23 Training Group
Sqd. A
Jefferson Barracks, MO
Date 3-1-43
Letter No. 24
Rec'd 28-29-30-31
Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann, Ele,
I am sorry I couldn't write sooner but I will tell you how it was.
On Friday, as I told you in my last letter, we had lectures & exhibitions on camouflage. It was very interesting. The lieutenant told us the important facts about camouflage. He said this was the only Technical Training School (J.B.) that had a course in camouflage. That means that Joe Cohn didn't get it. After the lecture we went thru the camouflage area to see the different layouts they set up. They had large nets with colored cloth on them t cover certain make believe ammunition dumps & fox holes & things of that sort. One Sunday the pictures were in a St. Louis paper & cut them out. So they will give you an idea of what some look like.
After chow that same day my name was on the shot list so I got my last tetnus shot. I got back and just had a few minutes to drop you the letter previous. It's this one.
Sat. we had K.P. We got up at 3:30 & started to work about 5 o'clock. This time I had to carry bowls & trays over to the racks. I had the job before & so it made it a lot easier. The day went pretty fast & I didn't mind it so much. It seems the more I have it the quicker the time goes. We got done about 7:30P.M. I turned in early because it does make you tired.
Well things worked out pretty good for me this weekend.
As I told you, or I think I did, Helen Riley, the girl I met at the dance, invited me out Sunday (yesterday) if I wasn't shipped. She wrote me a nice letter telling me how to get there. I told her if I could get a pass for Sunday I would call her up. So Sun. morning after chow I applied for a pass. Then I went to church (8 o'clock mass). (At church I got a prayer book & a new testament, Roman Catholic version, wasn't that nice of them to give them to us). (By the way before I went into the church the chaplain came up the drive & I saluted him & he gave me a big smile. Gee it made me feel so good). (We also have to salute the nurses because they are lieutenants too).
After church I went to get my pass & I got it. It was from 9am Sun. to 5am Mon. morning. They call that a Revelie Pass. Most of the fellows got those passes. So I called her up about 10 o'clock. She wanted me to come out to have dinner with them but I told her no, because I didn't want to cause them any trouble. So I went out after I had chow at camp. In a way I'm sorry I didn't accept the offer to eat there because (this is funny) in the meal we had here they put a laxative and everybody was running to the latrine. We had to wait in line to sit down. (that's a fact) (Why some fellows couldn't hold it any longer) They were going to the latrine at all hours of the night. They say they put it in a meal once a month. Boy did I have to go. Boy everything in the army is a secret, even when they give you a physical.
I went out after chow. It took me an hr. & a half to get there. I had to take a bus & two trolley cars. I got there about 3:30. She introduced me to her parents & family. They live in a swell section of St. Louis (it's really a little outside the border of St. Louis) The live in a two story frame construction house. She has a very nice family and she is very well brought up, you could see that.
We went for a walk & she showed me some places in her neighborhood. They don't have any subways or elevators in St. Louis. Boy it was a job to explain the contraption. It was really funny.
This is the part that touched me the most. When we came back we ate. And Sun. night, the same as we did at home, had cold cuts & bologna & jello, you know just like we had at home. And on the radio they had the programs we listened to at home. I really felt home sick. Her two sisters were there so that made it 3 girls, her mother & father. I just could picture everybody at home in their places. And of course Grandma too.
After we ate, Helen, her sister & I played chinese checkers for a while & then we went to an ice cream parlor for a soda & a dance from the juke box.
We left there about 12 o'clock & I took her home & then went back to camp. I didn't gt too much sleep but I don't feel tired at all today.
Say Mae talked an awful lot about N.Y. After all we do live in the largest city in teh world. I told her about the amusements & different things about the city. So Ma it would be swell if you could send me some things I could show her to give her if I don't see her anymore. (I'll send them to her if I don't see her anymore, if I should get shipped). You could send me an advertisement page of the news showing the plays in the theatres & pictures & bands of the big shows etc. And could you send one of those street directories (a duplicate of Manhattan & map). And if you got a map of N.Y.C. and something about the world's fair & activities of N.Y...Oh yes, could you send me those pictures of Schultz's house, the one my boss designed. I told her a lot about it. I hope this won't cause you any trouble, but I like to show her these things because she is a nice girl & she is interested.
You could send me some more writing paper too. Boy it certainly goes fast. How much have I got left.
By the way they all admired the gloves Ann made for me. They thought they were swell. And they certainly are warm.
I'm eating Ann's cookies as I am writing this letter. Boy they taste just as good if not better than last time. I passed them once & then I put them away because they started to come back for more. See that's how good they are.
Did you hear from Frank yet, Ann?
I hope that fortune teller is right, a nice happy home, sounds so good.
Ma I always will go to church & confession as long as I can. I always wear my medal & Scapular. As for my money left, you hit the nail on the head, no money to put in my belt so I got it in my locker.
My ankle feels fine & I'm in the best of shape.
Boy I'm so glad your condition is good ma. It makes it a lot easier for me too knowing that you are OK.
Yes Ma this camp is pretty big. I think there is a total of about 50 to 80 thousand soldiers here.
There is no word of what school I'm going to. The only time I will find out what school is when I get there I guess.
Gee thank Grandma for the dollar. It certainly came in handy. I got 2 souveniers already & I'm trying to get something for everybody. So far I haven't got anything for Grandma & Pa because it is pretty hard to get souveniers for those relations. Maybe you can give me a suggestion.
I'm glad they are going nip & tuck at those blackouts because they should get the people war conscious even though war never comes here. They have to be prepared just the same.
Boy Bobby certainly is going to town with the unit. Say being I'm in the service. She can send me one, if an extraordinary one comes along. If I even get a few spare moments I'll read it.
Say Bobby, I get a bit mixed up on right flank and left oblique movements. I can do both but when the P.I. shouts off they sound the same some time. But I'm getting pretty good at it. Well my hand is getting tired so until my next letter I remain,
Your Loving Soldier Boy,
Tony
Tony
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