Letter to Pvt. Souil W. Garner U.S. Army Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana December 21, 1943

This letter is also from Phoebe Emma Garner, Bill, Mary and Souil's mother.

Mrs. S. Wade Garner

6000 York Rd

 Baltimore -12 Md

Dec 21 st Tuesday

My Dear Souil,

Your letter just arrived, + without writing a letter in return I could just say, "thems my sentiments too." It just seemed as though a good part of that letter I must have written to you, instead of just the opposite. Well I certainly do share thoroughly the way you feel about Christmas, to me it doesn't seem possible it will be here + gone in just a few short days, + even now since Dad has put up a tree + trimmed it, it still does not seem actually that Christmas is here. Bernard went out on the lot in back of their house + cut one for us + Christman's + himself. Mr. C drove back there + brought them home; he trimmed theirs last Sunday afternoon + Dad trimmed ours while I sat in a chair + bossed the job. I am getting more expert at that all the time. But the tree has not made it seem a bit more like Christmas, neither could all the gifts the world holds, without my kids; it only emphasizes the fact that they are not here. Jane's mother + Dad want her home for Christmas day + Bernard don't want to go. He vows he is going to have dinner in his own home if he has to cook it,  + eat it alone.
So Dad + I are going to be home as usual + if he comes in for a while, or they both do, all right, if not we may go to Aunt Eva's a little while in the afternoon. But I told him to go along with Jane + don't spoil their  Christmas because he wants to be with us. My cold does not seem to leave, it is better for a few days + then I seem to start all over again, I have been afraid to go out for every time I do I come back sneezing + coughing. Maybe I am coddling myself too much. But I am getting out of patience with myself.
Hugh Sebra called yesterday, said he  + Alameda had both been sick with Grippe + he has an ulcered stomach. He said too; Uncle Willie Johnson is in bed with a heart ailment + is not expected to recover. Aunt Gertrude has had a hemorrhage in one eye + has lost the sight of it. He said she has been working for about two years in a millinery store on N. Charles St., but has had to quit now. Also said Frank Groton was married about three weeks ago. Wonders never cease, do they? It is very cold here, but you must have Balto beaten, for we have only had two mornings that the thermometer registered 17, last week it hovered around between twenty + thirty degrees a good part of the time. It looks like snow this morning + I shouldn't be surprised if we get some. I was talking to Aunt Eva on the phone and she said Uncle John has gotten over his bad cold + is feeling fairly well again. Dad is surely breaking the record this year, he has not had one cold so far + I hope he continues so. I am glad Harriet seems to be content  + I felt sure she would adjust herself to conditions as she found them, don't spoil the present, thinking  about the future. Just be thankful for the day as it comes, + trust for the rest. It seems that is all any of us can do, + after all, we are only given that one day at a time, so why waste the strength we need to get through that one, fretting about tomorrow.  Guess you can understand all this lingo.

I received a card from the War Department too notifying me of Wilbur's (Bill's) change of address. I couldn't explain how I do feel about it, if I tried, so its best not to try I guess. All we can do is trust. Poor Kid! He surely has had some hard knocks in his short life, + I do think he was dreading, the coming  of Christmas at Camp Polk without Betty. Well now My Dear Boy I do sincerely wish for both of you + Harriet a happy Christmas, + am certainly thankful you can be together, at least some time through the Christmas season. My love to both of you + lots of it.

Yours Lovingly Mother

Letter to Pvt. Souil W. Garner U.S. Army Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana December 19, 1943

This letter is from Phoebe Emma Garner (Souil, Bill and Mary's mother). As of the date of this letter, she had three of five children in the armed services, Mary in Minneapolis, Souil in Indiana and Bill in DeRidder, Louisiana, preparing to depart for Europe.

Mrs. S. Wade Garner

6000 York Road

 Baltimore -12 Md. 

Dec. 17 - 43

My Dear Souil,

Your letter received yesterday morning + I surely did enjoy reading it and so did Dad when he came home last night. I surely felt relieved to know that Harriet had gotten a comfortable room. See, what a lucky bunch we are! But that's not luck either, simply the one who notes the sparrow's fall, supplying our daily needs; call it what will. I don't think I would like at all, to feel that you children were in a strange City, among strangers and not Also know that He who made the universe has you under His care.Well, today is the big day you have looked forward to; so I, like yourself am wondering where + what, for you. I had a phone call from Wilbur on Tuesday night, (I think it was Tuesday) He said he had been trying to get one through to you, all the evening, he was then in DeRidder, + said there was no change in his plans. He had said before in his letters he expected to leave on the 15th of December, so I suppose he didn't want to say so, but meant that as good bye, for the present. Well, the only thing we do is trust, where we can't see, + we surely can't see far.

