The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1944-01-20
Former Episcopal Rector Here Writes Soldiers
Are Discussed With Civilian Strikes AT Home
Somewhere in South Pacific,
December 80. l943.
Dearest Dad on Earth:

Dearest Dad on Earth:
Its about ten AM. on the anniver-
sary Of my birth. Forty-one years ago
today | came into this world not know
ing what ! was getting into. ! hope
made my beautiful and adorable mother
and you very happy when ! came to live
with you and to love you. Subsequent
years proved that / was fortunate in
being born your SON..
I sit here now in my individual tent,
which is about twelve feet long and ten
feet wide and for n while | am all alone
with my thoughts. A torrential rain has
been pouring down and beating so
heavily Upon my tent and along will
. stormy wind it has caved in part of
my tent.
The left side Of my tent has sagged
in and many of my clothes are not just
damp but wet. Here l am alone on my
birthday in my tent, sitting on my cot
and using my improvised altar as a
desk for this letter. Two brass CANDLE
sticks, two brass vases and my large
cross are before me. My prayer is that
we will never 60 through another Christ
mas season and birthday like this, but
that some day there will be sunshine
and happiness again.
A wet black dog came last night to
share my tent with me-. He, too, was
lonesome and wet and quiet. o
my flashlight inside my mosquito bar
last night to spot mosquitoes and for
about half an hour spotted them and
killed them-mosquitoes, ms significant
but pestiferous like the Japs.
I get a little inkling Of news from
home about strikes and that news is
almost nauseating. The only striking
We do over here is striking at the Japs
and preparing ourselves in the midst OF
unbelievable difficulties for the task Of
victory which may be won at the cost
Of our lives and the impairment Of the
health and strength Of many. 1t is
almost a miracle to escape malaria. l
will lie delighted but very much sur
prised IL / don't take malaria. The gov
nme puts up a terrific ~anti-malaria
fight and we wear head-nets and will
take preventive medicines, but as to
malaria, the odds are against us. ] talk
&c to a Roman Catholic Chaplain who
has had seven attacks of malaria.
On his last attack he had fever one
hundred and five. 1t is hard to recover
strength after malaria. So, I'm disgust
ed about any Americans, left behind in
the security and comfort of our Home
land, ever thinking about striking, when
the only kind Of strikes we thing about
are the strikes and blows we can give
the Japs. I have not had even three
hours holiday during the Christmas
season. l had two big services Christ
mas Day and two happy services on the
day after Christmas. My only job has
been my work. Then Tuesday I travel
led over a hundred miles to have the
funeral Of a Lieutenant who committed
suicide on Christmas Day. l knew the
man. He just couldn't stand it.
SO, one big roar Of violent anger from
US to anyone back home who would
strike and let US down. We would work
free just to be in America.
The men are working hard. They
tramp through the mud n rain.
1 have secured the movie picture
"Thank Your Lucky Stars" for my men
tonight. Our cook is a fine boy named
Thornton from Bonneville, Mississippi
SO when l came in from about a hum
dred mile trip of visiting three hospitals