World War II Letters: American Cars During World War II

1944 was a good year for Dad.  He was made a sergeant, and he finally got to marry Bonnie toward the end of that year.  He continued training other soldiers and working as a mechanic on military vehicles.  When he wrote this letter he was still in England but longed to see some American cars and to hear the sounds of home in the traffic of streets in places like Gary, which at that time was quite a different place from what it is today.  JB     

1942 Chevy Gansel (Woody)

    

9 Sept, 1944
                                                                                                England

Dear Mom & Dad,

     Have you been getting any mail from me lately?  I sure hope you have.  I know how much you worry when you don’t hear from me.  You said in your letter that Marge sent me some pictures of Eddie.  I never got them, so as usual, I suppose they have been lost.  How are Marge and Ronnie getting along?  Is she still working?  Say, have you heard from Eddie yet?  I still am waiting for his letters so I can write to his ship.  There is no use writing until I hear from him because the letter may not catch him.  Don’t worry about Eddie though.  He is OK wherever he is.  How is everyone there at home? Still peaceful and happy?  I sure hope so.  Lt. Noel gave me a couple of CHICAGO TRIBUNE’s today, and I was reading all about the news of the Middle West.  It gave me a lift just to be able to read a paper from around home.  I sure wish I were there now to read them.  How I would like to drive through Gary tonight with Bonnie beside me.  I used to hate to drive there on a Saturday evening because it was so crowded, but now I want to see just one street where there is a Ford and an Oldsmobile, and Chev’s and Plymouths and Packards, etc.  I want to see lights and people moving in crowded masses, and to hear horns blowing and street cars changing around.  Boy, this sounds silly, but it is what I call spending a perfect evening.  Going to the show or bowling or skating.  Egad.  Boy, the blues sure get me on this island they call England. I wish we were in France, no kidding.

     Well, I guess I’ve blown off enough steam.

     There isn’t much more to say, only that if I have forgotten to answer any of your questions it is because I haven’t got your letter here with me.  I sure miss you and hope we can all come back home when Germany is whipped.  Bye for now.  Be careful.  Tell everyone I said “hello.”  Please don’t worry about me.  I am just fine and am in no danger at all.  God bless you.

                                                                         Your loving son,
                                                                               Elwood

1941 DeSoto

1942 Plymouth

1940 Packard

World War II Letters: Top Musical Hits 1942 - 1945 by John Bolinger

   

Music was, as it often is, a comfort and escape for everyone during WWII.  The Dough Boys of WWI had their songs, and with the advent of 78 rpm records and the availability of radios, Americans and Europeans during the 1940's enjoyed a rich  variety of music, much of which would ever after be associated with that era from 1940- 1945.  BILLBOARD MAGAZINE had one of the most important charts to measure the popularity of musical recordings, and I was able to find some of those on YouTube for the years 1942- 1945, when my dad was in the army.

For 1942, there were several songs that managed to stay # 1 for several weeks at a time.  "I've Got a Girl in Kalamazoo" performed by Glenn Miller , Tex Beneke, and the Modernaires I have already posted in a previous post with a YouTube link.  It topped the charts for eight weeks that year.  Then there was "The White Cliffs of Dover,"  which Vera Lynn in England had made popular.  Kay Kyser and his orchestra put it as # 1 on American charts, and here is the link to hear that recording:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33-F1o3B0HE

For 1943 there were four hits that were all at one time or another that year #1 on popularity music charts.  The first of those was "Moonlight Becomes You" by Bing Crosby.  Here is a link to the scene in which Crosby sings the song from the movie ROAD TO MOROCCO with Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour:


 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUmkz95E7mw

The same year the Mills Brothers scored a # 1 hit in their song, "Paper Doll," which I still enjoy in Woody Allen's film, RADIO DAYS.


