The Rat Story from a letter written Dec. 22, 1943 to wife Venice Allen Crossen

My Dear-

 

Sit down easy, relax, and listen quietly.  It isn’t that I expect you to believe me, but here is what actually happens at this end.

 

There are native troops in the area, and when on patrol they customarily sleep with their feet exposed.  All of them were raised barefooted, and probably few ever wore shoes before they got in the army.  They, like the civilian natives, can walk for miles over cobblestone, soap stone, trails you can hardly see.  And at night, as they sleep on the ground, they generally sleep with feet exposed, as no mosquito or bug could possibly bother them.  A White office first told me this story several months ago; I doubted it, but the story has been repeated by two more white officers, and a white civilian native.  It seems these jungle rats gnaw at the calluses on the bottom of their feet while they sleep; this hard part of the sole seems to be a delicacy to the rodents.  By morning, an entire company may be almost unable to walk.  The theory- accepted by the white officers and others as a fact, is that the jungle vermin blows on the foot as he gnaws, thus keeping it cool, and causing his host no pain.  One experienced British officer from a nearby Pacific spot said he had-I think it was 82 of 104 men laid up in one night.  I listened, but had my own opinions.

 

Last night we were up most of the night in the field.  When I finally got a chance to sleep, I took my leggings and shoes off, loosened my belt, and lay in the back of the Jeep.  I was only due for a couple of hours sleep, as I had to be at it early, so didn’t undress.  And the mosquitoes were bad.  There was a gentle breeze blowing, so I threw my shelter half out on the ground and lay there.  The breeze was just enough to keep the mosquitoes away for awhile.  Then for some reason I awoke.  I felt the pleasant, slight warm air on my feet; then I noticed there was none at my face, and mosquitoes started coming in.  I sat up, and startled a big jungle rat at my feet; it was off before I could grab and kick the safety off my .45 to get him.  Today the bottom of my left great toe is nearly raw.

 

Treat that story as you wish.  (I am leaving out the personal comments re: faithfulness, money here). 

 

Well, how does that one sound?  My toe wears adhesive tonight.

 

Goodnight----------- John

 

NOTE:  Spelling of vermine, mosquitos, and callouses have been corrected by spell check.

 

 

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