NEW YORK
FORT HAMILTON
“I saw the Statue of Liberty yesterday and had a short boat ride. As I sit here now I can look right out over the ocean and see the big ships coming and going. This is really a nice place, we are being treated like kings.”
In New York, Fort Hamilton lies on the southwestern tip of the Brooklyn borough where the Hudson River empties into the Atlantic. The site has been used for military purpose since the Revolutionary War, making it the fourth oldest in the United States. During the First and Second World War, the fort was a major embarkation center for the European Theater.
Fort Meade, Maryland
Feb. 3, 1943
Dear Mother,
Well I got a chance to write sooner than I figured. We’re at Fort Meade, Maryland. It’s a pretty old camp and somewhat different than we’re used to. I don’t think we’ll be here very long, but never can tell. They said it’s not a port of embarkation so we would have to go somewhere else before shipping. We weren’t on the train very long, from six last night til a little after noon today. We saw the Capitol and Washington D.C and the different monuments around there. We’re only a few miles from there now. Ronny Benson is still with me and Martin Hauble is back with me again too. I’m not able to write anything about the camp because this mail will probably be censored and you wouldn’t see it anyway. It don’t look like there would be any chance for a furlough, but I’m going to see right away. We are having a clothes check any minute now so I will close for now. Write real soon.
Love,
Lawrence
P.S. I sent a package the last minute, just some stuff I couldn’t take with me. Just put it away. I might send for it some time later. I had a kid mail it back, but I think he’ll put the right address.
Times Square in 1943.
Fort Hamilton
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Feb. 5, 1943
Dear Mother,
Well I’ve moved again since I wrote last. I saw the Statue of Liberty yesterday and had a short boat ride. As I sit here now I can look right out over the ocean and see the big ships coming and going. This is really a nice place, we are being treated like kings. I am only about twenty minutes ride on the subway from Times Square in New York. Most of us are together now except in a different barracks. We left one of our pals in Butner and another in Fort Meade. I think if I was left behind all alone I just about commit suicide. Those two boys felt plenty rough when we left. We had a tough physical exam at Meade and about twenty out of six hundred didn’t make it. That O.S.A in the address means Over Seas Assembly area. Of course we might stay any length of time and then we might not. There’s just two mess halls in the camp and they have about 150 K.P everyday, boy they sure are big. I don’t really know much about the camp yet. We just got here at dark last night, so I’ll close for now. Write soon. I might be here for a while.
Love,
Lawrence
P.S. Ronny and I sent our low shoes home to his place, you can get them there sometime. Better pay for the postage, we sent them C.O.D.
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Fort Hamilton
Brooklyn, NY
Feb. 21, 1943
Dear Mother & Dad,
I got your letters yesterday and I hope we’ll be here for a while so I can get some more of them. It won’t be so nice if I go across because it will take so much longer for mail. Well I was downtown last night again. I’m getting so I can find my way around much better now. A person has a better time by just going to a big theater where they have a band on the stage. I saw Sammy Kaye at the Strand Theatre on Friday night. He sure was good. They put on a show like they have on the radio. You said I was a sissy to think 10 degrees was cold. Well it might not be cold at home, but I’m used to warm weather now. In fact, I’ve only had long underwear on a couple times all winter. It has warmed up a lot now, there’s little water puddles and moist mud, but it’s not so bad. There’s pavement on most all the streets. About those bonds, I’m going to see the company commander about them because at least one should have got home by this time. I give $6.25 every month in that way. I have a bond every three months. They told us as long as the pay was taken out, we didn’t need worry because it would take a while to straighten things out. I have six thousand in insurance now, but could increase it to ten thousand. It would be about two and a half or three dollars more a month. They say it’s good insurance but you have to die to get anything from it. Well there is a payment of one dollar a month for the loss of a leg or arm. Well I’ll think it over about both. You know, we get 10% more pay when we go across. I see it’s dinner time so I’ll close for now. Write soon.
Your loving son,
Lawrence
Left: A view of the Strand Theatre in Times Square on February 20, 1943 – the day after Lawrence saw Sammy Kaye perform there. Right: Band leader Sammy Kaye directing his orchestra and Nancy Norman on stage, Sammy Kaye’s lead singer during much the 40’s.
Fort Hamilton
Brooklyn, NY
Feb. 26, 1943
Dear Mother,
I’m so sorry that I didn’t get to answer your letter til now. I just came off guard about an hour ago. I went on yesterday at eight thirty and didn’t get off til today at eleven. It wasn’t so bad, but I only got about two hours sleep, so I’m still pretty tired. I had a pretty tough post, but made out alright. Well things are the same. It’s a little cooler again today but of course it isn’t spring yet. I haven’t been to town since the first of the week but I hope to go this weekend. The last two times, I went roller skating down here in Brooklyn and I sure had a good time. I’m getting so I can skate pretty good. I got that box of candy the 22nd. It went to Butner first. We wrote to the mail clerk there to forward all the mail up here and he wrote and said he would. Oh yes, we have a different address now. It’s supposed to be easier for the post master. We might be here for a while yet, so just keep writing a little more often please. There really isn’t a darn thing to write about, so I’ll fold this up and mail it yet today. Thanks for those pictures. I can see the snow is pretty deep. I know just where they were taken too, so I still remember how things looked around home. Well so long for this time and write real soon.
Love,
Lawrence
P.S. New address: Bldg. 291, A.P.O 4015-H, P.M. N.Y.C
Fort Hamilton
Brooklyn, N.Y
Mar. 1, 1943
Dear Mother,
I got your letter today. I was glad to hear how everything is going. I’m just about the same, I don’t know nothing. So Dick got to be a 2nd lieuy. I wish him luck, I think he will need it. I myself wouldn’t want to be one if they gave the job to me on a silver plater and payed me double to boot. Of course don’t repeat or spread around what I think of a lieuy. I suppose it makes the Malones feel pretty good to see that he got his commission. It sure must be a hard winter to be killing off so many people, but I suppose they have to die sometime. I just came back from the P.K and I bought one of those pillow covers, so I’ll send it as soon as I get a couple stamps. You say I have seven thousand in. They have it stamped only six in my pay book, but as long as it’s seven, it’s alright. I thought I had seven, but wasn’t sure. They won’t send any policy. It’s just made out in a form and the policy is kept at the White House I guess. I never heard anything about Mel. Is he in the army or what? I’m rather glad Gene got out of the coup because I know working inside all the time is not much fun. I know I don’t even like to work in the kitchen one day at a time. Sometimes I think of trying to join the M.P’s. I think it would be pretty nice and I can get plenty tough if I have to, but I really don’t know what I want I guess. I don’t have any trouble with ration books but a lot of things are rationed such as butter and meat, they are only served twice a day. We get plenty of sugar, but I don’t use much sugar anyway. In this place though, they seem to get plenty of everything. Well I guess that’s all for now, I’ll go down and mail it before the post office closes.
Love,
Lawrence
The pillow cover sent home from Fort Hamilton.