We are having a very cold spell of weather; last Monday it began + yesterday it was down to seven degrees. I expect it is just as cold this morning. Was nice clear weather though + the weather bureau says clear today. Baltimore is certainly hard hit by the Grippe Epidemic. There is talk of closing the schools, on account of it. I am glad you will be able to use the barracks for sleeping during that extra period. I don't imagine it would be very comfortable sleeping outdoors in such cold weather, unless absolutely necessary, it does not seem practical or sensible to me, but guess Uncle Sam might think otherwise. 

Dad + I had a good laugh about the long underwear, but I'll bet you are thankful to have it now. I wonder how Mary is managing to keep warm. I think about her each morning when we get up, how cold she used to be. I'll bet she, like ourselves + thousands more, will be too happy for words, when Peace finally comes. 

I am much relieved, + not at all surprised to know Harriet has landed herself work to keep her busy: you can't keep a jump ahead of that girl, + I imagine, she'll keep two jumps ahead of you and that is good for you. Well I hope she doesn't over do her strength, for she is a real bunch or energy, + would never be happy idle. 

Colin Bell will be home next Sunday + will leave on the 26th of Dec. to go back to college at Macon, Georgia, so I imagine he would get your note here before he leaves, I do not have his school address, but if you want it I will get it from his mother, for his birthday is Jan 1st and we have always sent him cards, so I will need it anyway. 

We are fairly well, my cold is still trying to hang on, but I feel pretty good except coughing + hoarseness + time will take care of that, I think. Jane has been home with a cold since Tuesday, is better now. Hope you get the box all right, wish it could have been more, but I couldn't get out shopping much on account of the cold, so now, Bye, Bye, + lots of love to you both, we certainly do think of you often.

Yours Lovingly Mother 

Letter to Pvt. Souil W. Garner U.S. Army November 6, 1943 Baltimore Maryland

This letter is from Phoebe Emma Garner (Souil and Bill's Mother)  to Souil after he was drafted into the Army and sent to finance school at Fort Benjamin Harrison,  Indiana..........

Mrs. S. W. Garner

6000 York Rd.

Baltimore Md - 

Nov. 6-43

My Dear Souil,

I received your letter on Wednesday, was surely glad to get it. Harriet called the night before, + told us of her change in plans; she sure did feel badly about it. We certainly do sympathize,  I told her to come anyway, + stay a couple weeks, but she didn't think that would be practicial, + I suppose she knows best. Well, Dear Boy, we surely will be thinking of you this weekend especially. I don't often stop my work on Saturday morning to write a letter, but I can't get you out of my mind this morning, for even a few minutes, so thought I would stop + write to you. I had a letter from Wilbur this morning telling  me, his unit is slated to be the next one out of there for overseas, when the maneuvers are over. It seems terrible for this war to drag on + on as it is. There must surely be some good reason the Good Lord has for allowing it, + who am I to question? I know you must be digging into that course you are taking. I hope it will be of use to you when things are settled once more, + this night mare is over. Souil Mr. C says just about the same as that Officer told you; he thinks you have gotten a wonderful break, so lets hope any way. There does not seem to be much left in this life anyway-but hope,  so lets hold on tight to our hopes + faith which is only a confirmation of our hope. Hope says I expect so + so, + faith says, I know in the Lords own good time he will bring some special thing to pass, because he has promised that, "No good thing will be withheld from those that love him." So lets not lose heart. Well, here's the Old Lady preaching again. Souil Mr. & Mrs. C are very much worried about Jim. Patty's sister has a boy friend, who is a sailor; his boat docked over a week ago in Boston + he went home, to Plattsburg, on furlough. He was surprised on arrival, that Jim was not home, for he says Jim's boat, The Spencer, was in Boston dry docks laid up for repairs. He told Patty + she has waited almost a week , after that for some word, and then wrote to Christman's. He had written Patty a few weeks ago and told her he had lost his hearing entirely from concussion of big guns, (he is in charge of a gun crew.) The Dr's think one ear drum is burst, but that the other will respond to treatment. Since that she has not heard a word. Mr. C thinks it must be a mistake, + that the boat couldn't be in, but Mrs. C thinks it is in, + Jim is hurt more seriously than his letter said + he is in a hospital + won't let them know. Well they are really worried. So I have spent a lot of time trying to keep her talking, so she won't have time to sit and think much this week.  See, I always have an alibi, when I don't write often, when the reason really is I get lazy, once in a while. Now Souil I guess I shall have to bring this to an end. We are both well, + getting along all right. I laughed at your reference to Dad's pay,  (the mistakes) for he came home the last pay day, with nearly six dollars more than he should have had + they don't seem to be able to figure it out. Well, if they want it that way, I hope it won't be six less. Now Lots of love from us both, to the very best boy in the world, none excepted.

