May 23, 1943
Dearest Mary,
Received your letter today, although I almost missed it, cause I wasn’t there for mail call, when I heard that they called my name, did I ever make time, getting it! Jimmy is driving me nuts, here I’m trying to write and he’s fooling around, we are going to the show tonight and see the (Huisman Comedy) they say its pretty good, and that it makes you cry, so I’ll have to go, I feel like a good cry, ha, ha, have you ever felt that way Mary? where everything seems to be going wrong, and you try not to, but it just comes out? That’s the way I get at times, but I can’t cry!
Boy is it ever raining, this really is a wet state, I guess the Mississippi will be flowing over soon, ( hope) then we can get the heck out of this camp, I’m telling you Mary! every one hates it here, boy what a hole, we should kick tho.
If it was a nice day I was going to take a sun bath, cause I want to be tan too, when I see you, but Sunday is the only chance we get for ourselves. You talk about your going to bed early, man! We have to, or were not worth a darn the next day, getting up at 5:30 is pretty tough, then in the morning we have a few classes, and in the afternoon its marching or work, they love to see us work, to tell the truth Mary! that’s our middle name, any way who cares, its making men of us, at least some of us. We had a motorized parade yesterday, for the General and the Waac’s (they) were the first we’ve seen since we’ve been here, (not bad) some of them looked pretty good in uniform.
The infantry is giving the boy’s furloughs, starting June the first, then I guess it will be our time, so little girl I hope its soon, cause Mary! I can’t wait to see you, boy that going to be something. When is Liz, going to get married? I’ll bet your really going to miss her. Gee Mary about the Wave’s or Waac’s I don’t know what to think, it sounds so good tho, at least you would be in this country, and that what I want, try and forget Hawaii until after the war, I know its preying on your mind, especially, when your disgusted the way things are.
Tomorrow we are going out in the field another overnight hike, the trouble with the hikes is the officers, the men sure get disgusted when its time for chow, cause we have to eat out of mess kits, and they sit at a table and eat out of dishes, and they get the best too! I know if I was an officer, I’d do what the men did, and they would have more respect for you, sometimes I get burned up too! but you can’t say anything, it’s a sinch they won’t do that when their across. This war is going to be over soon, by the way things are going, are boys are doing swell, I was reading about another American ace who bagged three German planes in one flight, gee I sure envy him Mary that’s all I dream about is to fly, sometimes I feel if I were in the Air Corp as a pilot I’d make it my future. How about R.J. what does he intend doing, he’s really going to town, boy that’s swell! What type of work is your pop ding Mary? working the North American too? Does Mom write to you often, she said that you owed her a letter, you had better answer little girl, she sure loves to hear from you. How are the Blackouts still going strong that is one thing they don’t have here, I kinda miss them ha, ha. Gee that will be something when the lights go on again, boy that will be worth celebrating. Have you ever seen the San Francisco bay area when the lights were on Mary? boy its beautiful, it’s really exciting too. I guess L.A. is the same, huh, I really don’t remember it.
Well little girl I’ll have to sign off now, and do write but quick, you know I only got three this week, gee, keep it up kido, cause I love to hear from you.
Love,
Bob
Say hello to your folks for me and also Liz.