The most popular brand of cigarettes was Lucky Strike, followed by Camel. In Paris, the SOS [Services of Supply] troops and their dates smoked Lucky Strikes and Camels; in the foxholes, the men got Paul Malls, Raleighs, or, worse, British cigarettes.[1]

The cigarette rations (on the line) were Chelseas or Raleighs—not the first choice of most of the men, who preferred other brands. But the truck drivers were stealing the Lucky Strikes that were supposed to go to us. We were fortunate to get the C rations. But the mail was the important thing. Hearing from our loved ones gave us the incentive to stay alive.[2]

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Cigarettes became difficult to obtain. Each man was ordinarily issued one package per day, but we considered ourselves lucky now to get three packages for an entire week. The Stars and Stripes told us of a growing cigarette famine at home due to shipments to soldiers overseas, and we wondered if they were being dumped into the ocean.

Everyone got showers at regiment and clean clothes of a sort. Socks were issued along with the food occasionally. We received two issues of month-old magazines from Special Service and two issues of Armed Services editions of popular books.

My mother wrote that she had thought of sending me a home recording of the family’s voices for Christmas but had reconsidered. I wrote her that she showed amazing foresight — there was not a radio or phonograph available anywhere.[3]

~~~~~

[1] Ambrose, Citizen Soldiers, 338.

[2] Soskil, 124.

[3] MacDonald, 68.

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