Search

Talks with one of the truck dispatchers about freight transportation; hears reports about the bombing of Cologne. Lists all of the periodicals that he reads; fears the worst for what Germans to do Jewish Allied POWs; while cleaning out the office files he finds some long expired credit cards that Lt. Kennedy just happened to need that day. Discusses how, even though he was a lawyer in civilian life, he would not care to be a military lawyer; does not like the editorializing comments under some of the captions of Japanese prisoners. Laments the fact that he can never read all that he wishes to. Discusses the quality of education in the US with Lt. Sorensen; reads an article that there are too many men in the service doing too little; meets a Jewish girl on the bus; sees two soldiers fight for a chance to give a woman their seat. Sees a short about Iwo Jima, and how horrible it was there. Hears the end of some discussion on the “Negro problem,” and joins in the discussion.

Some of the POWs who work in the mess hall go “on strike” and are replaced; calls Marilyn Kaemmerle and gets an update on her situation. Sees pictures of the bombing of Dresden; Lt. Kennedy does not mind talking about social problems, but does not see much of a point in them. Sees the movie “The Unseen;” hears about the return of some German POWs who had escaped; hears about a policy that says the Army will take draftees age 18-21, and the Navy will take draftees 21-38; reads a letter in the newspaper from a Navy sailor who is a William and Mary graduate, who disagrees with the Board of Visitors on the Marilyn Kaemmerle issue. Talks about how the “loafing” of the men who have just come from the sea is not good for the morale of the camp regulars. Goes on leave to see Esther in Washington, DC. On the return trip from Washington, talks with a sailor about the National Gallery. Hears that one of his friends is in legal trouble for selling meat over the price ceiling; is told about race and segregation trouble at the theater. Hears from a person at that theater that there had been no problem at all, just rumors; rides with a young African-American soldier on the bus, and hears about his training.

Rumor that camp will become a prison camp—Boston Symphony programs sound interesting—no shortage of chocolate bars or Rinso. Hopes to read the Old Prophets, good poetry, and Latin and Greek poets and philosophers. He and friends see Peary as being on a vast WPA or CCC at times . Esther sends food including the coveted bananas, wants her to perfume her next letter with Tabu. Has word that his [furniture?] business is picking up. On 7 December 1943 letter, he writes “2 years after “ [anniversary of Pearl Harbor attack]; hopes he won’t have opportunity to write “3 years after.” The typing and shorthand teacher has a Ph.D. Saw “As Thousands Cheer.” with Lena Horne (”all her gorgeous self”), Mickey Rooney, and Katherine Grayson. Music by Jose Iturbi. Friend had a beer in tavern in colonial building. His wedding anniversary is December 29. Wants to renew his subscription to Free World. H.R> takes the role of an attorney for the accused in mock courts martial. Veterans Administration in Pittsburgh notifies him at home that he is civil service legible and certified as an attorney and announces a vacancy for a Field Examiner Grade CAP-7 at $2,600 per annum.

Hears about a friend who was transferred from his department for requesting additional leave after his father died; Tries to get a friend who is going back to Pittsburgh to bring back an apple pie from Esther; is angry that there are conditions that make war necessary; has a friend who sees a newsreel of murdered Poles and Jews, and cannot believe that humans could be “guilty of such deeds.” Hears his friends on how the Japanese could be more expected to murder than the Germans, because they are “heathens.” Is reading the book “Citizen Tom Paine” that takes liberties with history; theorizes that some servicemen are beginning to consider war their profession. Hears that he has the reputation of being the most avid book reader; hears about another incident involving race on the camp; reads about how the meat famine may just be a creation of the meat packers, not an actual shortage. Talks with a POW about the situation in Germany. The Captain makes a separate bus stop for the African-American soldiers, but he makes it close to their separate USO, as they used to have a long walk to get there; mails out more chocolate and cigarettes to people back home; is trying to find information about the African-American actor Ira Alldridge; talks about another racial incident[in a seemingly unconnected letter fragment]. Is curious in hearing about the situation of the Jews in Italy, as compared to Germany. Draws a map of the garden and the area around the hut he lives in; while playing some classical music, one of the POWs sticks his head in the hut to compliment the music, and Recht notices all the POWs sitting around outside are listening to his music; reads a book studying the lives of Orthodox Jews. Spends a day in Williamsburg and eats at the Lodge, as he often does; hopes that the war will be over a little sooner than expected.

