Training at Croft
Written from Camp Croft, SC while Joe was in infantry training.
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August 17, 1944
Anne Darling,
What a week this has been so far. I have so much to tell you I don't know where to start. Last night we went on a night problem on compass reading. I was picked as patrol leader of patrol #11. There were six patrols of 10 men each in our platoon. I was responsible for these men and getting back in time. After the long hike on Tuesday night we were in no mood for another last night but we all did it.

I'm enclosing a map that I was given and the stations I was to report to. We had stations 2 and 5. The arrow shows the route I took which covers about 8 miles. The time I left and the time I arrived at each station is also on the map. I did it all in 2.5 hours, leaving 5 minutes to 9 and getting home at 11:30.
I was the third patrol home out of 24. You see there were 4 platoons of 6 patrols each. It was pitch dark so we had to stay no more than 5 yards apart.

Trying to pick out the different roads was the hardest part. So in the past 64 hours we have had only 8 hours of sleep. We had to get up at 5:30 this morning and we only got to bed at 1am. In the last two days we have traveled (or walked I should say) about 40 miles.

Then Saturday we had to go to a range that is farther than the one we went to before. It is 7.5 miles each way with a full field pack. This has been the toughest week that I can think of. My feet really hurt now but I guess everyone else's do too.

The weather is still hot here although Monday and Tuesday were cloudy. Today it was real hot and the only thing that saved the day was a nice cool stiff breeze blowing. I didn't get any mail today but I'll probably get some tomorrow. I'm waiting for some more pictures. I can hardly wait to see them. The ones I got are swell. I'm collecting a nice pile of pictures and every time I feel myself getting blue all I have to do is look at all the pictures and I feel better right away. I can hardly keep my eyes open so I'd better close before my writing gets so bad that you can't read it.

With loads and loads of love and kisses for you sweetheart. I'll say goodnight darling until tomorrow.

Your ever loving husband,
Joe

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