Rec'd #66-67-68-69
5-10-43
Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,
Gosh I don't know where to start. I got so much so say. But to start off with, I hope everybody is in the best of health. I hope you all had a very nice Mother's Day. In fact I know you did. I hoped you liked the flowers?
I wrote last Sat. so I shall continue from there on. On Sun. I went to church as usual 11:30 mass. I wrote letters in the afternoon & then at 5 o'clock I had guard duty. 24 hrs - 2 on 4 off. But this time I was corporal of the guards. You just relieve the old guard with a new guard & sit in the tent & wait 'til the 2 hrs are up, that your guard is walking his post. Then the next 4 hrs are free. Some racket huh. I caught up with some of my mail I owed to a lot of people - Fio, Joe, Dot & Dave, Helen Riley, and some others.
Something has happened here to my advantage. They are sending everybody to school on the post. It will only last for 2 weeks but it's something. I applied for surveying as there wasn't any drafting.
So since Tuesday we have been using the instruments (brand new). There are 9 of us and our luck is running still stronger because a job came up. They want to build a R.R. extension on the post. So we got the job. Just know we are working with U.S. Eng. Dept. (Surveyors). They are swell fellows & teach us a lot. After the job gets underway, we will take it over into our own hands. It's quite interesting. We only work on it a half a day. The other half is still our basic training.
Tues. nite we went into to town to get our clothes pressed as it takes so long at the post tailor. But the tailors in town was already closed so we dropped in at the U.S.O. and guess what, they had a bingo game for the soldiers. The one that won got cigarettes. (I didn't win any and neither did my friends).
On Wed. night we had the party for our company as I told you in my last letter (#44). We went to one of the nearby lakes, in a (old) boy scout lodge. And at one end of the room was a huge fireplace & we made a fire with big logs. Boy was that nice. You know I could have sat there all night just looking at the fireplace & listening to it crackle. We sang & some of the boys played the piano & sang & put on little acts. And we boys had a swell time together. Our commanding officer was there & he said he had a swell time. He said he really felt good to see a bunch of fellows have such a good time without any rowdyism (& without beer). We had sandwiches & coffee as refreshments. All & all we had a nice time (we were taken in G.I. trucks).
Thursday nite was the battalion dance. We had a nice time but there wasn't enough girls. But anyway they had a jitterbug contest & I managed to get a girl that could do it half way, anyway. And I came in second. She got nervous & we made a few mistakes. But the guy that won in my platoon & he also comes from N.Y. The officers were there with their wives & they were all very friendly & we all had a good time.
Friday night we were invited to a concert held in Clover Park H.S. That's where that girl that sang for us goes (The captain's daughter). It was a very nice concert. I enjoyed it a lot. The capt. daughter sang "The Man I Love." (Her name is Merry Jo Arends). Boy what a swell voice she has. I really think she has a future ahead of her. (I will include the program in this letter).
She invited us all out Sunday (last night). So the four of us went in & went to the show (the only show in Lakewood Center) (that's where they live). She got girls for the other fellows (my buddies) and we saw "Arabian Nights." It was a nice picture. Very exciting. Did any body see it. After the show we went to the house & her mother made sandwiches & she sang & played the piano. We got in around 12:30.
Sat. morning we had to move from the barracks to the tents. Well ma, we four buddies are still together. We get more like brothers everyday & I'm glad. Now that we got our own tent we have more pride in it and boy did we make it clean. Boy we worked all day on it. Sat. night we went to bed early. Sunday morning we went to church & then worked on our tents again for inspection at 3 o'clock. We passed. Then we took showers & shaved & by that time we had to leave on pass to go to Merry Jo's house.
Boy what a busy week huh! And I think I'm a bit tired. So as soon as I finish this letter I will go to bed & take a good nap. I sort of kind of like it living in this little tent. It's a bit cool sleeping at but it's nice. We have a litle stove in the middle of the tent but the fire dies out & the tent gets cool.
Well I think that's about all.
I received a letter from Ginger (?). It was a very nice letter. Her boyfriend is in Alaska.
I also received 2 letters from Eleanor & a little mail pack. It was so cute. Thanks a lot Ele. Thanks for the baseball scores.
By the way I got a baseball book. Like the one that Red Barber advertised last year. Who sent it?
You could drop a line (postcard) to the J.B. Postmaster & ask him about the package. I may do some good.
Say ma, I would like a picture of Barb in her uniform? Besides the rest you took O.K.
I receive mail from Elfrieda about twice a week. I also receive mail from Helen Riley from time to time.
We get our wash within a week. Boy I'm glad we can get our wash done because we have no time to do it ourselves. They take a dollar & a half out of our pay a month. Pretty cheap huh?
I got paid on Wed. (May 5). I got $47.
Please tell me all about Grandma's house. I hope Grandma can come & live with you all. I know she will be a lot happier with you. I hope everything turns out Ok. And Grandma can have my room if she likes too. I just know she will be so much happier. Don't you ma?
Well I shall close now as it is getting late. I am going to try to stay in all this week & I will try to get another letter to you at the end of the week. So until then I remain on the beam.
Your Loving Soldier Boy
Tony
Tony
P.S. I ran out of paper (my [?] kind). Will you please send me some.
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