Letter to Duval and Mary Thelma Hines from Joseph M. Hines, USMC

Letter to Duval and Mary Thelma Hines from Joseph M. Hines, USMC

Hines, Joseph Martin

Hines, Mary Thelma Borden

Hines, Duval

World War (1939-1945)

Toms Brook (Va)

Letter from Joseph M. Hines, a Toms Brook native who was then serving in the United States Marine Corps, to his parents Duval and Mary Hines in Toms Brook Virginia. The letter was sent from Camp Joseph H. Pendleton in California on October 17, 1943.

Joseph M. Hines

Folder 1.6: Letters from Joseph Martin Hines USMC to Duval and Mary Hines, August-December 1943. Joseph M. Hines Collection, 1941-1945, Truban Archives, Shenandoah County Library, Edinburg, Virginia, USA.

Shenandoah County Library

October 17, 1943

Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial (CC-BY-NC)

English

Letter

Oct. 17, 1943
Dear Family
Here it is Sunday but just a working day
for me. We came off of ___________ Tuesday and
went on a 72 hr leave wed. I didn’t send a wire
because I knew it would disappoint _____ if
I sent a wire because you would think I was
coming. Well they are still cancelled I think we
will get them after amphibious training.
I’m getting along better since I got my
Stripe. I’m Chief scout incharg of two men
In my squad. They have our platoon a new
Louie and he was the best ever, but he
was in an accident and had to have his
arm amputated, so we got another today a
good guy (2nd Louie) by the name of “Reanolds”) (spe-
lled same as “Davis” Reanolds Ha)).
Mother I know “Margie” is young and expect her
to go out and if she don’t wait for me I’ll understand
but up till now she is tops I haven’t found any-
thing out here to equal her. Maby I’m growing
up I’m almost 20 you know.
over

I am beginning to feel proud of my outfit and
My self we made 30 miles in 9 hours Carrying 60 lbs.
and a rifle and I’m bragging now we only lost 30 men
out of over ___ and the third lost 200 in 10 ½
hrs. boy were we dead.
Boy what a liberty we pitched some and
met about 10 girls. ___ of them the best in the
bunch took us home and we had a nice dinner
and a lot of ____ _____ and faking it. Joe and
I washed all the dishes. Joe (Joe ____) is sure
some wolfe and a swell guy we usually
swap girls every time for some reason but
both of those were named Helen so we just
stayed as we were. We went back Sat. mor-
ing and passed notes under the door till they
got dressed and let us in. It was fun but the nei-
ghbors thought we had gotten fresh with the
girls and that they were trying to keep us out
and they were going to call a cop. boy did they
have one foot in the gutter. I have been going
going to church regular and had communion the
5th in the field. well gotta hit the sack.
Love Joe.
PS each letter will contain
a Marine Corps slang word and meaning

scuttlebutt-rumor
sack-bed
doggie-soldier
more next time

Letter