Ross County OhArchives Military Records.....Cokonougher, Howard (Bill) 1943-1944 WWII - Letters 8th Cavalry of First Calvary Division. ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/oh/ohfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ralph Cokonougher rcokon@hotmail.com June 11, 2007, 8:59 pm Letters Home From WWII. LETTER # 1: Postmarked: U.S. Army Postal Service, 8:30 AM, 2 Dec 1944. Passed by U S Army Examiner 15410 From: P.F.C. Howard Cokonougher 35424554 E. Troop 8th Cavalry A.P.O. #201 % Postmaster San Francisco, California To: Mr. and Mrs. James Wisecup Greenfield, Ohio Route #2 Philippine Islands March 15, 1945. Hello Jim and all: Heres a few lines in Answer to the letter I received a few days ago from you. Well as you probably know from the news; I have been through Hell and Hot Waters since I wrote you last. They came close to getting me, but I guess the good luck was on my side, so I’m still writing letters to my friends. I got scratched up a little but not bad enough to leave the front line. I am now back having a little rest at the present. I’m sleeping on a G.I. Bunk. Last night made ten nights that I’ve slept on a bunk since last October. Don’t Ask me how I’ve been able to stand it for I don’t know. You know I finaly hit a place where there is some good drinks. I’m telling you that a shot of Scotch realy went good after a struggle all day long under hot lead. I finaly met some white people here to. Some were Swiss, some were Spanish, and some were American born. They were certainly nice people. It kind of made me home sick when I went in the houses. They were the first real Civilian homes I had been in for over a year. Well theres not much I know to write about over here at the present so this is going to be short. Its hotter than blue blazes here in the day time and it gets kind of chilly at nights. It makes a fellow sleep good. And it hasn’t rained on this Island since I’ve been here. Can’t hardly find water to shave in. Well Friends I’m going to have to be closing for this time. I wish you all a happy Easter, and I’ll be waiting on a letter from you. Take it easy and I’m hoping to see you all when this thing ends. So – Long for this time; From, Bill ____________________________________________________________ LETTER #2: 1523 Passed by US Army Examiner 02720 2Lt RJB Censor’s stamp. From: PFC Howard Cokonougher 35424554 E Troop 8th Calvery APO # 201 % Postmaster San Francisco, California To: Miss Geraldene Cokonougher Lyndon, Ohio RR#1 Australia November 11, 1943 Dear Sis; I got the letter that you and mom both wrote together. I was glad to hear from you. I thought mebey you had forgot about me. I am alright and having a fairly good time. Good as expected I guess. Well I suppose your birthday is this month too. I want you to write and tell me what you got for Christmas this year. There ain’t anything I can find to send you this year so I’ll wait till I get home and buy you something nice to make up for it. You be a good girl and study hard at school. From your Brother, Bill ________________________________________________________ LETTER # 3: Postmarked: U S Postal Service JUL 10, 1944, 5:00 P.M., No. 3. War & Navy Departments. V—Mail Service. From: 35424554 PFC Howard Cokonougher E Troop, 8th Cavalry APO #201 % P.M. SanFrancisco, California To: Miss Geraldene Cokonougher Lyndon, Ohio R.R. # 1 Admiralty Islands June 28, 1944 Hello Sis; How are you these days, mean as ever I suppose. Ha! Ha! Well Sis I am alright. It’s Sunday morning and I ain’t got anything to do only eat, sleep, and write letters. The sun is shinning down hot, just like it does ever day. Well Sis did you pass in school this year. Mom never told me in any of her letters I’ve got so far. How is Herb by now still crippled up I suppose. I,ll bet he is still as lazy as ever ain’t he. You box his ears for me once in a while, and then when I get home I’ll pound his ears for you. Has Herb got many girls now. I’ll bet hes got a lot of them ain’t he. Well Sis I can’t think of much to write about so you Tell mom, pop, and Herb I said Hello and for pop and Herb to write to me. You don’t have to tell mom to write for she always writes anyway. You tell mom I’ll write to her next time. Be a good girl Sis and help mom with all her work. Your Brother; Bill V-MAIL __________________________________________________________ POSTCARD: Postmarked 15 Feb 1943, Fort Bliss, Texas. Pvt. Howard Cokonougher 35424554 Troop E, 8th Calvery Ft. Bliss, Texas Miss Geraldene Cokonougher Lyndon, Ohio R.R. # 1 Hello’ Sis, I will send you a card to say Hello and let you know I am alright. How are you getting along in school. I got your valentine. Tell mom and pop hello’ and herb too. From your Brother, Howard Additional Comments: The sister that some of these letters were written to was ten years old. The few scratches that Bill wrote about in his letter to his father's first cousin, James Wisecup, were shrapnel wounds to the head. He received a purple heart for his wounds. Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/oh/ross/photos/military/ww2/letters/cokonoug33mt.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/oh/ross/military/ww2/letters/cokonoug33mt.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ohfiles/ File size: 5.6 Kb