 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWkVrPcHn9I

Al Dexter's version of "Pistol Packin' Mama" reached # 1 for several weeks in '43 too.  Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters did the song also, but their verson never made it to #1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uESJlJAj7g

A song that touched people deeply in 1943 and made the #1 song for a while was "When the Lights Go On Again All Over the World" by Vaughn Monroe. The lyric speaks of hope for a better time after the long ravages of war and sacrifice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmvkPXYGJBg

1944 brought "Don't Fence Me In" by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters as a number #1 song, which I think was especially American in its lyric:


 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5OoiWGygq4

"I'll Get By" by Harry James and his orchestra was also a number #1 song that year:


 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIYB8SVvVfg

Finally, for 1944, we find Bing Crosby with another #1 hit in his "Swinging on a Star"


 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rATftJiWdkw


1945 would see the end of the war, and the top songs that year were varied in their inclusion of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas," which must have touched soldiers far away from home the way, "I'll Be Home for Christmas" had done.  It is a song that can easily bring tears when you think of all those men and women so far from home, longing to see the ones they loved and to enjoy the traditions that so deeply imbedded in tradition and family.


 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXcNfA4qebQ

The Andrews Sisters were often on the charts for #1 songs, and this one, "Rum & Coca Cola" from 1945 was one of Dad's favorites:


  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGxL2uNr7bk

The Pied Pipers were # 1 for a while with this song called, "Dream," a perfect theme for all those who were yearning for the war to end and for peace to come again:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-qkpa8JFYY&feature=related


Johnny Mercer with Jo Stafford made this 1945 hit, "Candy"


 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRudiGqyXjQ



Another iconic piece of American music from WWII is this great song that later in the 1973 Bette Midler would do again and bring it back to high popularity.
It was introduced by the Andrews Sisters in the 1941 film BUCK PRIVATES with Abbott and Costello.  Though I don't think the song ever achieved #1 status on musical charts, it still speaks of the energy and optimism of our soldiers during World War II, so I couldn't make a list of pop music from that time without including it as one of my personal favorites and one that my parents loved too.

"The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pfCFU3Mqww&feature=related

JB

WW II Letters: Longing for a Soda and Popcorn

Dad was excited about a poem his mother had written about Dad's twin brother Eddie, who was then in the U.S.Navy.  I would give anything to have a copy, but the poem was lost over the sixty-seven intervening years.  Dad was very happy about Eddie's "making school," which meant that he would be in special training classes for six months and be used for technical work during those months rather than on the battle front.  This came as a relief to their parents as well.

Dickie was Dad and Eddie's older brother Jesse's little boy, who idolized his Uncle Elwood and would save his letters.  Dad was proud of his nephew too and of how well he was doing in school.  All those little pieces of family news gave soldier's a sense of connection, stability, and hope for the reunions they dreamed of on a daily basis.  Dad downplayed in his letters home everything from the Blitz to any personal pessimism he felt about the war.  Our soldiers now in Iraq and Afghanistan feel the same need to be connected by phone calls, e-mails, letters, home videos, that all keep them in touch with the loved ones they have left behind and hope to see again soon.  Dad always said for years after the war that nothing lifted his spirits more than letters from home.  It didn't matter how trivial the news, Dad would hold the letters in his hands and read them over and over again, sometimes even putting them under his pillow, especially the letters from Bonnie.    JB         
   

17 August, 1944
                                                                                                               England

Dear Mom & Dad,

     I received two letters from you yesterday and I was really happy.  We didn’t get any mail for a long time this month.  We were about ready to tear the post office down and use it for fire wood to make coffee.

     How is everyone there at home?  I sure hope they are all right.  Mom, I received that poem you wrote about Eddie, and it was wonderful.  I am going to send it to the STARS AND STRIPES and see if they will put it in the paper, and maybe the ones over here we know would see it.  I can’t get over how nice that poem is.  You keep mentioning the pictures you sent me, but as yet I haven’t go them.  I was hoping they would come today, but the mail man forgot me again.  I’m going to shoot that guy sometime, just wait and see.  I told him the other day that if he didn’t soon start getting some mail for me, he had better start writing to me himself, or else.  The only trouble was he didn’t take me serious.

     You said Dickie would be very proud if I would write to him so I wrote him a letter tonight.  I addressed it to Mr. Richard Bolinger.  Maybe he’ll grow out of his pants.  If he does, Jess and Bee will shoot me when I get home.  Man, what a wonderful word that is, “HOME.”  I was looking at some American money the other day and believe it or not, it made me homesick.  Egad, how I would like to spend some good old Yankie money again.

