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Today soldier Harry Lowell is writing to Tillie and Julius Zentner, who were instrumental in bringing Harry and his sister Eva to the U.S. in 1939. As with yesterday’s post to the Firestones, the letter is written on US Army stationery from Fort Francis E. Warren, but sent from California.
August 15, 1943
Dear Aunt Tillie & Uncle Julius,
First of all I want to thank you for the candy you sent me.
Now I’ll proceed to tell you about the happenings of the past few weeks. After I finished my schooling I had work detail after work detail, shoveling coal, doing carpenter work, fixing automatic heaters, and also goldbricking a bit for two weeks. During that time I expected to get my furlough or to be shipped out any day; every day I hoped to get my orders the following day.
When I finally received my shipping orders and found that I was going to California my happiness knew no end. Another fellow from Michigan was to go with me. I gave him a long sermon about the beauties of California and praised it so much that the Chamber of Commerce would have given me a pin for outstanding performance would they have heard my propaganda.
We had quite a trip from Cheyenne through Colorado, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Mexico to California. The trains were over-crowded; the people were standing or sitting on the floors and in addition to the crowds, heat made the journey almost unbearable.
Fortunately, the Army issued us pullman tickets which were good in case there were any vacancies. As I was put in charge of the two of us, I went to work in order to get a berth. After long waiting and fighting, I finally got a lower berth (for two). Having a pullman was worth the dollar which helped obtain seats in the air-cooled car. I was very lucky, indeed, because right after I got the seats two officers also tried to bribe the porter. It was without luck, however.
We got off the train at Indio, a very, very hot place, and stayed there for three days until we got transportation to San Bernardino. This place is a Desert Training Center to toughen up the men. I guess you know how hot it gets down here. The fellow from Michigan is very much disappointed and I can’t make him believe that the scenery is beautiful up north. When I talked about California I didn’t figure on this desert at all. I’ll write the Chamber of Commerce to give this part of the state to Arizona or Mexico.
We got a physical examination the other day. The rumors are that those check-ups are prior to overseas duty. But I have learned to ignore all rumors and to believe only what I see.
This truck company consists of men from the East only – New York, Maine, etc. I am pretty lucky being so close to home. I hope to get a three day pass in the near future which will enable me to spend a day in S.F.
Hilda wrote me in one of her letters that Triangle Produce Co. burned down. How did that happen? It’s too bad about all the produce that went to waste. Is it going to be rebuilt in the same place? I bet Mr. Williams was quite busy worrying.
Is Jules still in Sacramento?
I made a trip to Yuma, Arizona the other day and through the Imperial Valley; the scenery was rather monotone – desert everywhere you look. The heat was almost unbearable; while driving I kept thinking about icebergs, penguins, and cold orange juice. That helped quite a bit. A new regulation forbids us to stop on the road to get a cold drink or food; if the M.P.’s catch us doing it we get restricted to the company area for two weeks – and that’s no fun.
Well, that’s all for today. I hope everybody is fine.
Yours sincerely, Harry
P.S. Will you please tell me all about the Triangle Produce Co. disaster? Thank you.
More information about Julius Zentner can be found in the May 26 post. According to the July 19, 1943 issue of the Sacramento Bee, there was a fire at the Triangle Produce Co. on July 17 and Harold E. Williams was the manager of the company.