carry on without
them, but, whatever you do, don't
ever feel the least Bit ashamed Or
think that your son, or husband, is
not doing the great things others
have done, just because he is in
the medical corps. In this branch
of the service, there isn't much
chance for advancement, such as
you find in the air corps, for in
stance; but, private here, is as
good man, and often better, than
the lieutenants, captains, and 9TH
ers in different services.
Wondering About Their Welcome
The reason I am writing this, is
because some of the fellows here,
feel that they won't be welcomed
home as proudly and wholeheart-
edly as those who have gone into
the service much later, and are of
ficers now. 1t may sound unrea-
sonable to you, that anyone should
think that way, but haven't you felt
a little envy, if your son is pri-
vate, or corporal, or a sergeant,
and your neighbors' sons are lieu
tenants and captains? Certainly
you have, but don't do it, and don't
let the boys down when they come
home.
Who am to ask you these things?
No one Of Importance, but do have
the opportunity to make an appeal
for the men here, without their
None OF them would
write this to you, themselves, be-
cause they are too proud, but they
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