I like it here except for sleeping on the ground

April 19, 1944

Shreveport, Louisiana

Hi William

Just be patient, I’ve got a lot of camping equipment for you but I haven’t gotten all I want to get yet. I have been turning in the stuff for new stuff and it takes a little time cause if I turn it all in at once they’d get suspicious. Here’s what I have: a canteen outfit, cup canteen and cover; an infantry field pack, a pup tent (brand new); and a few other little things. Let me know if you need a mess kit and I’ll get one of those too. I don’t know whether you’ll want to use the infantry pack or not but it is good to carry your bedding in. We’re still camped here in the same place and it might be some time before we pull out.

I get my furlough in about two months, it’ll probably come about the last of June. I hope we don’t move before then unless its closer home. I like it here except for sleeping on the ground and I’m getting used to that.

Guess I’ll close for this time.

Tom

Deep in the heart of Texas

March 21, 1944

Texas

Hello Bill

I’m deep in the heart of Texas now I guess. We’re about 50 miles west of Leesville. This maneuver is about over but I think we will start another one.  I don’t know when I’ll get a chance to mail this pup tent I have for you home but I will as soon as I get a chance.

There were two other men who went after prisoners at the same time as we did. They both got drunk and got in jail and they had to send two more men after them. That’s really something.

I sure did enjoy my time at home and I hope I’ll get my furlough soon, cause I’m more anxious than ever to get back.

Guess I’ll have to close for now. Write me soon.

So long, Tom

P.S. I sent another envelope full of match covers from St. Louis. Did you get them?

I’m deep in the heart of Texas

January 23, 1944

Texas (in route)

Hi Jitterbug!

I’m deep in the heart of Texas now and we’ve been traveling three days. We’re at a place named Childress now; they let us get off and roam around a bit. Here’s a couple of  match covers I picked up along the line tho.

We’ve been having a lot of fun on this train you know, talking to girls and everything. I was talking to a couple back in Childress. But there ain’t as many pretty girls in Texas as there were back in California. One place where we stopped back in California was right beside an orange grove. I guess you know, we’re still eating those oranges.

You remember Earnest Fawcett and Charlie Dilbin and Hugh Ferguson? All of them are writing me. Fawcett’s in Kentucky, Dilbin and Paris Island, and old Ferguson in New York City. I believe all of them will get home before I do and all of them went in after I did. I ought to get a furlough after maneuvers are over though. I hope so anyhow. I’m glad mom got to talk to Reg Powell. I sure will be glad when I get a chance to come home.

So long, Tom

the Sergeant has as much trouble getting me up as mom used to

January 17, 1944

Camp Haan, California

Hello Squirt!

I am kinda taking turns about writing you all. I write to one of you and that letter will be for everyone. We’ve been pretty busy the last few days getting our train ready. It’ll be ready to roll tomorrow but I think we’ll leave about the last of this week.

I got a letter from mom yesterday. I’m glad to hear the pass they got won’t bother the pass request for 1944. I’m awfully sorry they didn’t get to come out because I’m sure they would have liked to see California. I kinda hate to leave this wonderful weather myself. The last few days have been warm enough to go swimming and wearing the winter uniform is pretty uncomfortable. The nights are cold though, and it’s pretty cold getting up in the morning. The Sergeant has about as much trouble getting me up as mom used to.

We’ll probably only be on maneuvers about 5 or 6 weeks. It’s gonna be pretty tough in those swamps but I’d rather be there than in Oregon.

Love to all, Tom

I never expected you to be dancing with Lucille Boone

January 7, 1944

Camp Haan, California

Hi Bub!

Guess it’s about time I was writing you. I have had two letters from you and haven’t answered either one of them. I’ve got some match covers but I’m at the Service Club so I’ll send them the next time I write. You must be doing ok with the girls, I never expected you to be dancing with Lucille Boone.

We have a lot of those Douglas A20’s over at March Field only we call it the Havoc. They teach us all the planes by the name instead of the number. I know most all the American planes and most of the important German, Jap, and British planes.

I enclosed a picture of me with a Thompson sub-machine gun. It’s taken in front of one of the huts like I sleep in. I got my experts medal the other day and also my marksmans medal for the rifle.

I sure will be glad when I get to see you again, I’ll bet you’ve grown a lot and I’d like to see you dancing too.