     Gee, wasn’t it swell that Eddie made school?  I was sweating him out,  and that was some relief.  I hope he is in school when this darn war ends.  Don’t tell my honey, but that is one time I am going to get grand and gloriously blind.  When the armistice is signed and I get a pass, I’m going to head straight for a soda fountain and popcorn joint.  How is the weather back there?  Is it still as hot as it was when you wrote the last time?  I guess it won’t be by the time you get this letter, huh?  Blast these Germans. I wish they would all die of a heart attack or something, so all the bloodshed in the world would stop.  I believe if they ever quit, the Japs will understand the situation, and fold up too.  Only the Japs should be made to take it until they can’t fight anymore, the Germans too for that matter.  

     Gee, there was about ten days that I couldn’t write to Bonnie and I was really worried.  I still am in fact.  I guess when I get home and tell her about what we were doing, she will understand.  I sure hope so anyway.  She’ll probably want to know why I didn’t write her at least a short note, but sometimes even they are hard to get at.  Bonnie has understood why I can’t write sometimes for quite a while though, so maybe she won’t be angry with me.  I’ve only written to you once in over a week.  Boy, this ETO is going to get me down one of these days.

     Well, I guess I’ll close for now.  I sure hope everyone is alright back there.  Please don’t worry about me.  I’m just fine and dandy, but homesick as all heck.  Be careful and take care of yourselves.  Tell everyone I aid” hello” and tell them to write.  I wrote Bonnie a five page letter just before I wrote to Dickie tonight, so maybe she won’t be too angry.
      Bye for now.  I’ll write again soon.

                                                                                         Your loving son,
                                                                                                Elwood

WW II Letters: Glenn Miller Entertained the Soldiers

Glenn Miller and his orchestra were in England for a performance while Dad was there.  In this letter Dad mentions having heard  the 45-minute concert given by that great orchestra, even though Dinah Shore was unable to make the program that night.  Dad and Mom remained huge fans of the music of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Stand Kenton, Harry James and other stellar performers from the 1940's, who all brought a very American sound to band music during WWII. Later Glenn Miller's plane was lost while he as on a mission, and he was never found.  The brass blend was like gold velvet.  There is no music like it today, maybe because orchestras are difficult and expensive to maintain.  Here are three YouTube links to Miller's orchestra performing three of his most famous pieces, Moonlight Serenade:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjq1aTLjrOE&feature=related    

 and another signature piece, SERENADE IN BLUE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2f_TBxagQY&feature=related

And finally, I'VE GOT A GAL IN KALMAZOO:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFv_PoZ2iP0

Judging by the almost half a million hits on this song and others by Miller's orchestra, their sound hit the right note during the war, and their music is still remembered and enjoyed today.  JB

                                                                                                                              7 Aug. ‘44
                                                                                                                              England

Dear Mom & Dad,

     I’m terribly sorry for the long period of time I couldn’t write this month.  Same old thing again, huh?  How are you?  I just received another letter from you today, ad it is the first one in about nine days.  I got one from you and one from Vi.  I was sorry to hear Carl left the states.  I’ll bet Grace is almost going crazy isn’t she?  Gee Mom, I never knew you fell and hurt yourself.  I had been wondering when you said you were healing up so nice, just what had happened.  Will you have any scars from it?  I sure hope not.  Poor Dad, I can just see him, when he first saw that you were hurt.  I remember how he worried and couldn’t sleep when you were in the hospital for your operation.

     Yes, that is another prayer answered for Eddie to have made school.  I was so darned worried about him, but now I can rest easy for about six months and maybe by then, we’ll be together exchanging big stories about how close we’ve come to getting hurt in the chow house, huh? (brrfsssk).

     Glenn Miller and his orchestra were here the other day and played for us for 45 minutes.  It was really wonderful.  Dinah Shore was supposed to have been here but she didn’t get to come.  We were sure disappointed, but when he started to play, we forgot all about her.  He sure has a grand orchestra.

     I’m glad you liked that picture.  I thought it was pretty bad, but I sent it anyway.  One of these fine days you’ll get a big one from me.  Oh yes, I received all three of those packages, and the shoes couldn’t have been better.  Now if I can only find an insignia for my cap, I’ll be all set.  Don’t forget to send me those pictures you took of Eddie, will you?  I’m still hoping Jesse won’t have to go into the service.  Maybe I shouldn’t, but I am.

     Well, I’ll close for now.  I hope you can read this, because I can’t.  Thanks a million for the packages.  Be careful. God bless you.