Reads a book that talks about Black Mountain College. Hears rumors of the “imminent possibility of Nazi surrender”; tells Esther about how much money he will get when he gets out of service. Talks with another soldier about going to Richmond for a Seder meal. Is confused by a friend ending a letter to him with “Love to Esther. Anything you want?”; the men living in the hut each contribute a little bit of money to buy flowers for their garden. Describes to Esther the Passover Seder that he attended. Comments that the services at camp offer nothing stimulating, so he will not go on a regular basis. Talks with a man at the Temple in Richmond who owns a clothes plant that makes many of the uniforms for soldiers, along with suits for civilians. Talks about how the Rabbi at Passover had to quiet down the participants during the service; is polite and civil to the German POWs, but not trusting; hears rumors of the Allied armies making inroads into Germany.

Hears a lot of contradictory information regarding China, its Communists, and the KMT; notices how businesses complain about the lack of business when they are actually doing better than ever. Fragment that talks about Walter White’s book. Hears about a dance contest for enlisted men, but cannot get down there in time; reads about a French pastor who quotes Pasteur over his door. Compares what he hears about the treatment of Allied POWs to what he sees the treatment is of the German POWs. Gives a description of the town of Gottingen from a book he is reading; has a friend who believes that the Russians will attack Japan as soon as Germany is defeated. Begins to get a cold wave after the beginning of an early summer. Tells Esther to tell one of the people he knows, Lt. Boreman, that he is to be a legal officer for the camp. Sees the movie “Hotel Berlin”; hears that the POWs are allowed a German newspaper from New York City; hears about Nazi leaders escaping through Spain to Argentina. Reads a book that is a “report on the Negro’s status in World War II,” that has an introduction from Eleanor Roosevelt.

Reads that Russia will not renew its treaty with Japan and that Japan’s cabinet has fallen. Makes a visit to Richmond, but returns early; reads a story in the paper about German slave workers brought to Germany from conquered countries. Hears that the Nazi’s have one of Stalin’s sons as a hostage. Has to do laundry because of an inspection the next day; talks with a few sailors who are up before the Captain the next day for speeding off the base, and being away without leave. Two members of the office skip the inspection because they were supposedly out until three a.m. driving people back to Richmond and Hampton, but they in fact never made their second trip and merely slept in. Hears a story of how every sailor who goes out to sea is given a hammock, but they are only used for covering the bed and sheets to prevent them from getting dirty. Reads a story about a Rabbi who traveled through all of the war zones and did not hear of any racial or religious prejudice. Sends Esther an article about segregation in the camp theater. Talks about how, even with all his talking, it is hard to change the prejudices of people. Has another discussion with the men in the office about the segregation of the theater.

Is told that it is not proper for offices and enlisted men to socialize outside of the workplace or in public; hears that Lt. Kennedy used to be a pro football ref before the war. Recht’s friend from home, Len, is installed as a camp lawyer; goes to a concert at the College. Hears the news of the death of FDR, and hopes that Truman reveals himself to be more than he fears him to be; feels that the graciousness of FDR will be sorely missed in the negotiations after the war; Kennedy tells a member of the legal department at Peary that Recht was a lawyer, and the lawyer seems interested in stealing Recht for his own department. Hears that all the men with 2 years of service by Sept 30, 1945 will be shipped out to sea soon. Gets a “new colored fellow” into the office, the first one for Recht’s department. Recht decides he does not feel like taking on the busywork of the attorney’s office, would rather stick with his own. Esther may not be able to come down to the Camp because her mother is ill. Suggests ways to use the welfare fund money of the camp, such as a tennis court or records. Confronts a member of the office about not dressing the way the others do, and lying to Lt. Kennedy to get this.

Watches a news broadcast of Roosevelt’s funeral. Thinks about telling his fellow sailors about the similarity between racial prejudice and Nazi ideology, but then sees a magazine that already did it. Enjoys Esther’s visit, even if it was short. Has so much work he cannot even get off a letter like normal. Reads about a person from Pittsburgh who is charged a fine of $12,000 for overcharging customers. Wouldn’t be at all surprised at an Allied landing on the China coast. One of the other people in his department gets a house that the USO found for him and for his wife to stay.