February 27 in A.A. History

In 1903, Paul H. [left, in 1920] was born in Butte, Montana, to Mary Furlong and Daniel J. H., the founder of a department store bearing the family name in Butte. In 1940, Paul would get sober in Alcoholics Anonymous in Washington, DC.

 In 1939, six weeks after leaving the hospital in Los Angeles, California, where which he had gone to detoxify, Pat C. wrote to the Alcoholic Foundation, stating that he had recovered from his alcoholism. Bill W., Hank P., and Ruth Hock had been sending copies of the multilith manuscript all over the U.S. A copy came into Pat’s mother’s possession, and he read it cover to cover. He thanked them for it and shared his story—how he started drinking in 1917, his World War I service, how his drinking continued in France, and how it persisted after he returned home from the war. He described the following 15 years as “one drunk after another.”
    He enlisted in the Marine Corps. Initially, he drank very little and was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant. However, he soon began drinking heavily again, was demoted in rank, and sent to China, which did not help his drinking problem. He did not reenlist.
    After returning home, his wife left him due to his drinking, and he struggled to hold a job. He remarried, but his new wife and mother were concerned about his drinking. Then, his mother read about A.A. in an article published by a doctor and wrote to him. The doctor forwarded her letter to A.A., who responded immediately.
    n his letter, Pat mentioned that he was already reaching out to help other alcoholics. Ruth Hock wired him, asking for permission to use his letter anonymously. He replied the next day, “Permission granted with pleasure. Lots of luck.” They included his story, “Lone Endeavor,” ghostwritten by Ruth based on their correspondence, in the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous.
    This was the first time anyone had heard of someone getting sober simply by reading the book, so a collection was taken up to buy him a bus ticket to New York City. When the bus arrived, the welcoming party found Pat sleeping off a drunk under the back seat. His story was removed from the Big Book before the second printing.

In 1961, Bill W. wrote to Nell Wing from Cambridge Beach, Bermuda [right: the note]: 

Bermuda Feb. 27 1961
Monday

Nell Dear
    We are having a great time – probably the best vacation we ever had. We look & feel so well you wouldn’t know us The weather has been perfect and Cambridge Beach is a superb spot – really the best possible.
    Pls <indecipherable> Bert Gardner for us –
Much love
           Bill