November 26, 1945
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Dear Mother and Dad,
Have been here just a little over one full day and I am now completely settled. It doesn’t take long to get re-adjusted.
Perhaps I sounded a trifle discouraged over the phone. If so, it was because I was so exhausted from 2 days and 2 nights of traveling. Sorry I missed you yesterday, Dad. I will get to talk to you when I call Saturday.
I think this has turned out to be a wonderful deal. We are located in the Memphis Fairgrounds, a 15 or 20 minute bus ride from the center of town. Incidentally, Memphis is quite a city – much larger than I thought it was. It’s nice to be stationed in a place like this—plenty of transportation, hotels, and shows, concerts, etc.
I was interviewed today and have been assigned to the G-3[1] section (plans and training). I will be working in a modern office building on the grounds – something different from the buildings of an Army camp.
[1] The American army used an alphanumeric system to identify staff roles. The letter refers to the level of command while the number refers to the specific focus of the section. S- positions are staff assignments in battalions, regiments, and other smaller units. G- positions are for staffs of commands led by a general officer (divisions and higher). While it did not exist during World War II, J-positions are used in the current U.S. military for Joint staffs (ie, containing more than one branch of service). -1 positions dealt with personnel management, -2 was intelligence, -3 plans and training (and operations during combat), while -4 was supply and logistics. Thus a battalion intelligence officer would be referred to as an S-2.
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It seems rather peculiar for it is the first time that I haven’t been stationed in a regular Army camp.
My typing and clerical experience has finally paid dividends. It’s much better to be assigned to something like this as long as I have to be in the Army a few more months instead of being assigned as a radio operator again in an infantry division.
This place is overflowing with brass—15 generals and 63 full colonels. Lt. Colonels and Majors are a nickel a dozen. Captains and Lts. are rarely seen. Our CO is a Major. He only has 3 or 4 telephones!
The Commanding General is a Lt. Gen. Simpson who commanded the 9th Army is in Germany. We have to be very careful about saluting, hand in pockets, wearing the uniform properly, etc. Outside of that, it isn’t bad.
The first thing they did when we arrived was to give us a Class A pass. They are very lenient with passes.
I had the 10th Mt. patch from all my shirts and coats transferred to the right shoulder today and put the 2nd Army patch on the left.[1] If you were overseas with an outfit and transferred you can wear that outfit’s patch on the other shoulder.
[1] For Army service uniforms, soldiers wore the patch of their currently assigned unit on the left shoulder and were allowed to wear the patch of a unit with which they had served in combat on the right shoulder.
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Saw Grable in “The Dolly Sisters” last night. Have you seen it? It’s a good musical.
The food is very good here in town. The Army chow is pretty good too. Amy Headquarters, especially an Army Hqs. eats well. There is no K.P. here. What a blessing! They have fellows volunteer for steady K.P. A lot of fellows like it because they have every other day off and are free to go on pass.
Glad to hear that Seymour and Stanley Frankel are finally coming home.
Well, I will call Wed. afternoon as I promised. Nothing else to report on now.
Love to you both.
Jerome, Jr.
P.S. Am writing this in the Claridge Hotel where Jack Teagarden’s orchestra is playing. Sonny Dunham starts Thursday. All the good bands come here.
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