Byrnes, Ben

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"...We are now having classes (hour ones) in aircraft recognition, first aid, and chemical warfare. All of these classes are very good and may come in quite handy in the future. Ensign Locke conducts these classes. I've already had eighteen classes of plane recognition while I was in 'boot camp'--yet I still can't recognize them as to whether they are enemy or our planes...."

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"...my letters will become less frequent as time goes onn due to circumstances which I am sure that you'll understand...I'm out here only because I have to be and to win this darn war, so the sooner we get that job completed the sooner I'll be home...Seems like the draft board is getting wise and is drafting nearly all the young boys left on the homefront...."

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"...Instead of getting closer to home we are only going farther away...As to my whereabouts I"d like very much to tell you--also what has taken place--but if you paid close attention to what I have said in my previous letters and from the latest developments in the Pacific from your newspapers you should know...The climate has been nrather cool--so cool that they issued each man a suit of long, heavy underwear...."

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"...Seems like I am broke and ready to be paid at the paying periods every month. If I didn't get into those darn poker games, I'd always have plenty of dough. I never started that until I came aboard ship...Lewis and Carl are certainly fortunate if they don't have to go in service and go overseas and so on like I've done. You just can't tell people in so many words how really a 'rugged' life we lead out here on an LST...."

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"...Today I have been scrubbing the bulkheads getting all dirt from them in the starboard troop lobby as we are having both personnel and ship's inspection by the captain and officers tomorrow. Back on 'mess cooking' well as I don't know, too much about the Navy I'd just as soon be on that as anything...." [Censored areas have been excised from page 1 and page 2 of the letter]

Scope and Contents "...I laid up in the sun this afternoon on a cot and got a little more tan. With the time that I have off, I spend most of it sleeping. Seems like I've sorta lost interest in writing letters. I suppose because there is nothing to write about, censorship being so strict and while on 'deck force' not much time to write...Today I suppose 'we live in deeds, not years'. Wars are horrible, destructive and heart-tearing, but it is written in the Bible and according to God's word...'There shall...

Scope and Contents "...The censors let down and so now I can tell you where I've been but I can't tell you where I am now, and some of the things I've seen but I can't mention dates...I may as well start at the beginninig--way back in New Orleans, LA. From OGU (out going unit) in Camp Peary, VA I was sent to the naval station ['Algeria'] Naval Repair Base across the muddy Mississippi River and three miles from the heart of the city, there I picked up this ship--LST 713. We shoved off from these and sailed on...

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Written on Fire Association of Philadelphia letterhead. "Please excuse me for not writing more than I have been. I'm working at an insurance office and haven't much time to write. Hope you are feeling all OK...."

Envelope is stamped "Deceased. Verified by Statistical Division HAEF."

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"Why don't you write me. We haven't received a letter from you in a long time now. Mama is worried about you...."

Envelope stamped: "Deceased. Verified by Statistical Division HAEF."

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Photocopy of an orginal typed and signed memorandum correcting the death date of John O. Miller, advising records be corrected to show deceased was enlisted Oct 10, 1917...."