Yours Lovingly

Mother 

Letter #77 from Mrs. Souil Wade Garner April 6 1945

In this "Letter to Mary" Phoebe Emma Garner, Mary's mother makes reference to her service flag with fours stars on it, one star for each of her children serving in the military in support of the war effort, Souil in Florida, Mary in Minneappolis, Bill in Germany and Joe in Massachusetts.

Star from Phoebe Emma Biggs Garner's
Service Flag

 

The Service Flag: A Brief History

As unprecedented numbers of Americans heeded FDR’s call to service following the attack on Pearl Harbor, millions of red-bordered flags began appearing in windows across the country. Flags bore one blue star to represent each family member serving in the U.S. military.

The flag was a carryover from the First World War. Its simple but potent design was created by Army Captain Robert L. Queissner, who had two sons on the front lines. The flag quickly became a kind of visual shorthand that communicated a family’s powerful and personal commitment to the war effort.
At right:  WWII posters frequently used service flags as a kind of visual shorthand in acknowledging the breadth of America’s shared sacrifice.
During World War II, the practice of displaying the service flag became even more widespread.
Before the end of the war, it seemed that a banner hung in the front window of virtually every other home in America. Some banners displayed as many as four, five, or even six blue stars, indicating the number of family members serving in the Armed Forces. Parents and siblings took great pride in these overt displays of patriotic duty. Conversely, it was a sad occasion when a blue star had to be covered over with a gold star since it signified that a cherished loved one had made the ultimate sacrifice.

Phoebe's flag would have had at one time four stars on it and I am sure had it not been for Bernard's, the youngest of the five siblings, disability of asthma and leg dysfunction it might have been five.

Mrs. S. Wade Garner
2425 Calverton Heights Ave
Baltimore, 16, Md.

Mary W. Garner, SK1c USNR
Supply Dept.
U.S. Naval Air Station
Minneapolis, 6, Minnesota 

April 6, 1945

My Dear Mary,

I just received another letter from Joe; it has sort of taken the wind out of my sails, for the time being; but I expect I shall have to say once more, as regards Joe, Dad is right, & I am wrong. I hence forth & forever, concerning Joe I shall try as far, as I am able, to make myself know, that, all along this has been his attitude, except when he gets in a pinch. I personally am through & whatever he does, he will have to take the consequences. If the Red Cross bothers me again, about him, I shall refuse to interview them. Here is the letter & you read it & tear it up, for I wouldn't want dad to see it. Of course Joe knows I am here alone, when mail arrives & I don't suppose he thinks anyone but me will read it, for he knows I would never show that to Dad. But I won't live always & when I am gone, if he is anywhere around, don't let Joe pull any of his tricks on the rest of you. Maybe you had better preserve that letter after all. But don't let him pull your leg as he has mine. I do not intend to write him again, at any time, under any condition; no matter what. 

I am going to cash in on this insurance I hold on him too, & take down this service flag with 4 stars in. Later & can get one with three. I intend to cut every tie that remains & as far as possible he is dead to me. Don't sound like me does it? And dad has not influenced me either, for he has not even been mentioned since that last letter came. I shall mail these divorce papers to him without another word enclosed. And then wash my hands thoroughly of everything concerning him, and if possible I shall wash my mind too. I do think this is enough. Now don't you worry about it either. He may have been born in the same family with you, but he is practically of no relation to one of you. 

He has no gratitude, conscience, or a spark of honor. Even dumb animals appreciate it when you try to help them; & he is shrewd enough, to be everything mean. So now I expect he feels there is nothing more to be gotten out of us & he can do as he pleases. And I was trying to figure a way to send him part of his fare back to Florida if he is released. (I am some sap) Well, it is his choice. I have made myself nearly sick a couple times lately thinking about him. Next time I catch myself starting to think about him, I shall grab my hat & coat & go out some where. 

I shall positively fight off any impulse whatsoever even to think of him. Now don't let him worry you either. Some letter, but I have just got to let you know how he feels about us, so he can't in the future hurt you the same way. I might write a long letter but just now it is all I would talk about, so I shall say 

Lots of Love My Dear, Yours Lovingly, Mother.

P.S. The box is packed with your uniforms & dad is sending it off tonight. Plenty of room here to keep your others safe, if you want to send them.