Elton Fletcher in Flying School, 1942

In Flying School

Bainbridge News & Republican, April 23, 1942

 

         P.F.C. Elton Fletcher

 

The young soldier on the front page of this week's News is First Class Private Elton J. Fletcher, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Fletcher of Bainbridge, R.D.1.  [Chenango Co., NY]

 

A popular and bright student in Bainbridge Central High School, Elton enlisted in the United States Army about a year ago and is now stationed in Mississippi.  Below appears a letter Pvt. Fletch wrote to his parents and also to his friends in Bainbridge.  We feel that this typifies, even more than any other letter we have received, the real spirit of the young American youth who so quickly adapts himself to new surroundings.  It shows an intelligent willingness and desire to learn and it also shows that this young soldier is learning about things he has already been interested in, for instance farming, and when he returns to his civilian life he will bring knowledge with him that will help him.  If every young service man took as great an interest in his new surroundings as this young soldier does, their years in the service would be more than worth their time.  And we feel that the majority of our boys do take advantage of their opportunities.

 

January 7, 1941

Greenville, Miss.

Dear Parents and all:

We arrived here this P.M. from Camp Lee, Virginia.  After having "chow" we were assigned to Barracks.  Everything is new and the camp just being settled.  It was a cotton field last summer.

 

Our beds are more like beds than cots and very comfortable.  Heat from fuel oil furnaces.  Cheap here.  The land looks pretty good near the Miss. River but most of the land from Virginia was awful.  All I saw was poor huts on the way.  I don't see how the people live.  New York looks as good as any I've seen.

 

I talked with a farmer who has a 3,000 acre plantation, mostly cotton.  He invited two of us to dinner some day.  A lady nearby has invited 20 of us to a taffy pull tonight.  The people here are nice but not quite as willing to accept us in their homes as at Camp Lee.

 

The River at Greenville is Spoken of as "The Lake."  Several yachts and freight boats like those shown in "Steamboat on the Mississippi," were anchored in port.  This is about 250 miles from the Gulf. 

 

February 26, 1941....This is a beautiful day and "First Cadets" graduation here. Visitors allowed on the grounds today.  Bands and parades.  I just saw a formation of three groups of nine planes each go over us; looked very nice. I am on K.P. today.

 

You asked me what my work was. I  am Company Clerk.  I do all the filing of papers that come to Quartermasters Detachment, from headquarters, other posts, etc.  I type passes for the Company Commander to sign, answer the telephone, and go on errands to other detachments or squadrons on the Post.  Lately I have been figuring out a furlough schedule; of course it's impossible to satisfy each person, so we do the best we can.  I have my name down for May 1st. 

 

I just played six games of ping pong.  The boys have been making all kinds of tables for our recreation room.  The new curtains improve it a lot.  For outside games we have badminton, paddle tennis, volley ball and quoits.  Have met several fellows from Cornell. I am finding lots of interest in my work of learning the procedure of organizing and providing for a company of men.

 

They have strictly forbidden the use of a camera at the Post.

 

I am glad you keep well. I am and enjoy my work very much.

 

Love and best wishes to all, Elton J. Fletcher.