                                                                                                          Your loving son,
                                                                                                                Elwood

             p.s. Tell everyone I said, “Hello.”

World War II Letters: a post card from Elwood to his Sweetheart Bonnie

World War II Letters: an April 1944 Letter from England

US Postage Stamp, 1943

   In this letter the reader can detect a yearning on Dad's part for a child.  I like his description of the English kid he thought was so cute and his comment about his chance with Bonnie to have a child.  This was still before the marriage, which would be December 26, 1944.  There is also a photo of Mom with Dad's army buddy, Hyram, taken the summer of 1944 when Dad and Hyram were on a furlough.

   A Little Case of Jealousy

A side note to the photo of Mom with Hyram is that Hyram made many copies of the photo and sent them to every Tom, Dick, and Harry he knew in order to show off Mom as his own girl.  Dad was not happy about that, even though he was proud that his friend should find Mom so beautiful that Hyram actually gave in to the temptation of implying that she was HIS girl. Mom's reaction was to laugh about it and to feel flattered, and I think she may even have enjoyed the healthy jealousy that Dad showed in the little snit that followed.  You can still read Hyram's signature in the lower left hand corner of the picture.  I love the whole story!  This was still before Elwood and Bonnie were married.  JB
April 13, 1944
                                                                                                                                                      England

Dear Mom & Dad,

     I received a letter from Bonnie telling  me that Earl was drowned and Chet was killed in action.  I can’t tell you how bad I felt when I heard that.  That sure must have been a terrible day for the Murphys to lose both of their boys within twenty-four hours.                                                                                      

     I hope you aren’t worrying a lot about me because I can’t write often.  If you are, please try to understand that I’m in no danger here, and the only reason I’m not writing as often as I used to is because I am working.  As yet, I haven’t been able to work at the job I am trained for and hold in the company, but I hope to within the very near future.  But remember, I’m not in any danger here and I probably never will be.  All we have to worry about is the Jerrys coming over, and I’m used to that.  They don’t worry me anymore.

     Well, I heard from Ed Starks, and he is only about 140 miles from me.  I was planning to go see him, but I guess I’ll have to wait until I get a furlough and Lord knows when that will be.

     I do hope I can see him pretty soon, because I haven’t seen him since the day he left for the army.

     Gee, I was glad to hear that you’re sending me another box.  They not only mean a lot to us but also these English kids don’t get any candy or gum, only what the Yanks give them.  We go in for our rations once a week and in our rations we get two candy bars and a pack of gum.  The English kids are getting so they stand outside of the PX in a crowd and wait for us to give it to them.  The only thing that worries us is that we may be making beggars out of some of them, because a lot of them are just little kids that seem not to be old enough to walk.  There was one little kid here that I used to give mine to, but I haven’t seen him for a couple of weeks now.  He was the cutest little kid I ever saw.  I was playing with him one afternoon and watching the way he smiled and laughed and I thought then if Bonnie & I were married and had a boy like that, I would be the happiest guy in the world.  He is so darned cute that I used to just leave my work to go watch him.  I wish I knew where he was.

     Well, it is 05:00 now , and I am almost dead tired.  I’ll soon have to get the company up.  I am on CQ again (some fun).

     I guess I’ll have to close for now.  Tell everyone I said “hello” and tell Dickie I said thanks for the two flags he sent me.  I’m saving them.  I’ll write again soon.  Be careful and please don’t worry.  I’ll be right back here when this is all over and be in A1 shape to go to work again like I used to.  Bye for now.  God bless you.  I love you and miss you more every day.

                                                                                                                                    Your loving son,
                                                                                                                                         Elwood

World War II Letters: Rationing!

Participation during World War II  by citizens on the American home front was extremely important.  There was a strong sense that the nation was together in its quest for victory, even as issues were still unfolding on the horrors existing in Europe at the time.  There was a willingness to make sacrifices in terms of rationing gas, oil,  and food.  There were rubber drives and metal drives to collect materials badly needed on the fighting front.  American civilians who were still going to movie theaters were reminded at the ends of films to buy war bonds.  There was a powerful movement that was based upon the collective belief that we were all a part of the war effort and that together we could all make a positive difference.  Even the smallest victory garden was significant.  The nation had a feeling of shared purpose that it has probably not enjoyed since.