Guess I’ll close for now.

So long, Tom

It ought to be a lot of fun

November 25, 1943

Camp Irwin, California

Hello Bill

How you coming along? I got your letter and I would have answered sooner but we keep pretty busy out here on the desert. We’re out all day and I usually go right to bed after supper I’m so tired. We have to fire on Monday and Tuesday and then we’ll start back to Haan. We’re going on a problem on the way back. Another outfit is on its 5 day problem and we’re going to attack them and try to take over their gun positions. It ought to be a lot of fun.

You say you want to take a night hike when I get home, well all I got to say is heck with you, by golly! I got enough hiking without you wanting me to go hiking.

Helen sent me a copy of the Jefferson News and it sure was fun looking at it. Makes me kind of homesick though, reading about everything going on around school. I sure would like to be back there.

So long for now, Tom

I’ll be satisfied to finish out the war

November 17, 1943

Camp Haan, California

Hi “Jive Cat”

I’m on guard tonight and it’s raining like the dickens. The real rainy season is beginning here now and it rains all the time. It’s still warm here. It gets colder on the desert than it does here at Haan. I like the climate here a lot.

We’ll be going back to the desert Monday and I’m not sure how long we’ll be there. I’m hoping to get our furloughs pretty soon after that. After I get home and back again I’ll be satisfied to finish out the war. Our training will be up then and we might be stationed somewhere in the U.S. or we might be shipped across. They use anti-aircraft a lot to guard airfields and things like that and it’s hard to tell what we’ll do.

So long for now, Tom

We’ve got a new captain and he’s a lot better than the old one

November 11, 1943

Camp Haan, California

Hello Bill

Are you still dancing at the “Y”? I figured you’d get started sometime. I was at a dance last night. There’s a place in Riverside where they have dances on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I like to go as much as I can to keep in practice. I wish I could wear my drapes though instead of this uniform.

I’ve been on K.P. today. The good thing about K.P. is you get plenty to eat and also the rest of the Battery went on a hike and are sleeping out tonight while I’m here in my warm hut.

We’ve got a new captain and he’s a lot better than the old one. I went in the office to get my pass yesterday and he asked me if I wanted to ride in with him. I guess you know it rates to be riding around with the captain. Most of the officers stick their nose up to an enlisted man.

I guess it’s too cold to go in swimming back there but I went in the other day. It’s pretty warm here even a lot warmer than out on the desert.

So long for this time, Tom

P.S. Get to work on that school work

Take it easy with the zoot suit and neat pleat

November 9, 1943

Camp Haan, California

Thomas Riley Ferguson

Army Serial No. 33652379

Battery ‘C’ 567th

Anti Aircraft Artillery

(Automatic Weapons)

Battalion (Mobilized)

Camp Haan, California

No. 1 – Second Gun Section

Hello Scout,

How do you like that for an address. I guess that’s what it is if you wrote out all of it. Here’s a couple of match covers for our collection. I was surprised as everything to hear about you going to a dance. I believe you’re going to be as bad as I was — meaning zoot suits and dancing and everything. They tell me you have a girl too.

I hope I will be able to get up to Bernard’s place when I get a furlough.

When are you going to get Eagle? I guess you must be pretty close to it by now. I’ll be anxious to get back and do some camping where there ain’t nobody around to tell me how to do everything.

I ain’t got much to write about tonight so I guess I’ll close for this time. Take it easy with the zoot suit and neat pleat, and don’t jive too much.

So long for now, 

Pvt. Thomas R. Ferguson

C rations: they’re pretty good and fill you up

November 1, 1943

Camp Irwin, California

Hi Little Zoot,

You had better get on the ball with your lessons, from what I hear you aren’t passing everything.

I haven’t got any more match covers this time but I’ll get some whenever I get to town again. I’ll probably get hold of a lot when I go to Los Angeles again. There aren’t very many in Barstow. Almost every army camp puts out a match cover too and when I meet somebody from another camp I’ll try to get one of his camp.

About the only cooking utensils the army has is all mess hall equipment and that is great big stuff. We have our mess kits that we eat out of but they wouldn’t do much good. On the field problem we had ‘C’ rations. There are two cans a meal: one can has stew or beans in it and the other has hard tack, candy, and coffee. They’re pretty good and fill you up.

Guess I’ll close for now, Tom