DRAFTED - 1942: What a bunch of hot apples!

Oh it is a really such a tough goodbye. Audrey and Leonard have been together as married folks for almost one whole, wonderful, glorious month and have been dreading this day. But here it is and it’s no April fool joke. Probably not as graceful as it could be but they part ways amid tears- well, Audrey’s tears. Leonard will steel himself and submit to the new way of life.

New recruits like Leonard probably gathered at the train station in Natick, Massachusetts along with family and friends wanting to say goodbye to loved ones. First stop is Fort Devens for processing then Leonard is off to Fort Banks. It’s just the luckiest break ever to get assigned basic training so close to home. If only they had known….  Click a GREEN button to start reading letters from 1942.

For more info on Ft Devens, click the pic for a link to Wikipedia.
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So it’s off to the Army, Mr. Main and he’s counting the days until 24 hour passes can begin – that’s in 3 weeks. Meanwhile, Audrey has moved in with her sister Vicky in a rented trailer in a camp back in East Hartford and just does the best she can. The first letter she receives during the first week of April is fairly optimistic:

“Dear Audrey,  By this time, I’m quite the soldier. They’ve issued me more stuff and I don’t know what half of it is for. I’ve changed my clothes more times in the last two days than Gypsy Rose Lee ever did. I wouldn’t say it is as bad as everyone says the Marines are, but they don’t give us any breaks. They have just given us the afternoon off (it’s three o’clock) but we can’t leave the barracks. What a bunch of hot apples.”

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