 

  World War II Scrap Metal Drive

Rubber drive!

World War II Letters: a 1944 letter from England

By 1944 Dad was stationed in England.  Apparently, he didn't enjoy the journey by ship to that country and was a bit seasick.  He wanted to meet up with Mom's brother, Ed (Edgar) who was only about 140 miles from where Dad was in London.  Every letter and box of goodies was important to Dad as it was to very other soldier far from home.  Letters were examined on both sides of the Atlantic, which you may note on the envelope, where the EXAMINER stamp is found.  In this letter Dad included a 1944 cartoon of Sad Sack, who was a very popular character among the soldiers. 

 

Feb. 19, 1944

Dear Mom & Dad,

      I received your letter today that you mailed on Jan. 25, but as yet I haven’t received that box of candy.  I have been sweating it out from day to day.

     Well, how are you?  I hope you feel better now, Mom.  I was sorry to hear you had the flu.  I am OK, only homesick, and that’s plenty.  Gee, this sure was a nice long letter I got today.  I received one from Vi too.

     Oh, yes, you asked me if I got sea sick.  Hah!  All I have to say is “Phooey on the navy.”  I guess I am just a natural for keeping both feet on the ground, except, of course, when I step off a curb or something, but still I have one foot on the ground even then.

     Say, you know, on the evening of Jan. 24th I smelled something funny, that must have been the evening when Pop was eating that garlic and blowing his breath in your face.  Gads, what an odor.  Tell him to switch to Limburger, will you?

     I’m going to try to send you a cartoon of the “Sad Sack.”  I don’t know whether I can or not.  If not, they will take it out of the letter.

     Mom, your mail coming to me isn’t censored, so don’t be afraid of putting names and things in it.  Tell Bonnie that too, will you?  You said Ed is here in England.  I hope Bonnie send his address.  Maybe I can find him.  I’ll tell her to send his company APO number.  It sure would be swell if I could see him.  I think I told you about running into Milford McFarland over here.  He sure was glad to seem me, but not as glad as I was to see him.  I’ve never liked him, but when I saw him , I could have kissed him, just because he was from home.

     Well, I guess I’ll close for now.  This is an awful short letter, but I want to write two more tonight.  Just always remember, I miss you both an awful lot.
You’ll never need to tell me what “home” means, believe me.  I’ll bet I’ve aged 5 years in the last five moths.  Well, bye for now.  Write soon and tell everyone I said “hello” and I hope they re all right.  Tell “Dickie” his Uncle Elwood is proud of him for the grades he is getting school.  I’ll write soon.  God bless you.  Be careful.  Good night.

                                                                                                                                                             Your loving son,
                                                                                                                                                                    Elwood

 

World War II Letters: August 1943 to Parents in Highland, Indiana

 Dad had his picture taken to send home to his parents, his siter Vi and her husband, "Moonie" (Norman), his twin brother Eddie and his wife, Marge, and his older brother Jesse and his wife Bee, and of course to Bonnie, his fiancee.  I don't know what happened to that photo, but I can't find copies of it.  Eddie's daughter Dianne, who now lives in Florida, gave many photos to her daughters but said she would try to track down some photos from that time.  If she finds them I'll use them eventually in the blog.

August 6, 1943
                                                                                                                                    Friday night

Dear Mom & Dad,

     I’m sorry I haven’t written but I just didn’t have time to write more than a note, and they don’t do any good.  The reason I haven’t had time you know is I started my technical school, don’t you?  Well they gave us a four weeks course in the one week, and sometimes we had to pull detail in the evening, so with the details, we were pretty busy trying to keep up our book work.  I’ve been trying to make good in this school because now we are done with classroom work and will do the actual work in the shops for a while.  I passed OK but was only a few points above average.  I passed with only an 80% average, so I guess I’m still no place in this darn place.  I guess I’ll be either parts clerk or requisitioning clerk in the company.  It will be a good job anyway.  You remember that carton of cigarettes you sent me?  Well today I finally was able to get over there and sign for them.  The post office wasn’t open in the morning and at noon I didn’t have time to get them and in the evenings, I didn’t get out of school until 5:30 and the P.O closes at 6:00 (some fun.)

