Furlough is a word that has been in use since the seventeenth century. A furlough is a leave of absence. In the military a furlough is a leave of absence that is granted for a period of time, so that the service member may take care of personal business or enjoy a vacation.
Furloughs were formal leaves from military service granted to enlisted men. These furloughs could only be granted by commanding officers attached to the soldier's company or regiment. Military officers also could apply for furloughs, but the rules that applied were often at least nominally different, and officer furloughs were more commonly called "leaves."
Citations:
“World War II Story - Paris on Furlough - Chapter 27.” Gallagher. Accessed 2023. https://gallagherstory.com/ww2/chapter27.html.
Citation: Furloughs before overseas duty. (1943, Jul 18). New York Times (1923-) Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/furloughs-before-overseas-duty/docview/106818788/se-2
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.
Notes – Handwritten letter dated June 14, 1943, two pages. Includes envelope, postmarked June 15, 1943, 10AM, from Dale Mabry Field, Fla.
Citation: Indiana Memory. (2014, March 26). Between Times: Army Slang, 1943 Edition. Powder Horn 1943 - Indiana Ordnance Works Newsletter, Charlestown, Indiana. Retrieved March 30, 2023, from https://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15078coll17/id/9904/
This article goes into detail listing of Slang that WII soldiers used such as:
Penguin: Air Force servicemember who doesn’t fly. (Alexander)
Sugar report: Letter from a sweetheart. (Glossary)
"...Starting as early as 1941, correspondents began reporting and discussing military slang in the pages of American Speech, the journal of the American Dialect Society. Here’s a list of some of the soldiers’ language that they saw emerging during and immediately after the war."
Citation: Onion, R. (2013, November 11). Some choice bits of slang from American soldiers serving in WWII. Slate Magazine. Retrieved March 30, 2023, from https://slate.com/human-interest/2013/11/military-slang-terms-used-by-soldiers-in-wwii.html