May 15, 2014

Mon, May 1, 1944: damnable humiliations

"I'm no one to console a person because of awkwardness on my own part.  But a fellow of your intelligence and broad outlook on life needs none.  You will have many damnable humiliations, but will meet numerous personalities and be a leader among all of them.  There is no doubt that you now hold a record of being the most intelligent and best educated young man of your age to enter boot camp.  This will make you a natural leader and you can develop a philosophy which will be worth more than many more glamorous things."

-- Letter from Rip Tallent, Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to my father, Camp Sampson, N.Y., Monday, May 1, 1944.

No comments:

Post a Comment