Question 74: Free Response

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Returnees Reaction to the Enemy and Further Duty

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Form A
74
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Theres a lot of Fascism and all it stands for going on in the United States right now and our government is not doing anything about it.
Get out all the Jews who are running this army, and give some other poor suckers to make money. Too many "Yes" men in the higher brackets keep the industrialists mind their own business in their own country instead seeking cheaper labor in other countries, in order to make millions. This I'm sure will prevent friction to cause another war, which we the poor people have to pay with our lives for their lust for millions.
Right now there are many defense plants closing. Most of the men in these plants should be sent into the army. They had their good times and made great deal of money. The men now in the army should take their place. Leave them see what I have seen and they will appreciate the Good old U.SA.. They speak of war criminals well what about John L. Lewis? I am affraid [afraid] there is going to be many changes made when the boys get back. Why was Argentina admitted into the Peace conference, because of the money and new big industrialists or to provide better relations. I think this was a big mistake.
Why does the Army put good men like us guys on that island in the West Indies and let us rot and morale is lower there then any place in this world. I never came home for 3 yrs that was harder on me then if I was in Germany.
America is a rich country. Every individual civilian citizen owes his very existence to men who braved death & some who met it. It is only right to treat these men as you would treat a person who saved your life from drowning or other ways. Nothing is too good, so be generous as national economy will permit even if it means cutting down other national expenditure.
An overall fair method of discharge is hardly possible because each soldier has his own peculiar personal problems but present system is good.

Believe that German heavy industries should not be destroyed but should be confiscated by United Nations & used for their sole benefit leaving Germany an agricultural & light-industry nation. Believe in international cooperation.
The Army in the States is beginning to become a corporation instead of an army - or trying unsuccessfully.
Why do officers get all the films - while the dogfaces can't get any.

Why can't we play golf & ride horses while they can. The Inf. is the forgotten man I think he don't get a break. WHY! doesn't the Inf. Combat badge count in the pt. sys. [point system] - he has to work 24 hrs a day and give his life's blood. Ernie Pyle was the only man who plugged for the Inf. Is it fair to the men who died in Battle to know their badge didn't count for any pts. [points]
There is no sense to paying a wife who is working fifty dollars a month and parents who are wholly dependent thirty seven.

Red Cross refused to give my mother Army reliefs phone number after she had lain several days without food or help. Some kind of assurance should be given soldiers that their dependent will be taken care of. There is no excuse for not having prices fixed at prewar levels. In my outfit we have 14 officers doing the work of about two men, and work for only about one out of every five men. When the army tolerated the black market in Africa and Italy it certainly did not hasten the end of the war.
I believe our flight surgeons do not take interest or too much interest in the condition of flying personnel. Seem to have the view of men just GOLD BRICKING. [malingering]
I don't think it's quite fair for a man that has escaped from a Jap Prison Camp in the Philippines and has fought as a Guerrilla LT for 2 1/2 years, to come back to the States and get promoted from Pvt. to P.f.c. I think he should get his commission as it was given to him by an American Officer in the Field who was authorized to do so. But because of the lack of Records he was unable to retain commission.
I would like to know what causes the cold attitude toward the solider on the part of many civilians.

I was surprised at the lack of interest the civilians show in the war. They have developed a selfish attitude & seem to care only for themselves. They are all making money & don't seem to know a war is going on. Also many of them look like they're in good health. They seem to take the attitude that we're "suckers" for being in while they are the "smart guys" for staying out. It's a rotten situation & damned unfair to guys who are doing their part. One more complaint is the "out of bounds to enlisted men" situation that exists overseas. Why should officers be allowed to go to places where enlisted men can't? I think there is too much politics & lots of officers I've seen are unqualified for their jobs. All they cared about was there own welfare.
I think the Army should encourage and aid older men (who are qualified) to obtain a higher education.

I should like to become a psychologist or some sort of social worker, but the "red tape" in the school setup makes this impracticable, so I have to resign myself to the post office job I am sure of. In other words, I don't feel as though I'm "flying my ceiling" and so am apt to remain somewhat frustrated if I don't watch myself. The education system needs an overhauling, but I guess that's not the Army's job.
I am battling with my conscience about this PW business. Sometimes I feel that I did my duty fully even after only 9 days' combat by enduring German PW treatment for 102 days. Then I figure that I wasn't doing the U.S. any good by getting myself caught. Do you suppose it'd be possible to identify PW's by some ribbon or badge?

I think the Army is a good existence as long as military training is not brought to its ultimate purpose - i.e.. warfare. Discipline is good for anybody.
as an ex POW. I would like to get in an M.P. outfit and guard these German POW's. I think all Ex. POWs. should get this oppurtunity [opportunity].

Then you would see if they would go on strike for more cigarrettes [cigarettes] and they would work too. The men guarding them now are too easy, most of them havn't [haven't] been over seas and are afraid of them. But us ex POW's, being treated like we were could make them work & like it. Their life is too easy here. Coming back from over seas, I saw guards Gerrys at Fort Sheridan unguarded and taking it easy. This wouldn't happen if we got the chance to show our stuff. Disgusted POW.
I feel that there is too much money, time, and manpower being wasted on bases and programs in inactive theaters. (Ex. Caribbean) Too many men are sitting idle and getting stale by doing so. Valuable shipping space is being used to supply these troops whose necessity has long since passed. I think the program on Puerto Rico should especially looked into to see if it is necessary to try to train the people (Puertoricans) as soldiers, only to discharge a large per cent of them after a good deal of time & money has been spent on them. If it is monetary aid these people need I think it should be handled in some other way than through the war dept [department]. These men live at home, get overseas pay, serve in the army, many for only the required three months, and then get full benefit of the G.I. Bill of Rights.
Why in the hell let men out of the army while we still have a major war to fight? If in the beginning we had only Japan as an enemy would we not mobilize every available man for total war? Yes - I believe that after a man has 18 months of combat he's had enough - but keep him in the army - in the States as an instructor or furlough him into war work etc. It is bad for morale to let some out and keep others in - and more so if a man has the required no. of points but is declared "essential"

If they must have a point system - well - let a guy out whether he's essential or not (if has 85). I know a guy - in the Army 4 yrs a CPL [corporal] (not a fuckup) he's essential Some shit
I was transferred from one outfit to another outfit as a Non-Com and was shortly sent overseas. An order came down from division headquarters not to bust the excess Non-Coms. When we got to England I was busted but never received any order busting me. I held a permanent Pfc rating before the war and I understand they couldn't bust you (if you held a rating before the war) unless it was for inefficiency or mis-conduct. I had no black marks against me and was efficient in my work. After having four years in the army and a Sgts rating, for 3 years I don't think it's right to bust a non-com because he is excess in grade when it's through no fault of his own.
I'd like to know why my points stopped adding up after V-E day [Victory in Europe Day: May 8, 1945]. I have 76 but I think I should have 77. If I stay in the states for another year, I still won't have enough points to get out. I'm still in the army but I don't want to stay here all the time.
Be so tough on the German people so that they will know what war is like, yet not treat them inhuman re-educate the younger generations to a christian way of living.