Written by Felix Swehla on February 13, 1942
First night in a pup tent
Fort Lewis . U.S. . Washington
POSTMARKED TACOMA, WASH., Feb 16 7 PM 1942
Pvt. Felix E. Swehla
Co B 803 T.D. Bn
APO 319 Ft. Lewis, Wash.
Feb 13, 1942
Dear Ann, Will start this letter but don’t think I’ll have time to finish it.
We left Ft Lewis yesterday. Now we on a beach on the Ocean. Aren’t doing much of any thing. Had sorta of a war game today. some of the boy are still out in the woods. Just heard they had to walk 16 miles to capture another bunch of fellows. some fun “ba,” any how I was on the reserve team we didn’t do much just road back and forth down a road.
Pup Tent
Last night was my first experience of sleeping in a pup tent. Wasn’t too bad. didn’t even get cold. I borrowed a fellows sleeping bag. boy they sure are nice when you have to sleep on the ground. The fellow I borrowed it from went home last week on a 15 day furlough, his father was real sick, he borrow my garanon [garrison?} cap. I’ll be darn if I no how to spell it. He is from Alabama, well any-how. I just took the bag. if we have to do much of this camping out I am going to buy one. they cost $8.50. I am writing this in the back of a half track if you don’t know what a half track is they are just like
Felix and friend in front of a half track truck
a big truck only they have track in the rear. They are made of heavy steel. you can’t shoot throu it. I don’t suppose I will be able to write very often while we are out here unless we move into some building. I guess we well stay here from 3 to 5 weeks. when you write to me just use the same address I will get the mail ok. Well I think that about all I know.
The Ocean here is so pretty I am sitting here and looking at the vast body of water it is 5:00 PM and the sun is starting to go down. As the waves keep roaling it sounds just like a train, at night when I would awake I always thought
there was a train coming. Well it is no 10 minutes of nine, We all ready moved in to a deserted Indian town in a big real old building which I suppose use to be a old Saloon – “Beer”. We have cots to sleep on and small stoves so it won’t be too bad. there aren’t any lites in the building so I borrowed a candle so I could finish this letter. The weather has been beautiful for the last two day I sure hope it stays nice while we are out here. Well it is 9 o’clock so we have to go to bed.
Good bye From Felix
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