1815 EN. AUN. BN. Co. H & S
McChord Field, Wash.
Date 4-8-43
Letter No. 38
Rec'd 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48 & 2 Cards
Dear Mom, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,
How is everybody? I think you answered that question in the letters I received today. I really hit the jack pot. I'll answer all your questions at the end of the letter.
I wrote Sat. night so I shall continue from Sunday. Well Sun. here is our day off. We can do what we wish. (mostly rest up. that's what we'll have to do). We got up 7 o'clock, went to chow at 8 o'clock, went to church at 11:30, in the afternoon I wrote letters & in the night I went to the movie for the first time. I saw "Fight for Freedom." It was pretty good.
Mon. Tues & Wed. we had drill & calisthenics & lectures. We are drilled by lieutenants & I must say the P.I. back at J.B. were a 100 times better. But it's O.K. The calisthenics here are a lot better tho, than back at J.B. Here we do the daily dozen. A group of 12 exercises that are really good & certainly give you a workout. Your really puffing when you're finished. But the tougher the better. This is just preliminary training until the battalion is completely filled with men. I was talking to the lieutenant (there all pretty nice fellows here) and he said we will probably start our real scheduled training about May 1, and that will probably last for about 10 weeks. They say it's really tough & makes you tough also. They all say it's the best outfit there is. Even better than the Engineers of the Army. So once we start I will probably have little time for myself and little time to write, but I will write as much as I can. I feel a little tired tonight and will probably feel like that until I get used to it. But even though I feel tired I can feel my muscles getting tougher. I go to bed early so I get plenty of rest. I imagine that's why we won't have much time for ourselves once we get started.
It will be a long day & early to bed. But if you want to get something out of it, that's the only way to do it. Right?
Tues. night I went to the show and saw "He Hired this Boss." It was pretty good. I went with two fellows I am sticking with. We always stick together whenever possible & have a lot of fun together.
I think that's about all I did & now I will answer the letters.
Oh yes, one more thing. I turned in my laundry for the first time. Now that I'm a bit settled we can turn it in. I believe they charge us $1.50 a month. That's pretty reasonable isn't it?
First of all thanks for the two cards. They are swell & the medal I put on the chain that Elfrieda gave me.
In letter #43 you tell me about the things I could get Grandma & Pop. Being I sent out all the presents already I will wait for the next time.
Ma it would be very nice if you could make the corsage for Elfrieda if you still have the time when this letter reaches you.
Boy our little genius is certainly going to town. I bet she is getting more beautiful every day. Thanks for your little note Ele. You say you are doing calisthenics now (I mean obstacle race). Well it certainly will do you good. It will make you look much better also. Mom even says you are getting thin. That one result from exercise. Keep up your good work.
Here at McChord Field we don't have the obstacle course as yet. They may have one. Just now we do the daily dozen as I explained above. The obstacle course back at J.B. I'll try to explain to you by diagrams on another page.
First we swing on bars & then over a fence.
Then we go under & over hurdles. This is on a level.
Then we go down a steep hill and go across logs, & then jump across a pit.
Then we have to walk across stump about 6" in dia. and then jump off a platform about 6'0" & then over a pile of logs.
Then we (crawl) go through wooden boxes then go down a hill and swing across the ropes & then over a tall wooden ladder.
The whole obstacle course is done on the double (running).
If I get time sometime I'll explain the exercise we have to do here. Just now I haven't the time.
Well what do you think of our obstacle course? Do you think you could do it?
You ask me about horse meat. Well some parts of the horse are good to eat and are tasty. The one fellow here said he had horse meat already & said it's pretty good.
I'm glad to hear you are gaining wt. ma. That's a very good sign. Now I'm not worrying anymore. In fact that sign is good enough for anybody. Right?
Boy how I wish I could see St. Patricks Cathedral again.
That was nice of Elfrieda to send you a bouquet of flowers for your birthday. She is thoughtful isn't she?
I didn't get my glasses yet. They will have to be transferred.
I'm glad Sis is joining Bob's unit again. It will do her a lot of good.
Mom you ask me if it's alright & do I mind whether Ele uses my composition about the twins(?) & about Sis using my shirts. Ma, you know I don't mind. Anything I have belongs to whoever wants it. Never ask me or say do I mind because I never will mind.
The pictures were pretty good. I like the one in the squat position best. The one you liked.
Well I think that's all & I shall close hoping you all are still in the best of health. How is Grandma? Aunt Anna doesn't say much about Grandma. Let me know.
I shall close remaining
Your Loving Soldier Boy,
Tony
Tony
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