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to Estelle Spero
8 April 1943
Diamond, Sidney, 1922-1945
Diamond tells Estelle that it is raining hard, but that his tent does not appear to have been greatly affected so he will still be able to sleep in it that night.
GLC09120.213
April 1943
Diamond informs Estelle that he has half an hour free, and expresses apprehension about the next four days, promising to write when he returns.
GLC09120.214
10 April 1943
Diamond tells Estelle that the following day he shall turn twenty-one, and that to mark the occasion he has been inflicted by a bad case of diarrhea. Sidney compares democracy to a map cause, in that when things are easy, people are "prone to get...
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11 April 1943
Diamond describes his birthday, which was celebrated with a quiet luncheon. However, Sidney reports back that festivities were disturbed by an act of insubordination (a staff sergeant talking back to the company commander), a tremendous quarrel, a...
GLC09120.216
22 April 1943
Diamond tells Estelle that the company has just received orders for the next move which will most probably be to East Texas. He also informs her that on Monday evening he had attended a seder.
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Diamond writes this letter after the troops have been traveling for thirty-seven hours. He describes the journey thus far.
GLC09120.218
Diamond describes the Dales, a family that lives nearby to the camp. He writes that the "woman of the family epitomizes the motto of these backwood Southerners - 'Keep 'em pregnant and barefoot and you'll never have trouble with 'em!'
GLC09120.219
Diamond writes that he has just returned from a lesson teaching him how to drive a two and a half ton truck. He proceeds to describe Leesville as the typical small army town, with the number of soldiers exceeding that of local civilians tremendously...
GLC09120.220
Diamond instructs Estelle as to what information should be engraved on his identity bracelet. He then describes the contents of his field abode, a peep tent.
GLC09120.221
26 April 1943
Diamond describes the experience of having been train quartermaster for the duration of the journey from Louisiana. He then discusses the pleasure of sleeping in a bed and showering after six weeks in a tent.
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28 April 1943
Diamond tells Estelle that the part of camp that he is stationed on is known as "Wake Island" as it's so isolated.
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3 May 1943
Diamond tells Estelle that he should be home on a short period of leave on May 8th. Sidney asks Estelle if she will marry him.
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20 May 1943
Letter written upon Sidney's return from the leave during which the couple became "engaged".
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21 May 1943
Diamond discusses his "unsurpassable proposal" to Estelle, and then describes the train journey back from New York to Texas.
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May 1943
Diamond tells Estelle that he intends to marry her.
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23 May 1943
Diamond describes discomfort caused by a typhoid injection, being officer of the day on a Sunday and the immense heat of a summer day in Texas. He apologizes for not having written on Friday or Saturday, explaining that he had been on a battalion...
GLC09120.228
25 May 1943
Diamond describes the tests of physical endurance that he is both carrying out and overseeing, for example a five-mile hike executed in just one hour.
GLC09120.229
27 May 1943
Diamond comments on the fact that the couple's engagement had been announced in the Hunter magazine.
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31 May 1943
Diamond describes having spent the weekend in Austin, and also serving on the defense counsels for the court-martials.
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1 June 1943
Diamond informs Estelle that he does not know when his company is to actually leave.
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Diamond describes life in the "home for the aged".
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3 June 1943
Diamond complains about having been served pork for all meals recently. He also describes a mock court-martial that took place the day before, in which he played the defendant.
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4 June 1943
Diamond responds to a series of comments made in Estelle's letter of 31 May.
GLC09120.235
5 June 1943
Diamond informs Estelle that she will receive notice of his safe arrival from the Adjutant General's office when he is finally moved.
GLC09120.236
6 June 1943
Diamond writes that as his men are aware of the fact that they may leave soon, they have "thrown all caution to the wind".
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