DIY History | Transcribe | World War II Diaries and Letters | Helen Angell Fox letters to Bess Peebles Fox, January-May 1944 | 1944-01-14 Helen Fox to Bess Peebles Fox Page 2

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Helen Angell Fox letters to Bess Peebles Fox, January-May 1944

1944-01-14 Helen Fox to Bess Peebles Fox Page 2

2
There is no ward work because all the patients are ambulatory -- the great majority with amputated legs, limps or arms in casts. It is really a convalescent hotel rather than a hospital, as they come from Walter Reed main hospital when they are almost recovered. The work is just like that in a club. As a matter of fact -- it seems to consist in doing just what you'd pick if you had a free choice. Here's what I've done.
Wednesday morning 9-12 -- straightened up magazines, got games together and set them up on tables ready for use.
Wednesday afternoon 1-5:30 -- Sat at the game desk & checked out ping pong balls, cards & games. Visited with the men, who hung around showing me card tricks, match tricks. Played chess with a dashing cavalry lieutenant with a moustache and wavy hair (he'd been waiting weeks for someone to play with)
Thursday afternoon 12:30-5:30 Played chess (a two hour game) with the lieutenant (Harris by name), who finally beat me. Played chess with three other men who ditto. Learned some more match tricks. Played a game of chinese checkers.
Thursday evening 6:30-9:00 Kidded around and watched a grand orchestra show put on by a service orchestra assigned to the hospital. In it were Benny Goodman's drummer, Sammy Kay's singer, Russ Morgan's trumpet player and many

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2 There is no ward work because all the patients are ambulatory -- the great majority with amputated legs, limps or arms in casts. It is really a convalescent hotel rather than a hospital, as they come from Walter Reed main hospital when they are almost recovered. The work is just like that in a club. As a matter of fact -- it seems to consist in doing just what you'd pick if you had a free choice. Here's what I've done. Wednesday morning 9-12 -- straightened up magazines, got games together and set them up on tables ready for use. Wednesday afternoon 1-5:30 -- Sat at the game desk & checked out ping pong balls, cards & games. Visited with the men, who hung around showing me card tricks, match tricks. Played chess with a dashing cavalry lieutenant with a moustache and wavy hair (he'd been waiting weeks for someone to play with) Thursday afternoon 12:30-5:30 Played chess (a two hour game) with the lieutenant (Harris by name), who finally beat me. Played chess with three other men who ditto. Learned some more match tricks. Played a game of chinese checkers. Thursday evening 6:30-9:00 Kidded around and watched a grand orchestra show put on by a service orchestra assigned to the hospital. In it were Benny Goodman's drummer, Sammy Kay's singer, Russ Morgan's trumpet player and many