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| John's Parents Bonnie and Elwood, during World War II, not yet married! |
Feb. 17, 1943
Dear Mom and Dad,
How are you? How is everyone else there in the little towns of Highland, Griffith, Gary, & Hessville? I am just fine. My cold is gone and I am all settled in my new company. I’m getting used to these guys now and they seem like a pretty good bunch of men. We are doing the same thing in the company as we were in the 1801st. I am even working with the same guys over at the garage that I worked with before. We went to work this morning, but this afternoon we stayed here for driving instructions and practice. We kept taking turns driving a truck around over the field. Some fun! I received three letters from Bonnie today so I am very happy with army life. The only thing is that I haven’t received any from you or Eddie, or Jesse, or Vi. Tell them I want them to write and if they don’t, I’m going to flip my lid. Boy, I just got a laugh. De Grazio was restricted to camp for a week, and he was just now playing ping pong with the 1st sergeant. He thought he was getting good so he says, “Sergeant, I’ll play you a game of ping pong for my restriction. If I win, you forget about keeping me here and if I lose, you restrict me another week, only you have to spot me ten points,” so the sergeant says, “ I’ll give you a better chance, I’ll spot you eighteen points.” They played the game and De Grazio won, so he left with a big grin on his face. After he left, the sergeant told us he was going to lift De Grazio’s restriction tomorrow anyway. There isn’t a better 1st sergeant in the army than him. He was my 1st sgt in the 1801st but he isn’t now that I was transferred. Did I tell you I have a steel bed now? Well I have. No more army “cots” for me (for a while anyway). I’m resting better now than I was before too.
Mom & Dad, I have some good news for you. Bonnie & I are going to try to be married this summer. Isn’t that swell? I’m about the happiest guy in the world right now. I called her last night and it sure seemed good to hear her voice again. I haven’t been gone very long but it sees like a long time to me. Oh yes, I took that ticket to the train depot here in Battle Creek, and Ill bet you’ll never guess how much of a refund I got on it. I got exactly 13cants, and it cost me 20 cents to ride the bus in town and back to get it. I was so mad, I couldn’t see straight. Well, did the battery charge up in the Chev, or was it ruined? By the way, next payday, I’m going to send you $10 for my 1943 license plate. I’m sorry I couldn’t get it while I was there, but it is a good thing I didn’t. Well, I’ll close for now, but I’ll write again soon. By for now.
(I hope you are as happy over Bonnie’s & my hopes as we are. Bonnie & I have been praying for three years now that we could be married. I only hope our prayers will be answered. So long.
