Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann, Ele, Letter No. 31

Anthony J. Curcio
4th A.F.R.D. - SQD. "A"
Hammer Field, Fresno, Calf.

Date 3-19-43
Letter No. 31

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann, Ele,

I sent a telegram so you know where I am. From one extreme to another. N.Y. to California.
I really don't know how to start off there is so much to say.
We left J.B. at 5 o'clock on Monday afternoon. We boarded day coaches (air conditioned) Boy they were nice. But it was kind of hard to sleep in. But we managed. The trip tookus about 83 hrs. Of course we didn't know where we were going but the rumor was California & sure enough it was. I felt blue as I left J.B. & headed west because I prayed that maybe I could have a chance to be home for your birthday. But it went the other way. In fact as far away from New York as anyone could possibly go. From one extreme state to the other. We are about half way between the Sierra Nevada Mountains & the Coast Range Mts. & about in the center of Calf. going North & South. We arrived here about 7 o'clock Friday morning (Today). This place is an air field. In fact I can see the planes take off from my window. It's quite a sight. We live in two-story wood frame barracks. They are hot air heated. I like them very much. But we probably will not stay here more than a week. But you never can tell, so as soon as you receive this letter write back. I waited to put the address in the telegram but we were not allowed. We go for reclassification tomorrow. I hope I can maintain the same classification as I did at J.B. (topographic draftsman). This is just a replacement center & we just have to wait here until we are shipped to a school. The reason we weren't shipped to a school from J.B. is that J.B. was transferred into air cadet base so that we had to be shipped someplace else for replacement. You never can tell I may be shipped east again to a school. Keep your fingers crossed.
Now for an explanation (descriptive) of a most [?] trip. In fact it's a good thing that trip was enjoyable so that I didn't feel so bad about traveling in the opposite direction. I don't see how anyone could help but enjoy such a trip.
From J.B. we traveled straight through Missouri, mostly following the Missouri River, passing thru Kansas City. It was a very beautiful country. Most of it hilly. But we didn't see too much of it as we hit night fall and in the morning started thru Kansas. I can describe Kansas in two short words "It's flat." We saw plenty of nothing. In fact sometimes it was an event even to see a tree on miles & miles of nothing but flat lands. But although it was flat it was very colorful. During the whole trip there were little towns about 50 miles apart, usually not seeing a soul in any of them. I'll name a few of the towns in Kansas so you can plot the way. Council Grove, Herrington, Genases, La Crosse, Scott, Horace. At Horace we got out of the train for a little exercise. We got out of the train for a little exercise. We saw about 10 people in that town. Then we proceeded into Colorado as the day drew to a close. Well Ma, Colorado is one of the most beautiful states I saw. The continental divide (Rocky Mts.) cuts right thru the state. And as night fell came we started to climb & climb to the height of the Rockies, passing thru Sheridan Lake, Ordway, Pueblo, Florence, Greenwood Springs, Grand Junction. Well Ma, most of the fellows went asleep that night but a few of us stayed up to see what we could see. Although it was night & how I wished it was day, I saw the most beautiful sights I ever saw. At the high points of the Mts. it was completely covered with snow, with a few towns here & there lit up. It certainly painted a picture of a fairy tale you see in pictures. We were up about 10,000 feet & we could feel the pressure on our ear drums. As we proceeded, we passed camp Hale. It's is one of the largest ski camps. Its elevation is 9,000 feet. It's in a valley of the Rockies & as we passed on the mountain side you could look down upon the camp all lit up in the dark, covered with snow, like if you were dreaming and saying "Gosh is it real?"
Further down the line we came to Mts. with snow only on the top & in the valley the stream rippling with a speedy current. They both reflected the light of a very bright moon, & which made everything just glow in the dusk. We also passed the Royal Gorge Bridge (I think that's the name of it) anyway it's the highest bridge in the world. You can look that up in the Volume Library & tell me about it.
I finally got to bed (I mean chair) about 3 am. (I still wasn't tired).
When we got up in the morning, passing thru the western part of Colordado we saw canyon's like you see in pictures of the Grand Canyon. The postcards will give you an idea what some of the sights look like. Huge masses of beautiful colored rock, forming odd shapes that to each person's imagination, resembles something else. On the plateaus there were farms & cattle farms scattered here & there besides the streams and lakes. There are thousands of different colored rocks & dirt & clay that compose the canyons & plateaus.
About noon we hit Utah border and headed for Salt Lake City passing thru towns as follows, Cisco, Price, Pleasant Val, Springville, Provo City, Salt Lake City & thru to the border with Ogden, Brigham, Kelton. Right passed Ogden we had a break down & was help up for about 6 hours. That was pretty good because it was during the night & we could see more during the day. Utah was full of desert & sandy mountains, again very colorful & picturesque.
Thursday morning I was awakened for K.P. I'm glad I got it because you really don't have to do much & you can get a better view of the scenery by the big open doors of the kitchen. And you only get a half a day of it. Thurs. we passed thru Nevada. That was another beautiful state. Mountainous & deserts here & there, with snow covered mts. in the background. I still don't know whether it's all true. We passed thru valleys with streams running all over & the shrubery forming different picturesque views. We passed thru Wells, Halleck, Els, Pallisade, Battle Mt., Golconda, Winmemucca, Oreano, Hot Springs, & Reno. Reno noted for "the largest little city in the world." That's where they all go to get divorces. You know. Then toward night fall we came thru what I think was the most beautiful of all views of the trip. We passed thru the Sierra Nevada Mts. Those mts. were completely covered with snow with pine trees all over. We were way up on the Mts. side & we could look down into the valley & wee the lakes. The snow was really heavy in the mts. The R.R. had to be protected by wooden tunnels to hold back the snow drifts. What I really got a kick out of was little animal tracks in the fresh bed of snow. It was so cute. I really can't describe the picture the mts. display. It's really one of those things "seeing is believing" but I still can't believe it.
Then we went into Sacramento at night fall, and down to Fresno during the night & arrived at 7 o'clock this morning. California is also very beautiful. Pine trees, green fresh grass and all the rest. You know. Sun shining as bright as ever & a cool breeze blowing. It's really the climate to pep you up. And every few minutes an airplane is taking off. What a sight. Well I hope I covered everything. I guess one could write a book on what I saw, but I guess this is about the best I can do. I hope it's O.K. & will give you an idea what the trip was like. If not, but I think it will, write & ask me questions about it, O.K.?
Ma, I will also include a clipping I got out of a Missouri paper that will give you a picture of the hut was lived in at J.B.
Ma, I feel a bit blue just now because I went over to the P.X. waiting to buy a card & a present for your birthday but they have no cards & no presents that I care for. The ones back at J.B. were better but I waited till I went to a new camp figuring they would be better but as I said are [?] So ma being I don't think I will stay here long would it be alright if I sent something from my next camp? I feel awful bad about it, but there is nothing I can do about it. But you just wait ma. It will be something real nice. So whenever the present comes, that is the time you & I will have a little party together & I will say Happy Birthday Dear Mother.
I will close now & maybe I can think of somethings I forgot in this letter. Read it to Grandma please. Hope you are all in the best of health, I am fine.

Your Loving Soldier Boy,
Tony

P.S. I didn't send this letter out last night. I found out you can't write to me with the address of this letter, it will be changed again shortly.
I went to my classification today & I got a special slip of paper that will enable me to take a test & if I pass it Iwill get into a college. Ain't that swell. Please say a prayer for me.

Good Night.