4th AFRD - SQD "L"
Hammer Field, Fresno, Calf.
Date 3-24-43
Letter No. 34
Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,
Well I'm still here at Fresno & I am starting to get a sun tan believe it or not.
Today is your birthday ma, & it is the first time I'm not there to attend your little party. But I'm thinking of the happy time you are all having, and as I sit here writing this letter I'm trying to be there with you & try to picture everybody sitting around the table watching you blow out all the candles. I bet you got them all out too. Right? I hope you got my little letter in time.
In my last letter I wrote up until Sunday night so I shall continue from there on.
Monday morning we were issued another pair of sun tans. But I didn't get a shirt as they didn't have my size. I also got a pair of insignia buttons. We wear them on our lapels.
In the afternoon we were called in and out about every half hour to see whether our names would be on the list to be shipped to a shipping sqd.
After chow I got another haircut. I have to get one about every 3 weeks or you notice the little ends sticking out. It's on your own accord here, nobody really cares whether you get one or not. In the night I went over to the airport & looked around. Boy I really got a kick out of seeing the ships. I will not mention the type of airplanes, I guess that's one of the things we aren't supposed to write about. We aren't told not to write about it but we all better play on the safe side. Right?
Tues. We were shipped to our new quarters (tents) as I told you in the small note with the new address. There are 6 fellows in each tent. Two other fellows & I always try to stick together. So far we are doing OK. We are all in the same tent. Those are the same fellows I had in the hut at J.B., and we were together all the way. They are both classified as draftsmen & maybe we will stick together when we go to school. I hope so. They are nice fellows & we have a lot of fun together.
It almost took us all day to be transferred & I was tired so I just sent out my new address last night so you could write back as soon as possible. I can't say how long I'm going to be here so maybe I can get some mail here. It gets lonely when you don't get up to date mail from home. I just think & think about what's going on & how everybody feels etc. Yesterday, I received 3 letters transferred from J.B. One from Elfrieda, one from Testa Family, & one from Aunt Anna. Today I didn't get any, so tomorrow I'll probably get a batch.
Today was quite a nice day. Now that we're in a shipping sqd. We can get details (as per usual).
Well to start the day off right, nobody wakes us up in the tents. They just blow a whistle. So we got up at 6:15. The first time I got up that late in the army. We went to breakfast & had pancakes & syrup. It was OK. Then we went to the drill field & got a little drill. The drill instructors are lazy here. The more we do here the better I like J.B. J.B. gave us quite a good name. We were drilled very good, by very good drill instructors & they all know it here. Sometimes we get up a platoon & march down the street to show them how it's done. We have a lot of fun doing that. Not being conceited either. After drill for about an hour, we had a soft ball game - we lost 5-4 & then we went on a detail loading barrack bags for the men that are shipping out. In the afternoon we had to fill in a pipe line hole. It took us about 2 hrs. & then we laid in the sun for awhile. After that we went & took a shower - went to chow & here I am writing letters. Wasn't that a nice day?
Talking about being strict here. After we filled in the hole the sergeant said "Thanks boys." Boy did we get a kick out of that. If we were at J.B. they would have said "You could have did that a little faster" or probably put us on some other detail. I get to like the training at J.B. more & more everyday. We certainly did profit by discipline. I hope we get plenty more at our next camp.
Well I'll close now hoping you are all in the best of health. I feel fine. How does sister like her new job? How is Grandma making out with the house? How is Barb & Ele coming with the piano lessons. In other words tell me everything. So until my next letter
Your loving soldier boy,
Tony
Tony
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