Lt. P. B. Larimore 0-511609[1],, A.G.F.[2] Replacement Depot #1, Fort Meade Md., C-4-1

My dearest Mother.

I do hope you haven’t gone so far as to have my will read yet cause honest I’m not dead yet. This will, mother, be one of the last letters I will write you for a long time. You see the air borne units overseas have put in a call to get a certain number of specialy(sic) trained airborne officers. One of their needs was for a demolition officer so hear(sic) I am and I expect we will be moving out very soon.

I hope you aren’t mad cause I went to Des Moines instead of comming(sic) home on those few day(s). At that time I thought I would be able to get another and longer leave when I got here, but it seems that they want to get us somewhere quick so will have to stick around close to home. But Mom I just had to see Marilyn. It was just over a year since I last saw her and I do miss her so much. Oh yes will you have that ring of hers cut down to a size five (5). I think it is a six (6) now.

If you can spare it Mom I could use a little extra money in the bank. A lot of my uniforms are old and worn and I am having to buy new stuff and it costs money.

Think if I am here next week I will take a run up to New York and see Leota for the week end.

Hope you can read this scraching(sic). I am in bed and am half asleep. We go to school from 0700 to 1730 every day and that ain’t fun.

How is everyone at home. Grandmothers package if she sent one hasn’t caught up with me yet but I guess it will some of these days.

I miss you more and hope it won’t be long before I see you again. Take care of your self.

Your son, Phil

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10 to 24 Jan 44, It’s unclear where Dad learned of his transfer to the 3^rd Infantry Division.[3] Certainly in his letter home of 19 Jan 44 he sees himself as still in the Airborne.

~~~~~

[1] Handwritten letter. Post Marked 20 Jan 1944, Fort George Meade, MD.

[2] AGF = Army Ground Forces.

[3] The U.S. Army Infantry Division was organized (so that) the maneuver elements of the infantry division consisted of three infantry regiments, each with three infantry battalions. This allowed the “two-up, one-back” arrangement so conducive to the execution of both offensive and defensive doctrine. … These regiments of approximately 3, 300 men each were supported by three battalions of 105mm howitzers with eighteen guns each, and by one eighteen-gun battalion of 155mm howitzers; the total authorized personnel strength of the “division artillery,” as these four battalions and their ancillary support group were called, was 2, 230. A total of 2,123 troops made up the rest of the division, including combat support troops such as engineers, armored reconnaissance, and signal units, as well as service support units such as quartermaster, ordnance (maintenance), and other logistical groups. Bonn, When the Odds Were Even, 57.