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| John Edward's Master Sergeant epaulets, family collection |
Master Sergeant.
"The highest rank
an enlisted soldier can obtain,"
he wrote home on May 28.
In addition to the
Master Sergeant promotion,
"Erstwhile is
the battalion Sgt. Major."
This role he explained
in his June 4 letter.
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| John Edward letter home, June 4, 1942, family scan |
A letter of congratulations soon arrived from the University of Texas Band
Director George Hurt, who had supported John Edward and
written letters on his behalf since enlistment.
The letter began with warm regards, and continued
with encouragement on a personal level.
"You have gone exactly the same way that I did .... Every rank
that you have held, I also held."
Hurt explained how he
"understood all the lower ranks"
when he became an officer -- and added that he believed
John Edward also would become an officer.
 |
| George E. Hurt, Director, University Bands, University of Texas, letter to John Edward, June 10, 1942, family scan |
Meanwhile, routine life continued at Camp Blanding.
We learn more about camp living arrangements and recreation
in nearby towns in a letter that John Edward's good
friend Henry Gomez wrote to "Mrs. Binnion."
"Last night we sat in the show for four hours to see 'Gone With the Wind'
and it was very warm, but we managed fairly well" (14 Jun).
Henry's heartfelt opening and earnest closing to Mrs. Binnion
reveal much about her warm communication with him.
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| Sgt. Henry Gomez to Mrs. Binnion, June 14, 1942, family scan |
"Please do not worry about Master Sergeant Binnion. He is doing all the good
and I think he's a swell fellow. Everyday I see him I like him more,
and after receiving your letter I feel that Johnny is just like a kid brother."
was hastily written:
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| John Edward letter home, June 19, 1942, |
Officer Candidate School right away."
"not earlier than nor later than July 4, 1942"
to The Quartermaster Officer Candidate School in Camp Lee, Virginia.
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| Special Orders for John Edward to attend the Quartermaster Officer Candidate School, June 20, 1942, family scan |
A two week furlough began the next day, which John Edward wrote about from his
relatively luxurious accommodations on the "Silver Queen" train.
 |
| John Edward letter home, June 21, 1942, family scan |
His semi-private room, with benches that train stewards converted to
beds in the evening, was considerably more comfortable -- especially with
a lower berth -- than the troop sleeping cars John Edward was accustomed to.
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| Army and Smithsonian photos, ca 1942 |
But furlough would not include California:
"I tried to get off early last week so that I could come to Los Angeles,
but the Colonel couldn't see it my way -- maybe after school is out."
Travel across the country would have taken well over half of the two weeks.
And so he made arrangements to see Milton (the friend we met in
the previous post) in New York. If cousin John Nance Garner,
Vice-President under Roosevelt, "is in Washington, I'll see him too" (21 Jun).
Radio City and the 'Hit Parade' Broadcast,
the Broadway musical comedy 'Let's Face It,'
the Bronx and it's Irish neighborhood 'Hell's Kitchen,'
the Statue of Liberty, and the Empire State Building.
"Everything is 'dim out' just like you folks probably have out there" (22 Jun).
Both coasts were on "black out" or "dim out" after sundown.
On the West Coast the threat of Japan cast an ominous shadow of fear,
and internment of Japanese-Americans was well underway.
It was German and Italian threats that loomed on the East Coast.
Newspapers reported in June of 1942 that German agents had successfully landed
in Long Island and Northeastern Florida. But their plans to sabotage factories
and water supplies and to bomb bridges and railroad stations were
disrupted when two of the agents defected.
One of the highlights of his New York City visit
was a Brooklyn Dodgers baseball game:
"Naturally, that's a MUST on my list!" (22 Jun).
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| John Edward letter home, June 22, 1942, family scan |
It was well worth traveling over an hour via subway
and bus to see the Dodgers play:
His next letter opened with a report on the baseball game:
"the Dodgers won last night. Wonderful game."
In fact, the whole city "is a wonderful place."
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| Brooklyn Dodgers on Ebbets Field, public domain |
or, as John Edward said, "this life of leisure" (22 Jun)
that was "spoiling" him, seemed to be just what was needed
before he began Officer Candidate School at Camp Lee.