     Well anyway, I’m hoping again now that we can relax a little.  How is everyone there at home?  OK I hope.  Tell them I said “hello” and I’ll write as soon as I possibly can.  They get tired of hearing that, I know, but I haven’t even had a chance here lately to write to my honey.  It’s terrible.  I’m going to hand in my resignation to the C.O. in the morning (bfsssk!)

     I wish I had a definite date to plan on getting my next furlough.  We’re supposed to get them when we leave here, and we are supposed to be ready to leave by October 1st.  That’s all I can plan on.  I do know that we are supposed to ship east, so maybe I’ll be able to end up only 400 or 500 miles from home.  Wouldn’t that be swell?

     Oh yes, I’m going to have some pictures taken at the camp photo studio, and I’m going to send you, and Jesse & Bee, and Eddie & Marge, and Vi & Moonie one.  It only costs $6.50 for 6 pictures, 4”X5”.  I’ll go in about next Tuesday or Wednesday, and it will be about two weeks after that before I’ll get them.

     Well, I guess I’ll close for now, but I’ll try to write everyone real soon.  Bye for now.  I sure wish I were there.  Write again soon, and thanks a million for the cigarettes (butts in the army).

                                                      Your loving son,
                                                            Elwood

This will be me in another five minutes!!! (Haak bifssk.)

World War II Letters: July 1943 Letter from Arcadia, California's Camp Santa Anita

   As of this letter from early July of 1943, Dad was still a private, then stationed at Camp Santa Anita in Arcadia, California.  Knowing that Dad was an even worse typist than I am, I feel impressed by what I suspect was a true labor on his part to do this letter.  He at this time is becoming more and more homesick, and I think the reason for his being CQ (confined to quarters) was once again that he hadn't made his bed properly.  A quarter was supposed to bounce off the tightly arranged sheet and blanket, and I'm pretty sure my mother would confirm the fact that Dad could never make a bed.  He was closer to being an Oscar Madison than a Felix Unger.  Still in training, he was taking technical courses on mechanics.  London and Guam were yet to come.  JB

July 25, 1943
                                                                                                                                                     Friday night
Dear Mom & Dad,

     I received your letters and pictures and I sure am tickled.  I’ve waited a long time for them and I’ll sure keep them on me.  I’m sorry again I haven’t written to you but you know why.  We were given a test the other day and I guess we passed all right, so maybe we won’t have to keep up this stiff training much longer.  I hope we won’t anyway.

     I guess you are wondering how I rate writing with a typewriter, don’t you?  Well I’m on CQ tonight and I’m enjoying the lieutenant’s typewriter very much. How are you and everyone else at home?  I sure wish I were there with you tonight but I’m not, so I guess that is that.  We are leaving in the morning on bivouac until Friday morning.  We will be on the desert for those four days.  I hear we can only have a canteen full of water each day and only our helmet full to take a bath in.  They are pretty smart.  The water we drink out there has been treated with a chlorine solution and can be drunk, but the water we are given to wash in is poisoned to a certain state and will make us sick if we drink it.  That way the men won’t be filling their canteens out of their wash water.

     Gee, Pop, I’m glad you feel better since you gave up some of that hard work in the mill.  You may not have the money you were making, but now maybe you can enjoy yourself a little more.

     Say, how did you like the headlines about old Mussolini getting kicked out?  I hope those other leaders follow him now by getting kicked out too.  If they do, I’ll get a nice long furlough. (The duration and six months would be around the corner.)  I’m getting tired of army life now and want to come back there to Indiana and never leave again.  California is OK and so is the army but I know now what “There’s no place like home” means.

     I haven’t written to Bonnie for the last three days either.  I hope she understands why.  This is one of the toughest training centers in the United States, and they have had us going until we didn’t know what to do next.  the whole thing is they are trying to give us a couple of months training in a couple of weeks we’ve been here, and when the army makes up its mind to do something, it’s done.  If we can start on our technical training now, we’ll be able to leave this field that much sooner and maybe be come back east again.  I sure hope so anyway.

     Well I’ll have to close for now, because I’ve taken so long trying to type this letter that I’ll be too sleepy to write to Bonnie in a little bit.  If you don’t hear from me again for a couple or four days, please don’t worry about me.  This isn’t as long as I wanted to write but I’ll have to write to Bonn or she’ll “moider” me.  Bye for now.  write again soon.

                                                                                                                                  Your loving son,
                                                                                                                                       Elwood