Bio: Luepke, Chinks (Goes to West Coast - June 1941)

Contact:  stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Luepke

----Source: Spencer Record, Spencer, Wis.) 06/04/1942

Chinks Luepke Goes To the West Coast

Has Been In 33 of the 48 States of the Union Since He Went Into the Army; Expected to Sail Soon.

May 20, 1942

Dear Folks:  Once again I’ll make a stab at writing you on the run which is rather difficult.  The window is open and my paper is flying around like sixty, so with one foot, an arm and five fingers I’ll attempt to hold it down.  We are now coming into southern California, that makes 33 of the 48 states I’ve seen so far.  It took us from Monday morning at 5:30 until Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 to go through Texas alone.  Talk about oil wells.  I never thought there were so many in the United States.  We are still going through the desert, nothing but sand, brush and hills.  Once in a while you see a little mud shack of some Mexican or Indian.  How in the world they can exist in this place is beyond me.  But then the rabbits do, because I never seen so many in one spot in my life, as when we came through New Mexico and Arizona.  It was just one jack rabbit after another.  I’ll bet I could of shot 200 right from the train, if I’d had my gun here.  Last night we had to keep our shades down so there wouldn’t be any lights showing because we are in a combat zone.  All the big bridges we’ve crossed have been guarded either by soldiers or [remaining text missing from copy.]