The map image seen here shows the distance between the Greenville Army Air Base (now known as Donaldson Airport and the accompanying Donaldson Reserve Center) where John was stationed at the beginning of this series of letters, and 58 Main Street in Piedmont where Margaret lived. The distance between them was just over 10 miles, but as an enlisted soldier who may have had to depend on others for transportation it may have felt like much further.
The following object description information includes basic elements from the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI). An additional notes field is included to list dates from the actual letter, envelope postmark locations, and any other identifying details.
While presenters in pre-induction meetings tailored answers to local situations, much of the material they used conformed to information provided by the military and federal and state civilian defense organizations. Many questions centered on what the inductee needed to do before reporting for service. For instance, after a one-day stint at an induction station, draftees were sent home for at least 21 days to clear up personal and business affairs. Officials urged men to arrange for the settlement of their current financial obligations such as taxes, loans, credit debt and mortgages. The Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act included relevant provisions, so getting legal advice was recommended. Inductees often needed to secure allotment checks for dependents such as wives, children, and parents to provide for them while in the service. The allotments weren't much money but they were better than nothing - $50 for a wife or other adult dependent ($22 of that was to be deducted from the serviceman's paycheck) and more money for each child. Other tasks such as purchasing life insurance and transferring power of attorney also came into play.
Citation: State of Oregon. (n.d.). Sending Them Off to War: Pre-Induction Information Programs. State of Oregon: World War II - Sending Them Off to War: Pre-Induction Information Programs. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://sos.oregon.gov/archives/exhibits/ww2/Pages/services-induction.aspx
In this letter, Jack warns Margaret that he may be on CQ duty and therefore unable to meet up with her on the coming weekend. CQ duty is explained below.
"CQ or charge of quarters is a tasked duty in which a United States armed forces service member is to guard the front entrance to the barracks. In which the two service members, one a non-commissioned officer (NCO) and the other a junior enlisted service member, sit at a desk to monitor incoming and outgoing traffic into the barracks. There are usually additional duties, such as sweeping the entryway, cleaning the entrance restrooms, and checking the barracks laundry room for laundry left overnight. Other duties may include performing radio checks every few hours with other company barracks and battalion headquarters around the base or surrounding installations as well as bed checks to ensure service members are in their rooms with their doors locked by curfew."
Citation: Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, August 28). Charge of quarters. Wikipedia. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge_of_Quarters