Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele Letter No. 94

Anthony J. Curcio
Co. "A" A.S.T.U. 3920
U. of O. Eugene

Date 10/27/43
Letter No. 94
Rec'd 133, 134, 135, 136, 137

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

By gosh it's not raining today. For about two weeks it just rained and rained, morning, noon and night.
I made out pretty good on my tests last week. I got 66 in an English test (pretty good huh), 86 in Geog., 77 Physics, 62 Hist., 90 & 87 Military Law. We take a two hr. exam in algebra on Sat. I'll have to do good in that.
We don't get numerical marks for the quarter. We get letters like A, B, C, D, or F for failure.
I went out again with Tiny on Sat. and Sunday and we had a pretty good time. Sat. we went to the show and saw "Oklahoma Kid." It was a bit old but it was good. Sunday the A.S.T.U. Football team played the calvary and won 33-12. I guess they are pretty good. Sunday night we just went to a restaurant and had something to eat and then took a little walk and then she played on the piano for me. Do you know how a concert pianist plays, just goes from one piece to another, so smooth with her hands just gliding over the keys. You can just sit there and relax. I wish you could hear her play ma.
Hemenway flunked out and was shipped to Camp Abbot? in eastern Georgia. He may come in this weekend.
I felt so bad when I heard that Boby had to have two teeth pulled. She's so careful in cleaning her teeth all the time. I hope she feels better.
I received the two packages. I think I mentioned it already tho. I certainly would like some jelly ma. And when I eat it, it will take me right back home, and I can see Grandma and you stirring the jelly in the big pot and then pour it in to all the jars you saved of all different shapes and put the little pieces of paper on the top of the jars. We all don't know how good we had it ma. As for candy ma, I'll always like to receive them.
Yes ma it would be pretty hard to call me up. In the first place it's hard to get in touch with anyone around here because we are always in class and other obvious reasons.
You ask me what Tiny's real name is. It's Edna Fisher. (She's not Jewish tho).
I didn't think the fellas overseas could write anything in their letters about the battles etc? Or did Mr. Massa expand on the story a little?
We have chicken about every Sunday and they make it quite well here. And it certainly fills you up.
Are you getting a phone in the house? I didn't know about it.
I could use a few pair of socks ma (kaki) slightly heavy ones would do the trick.
I hope Al Lindner is O.K. Let me know how he is when you hear from him.
That was awful nice of Frank to tell Ann to get a hope chest. He's really a swell guy. And a real Marine.
I am in the best of health and I hope you all are and I hope Barb and Pa are feeling better. You didn't tell me what the doctor said when you went to see him. Let me know ma. Send Grandma my love and give her plenty of kisses for me. I'll try to write more often ma. Until then I remain

Your Loving Soldier Boy
Tony

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele Letter No. 93

Anthony J. Curcio
Co. "A" A.S.T.U. 3920
U. of O. Eugene

Date 10/18/43
Letter No. 93
Rec'd 131, 132

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

It seems like ages since I wrote. I can't write to anybody. I just wrote 3 letters last week. Well I had a swell weekend. I spent all of it with Tiny. The girl I met last Sat. at open house. She's the most intelligent girl I ever talked to. She's a Junior at the University and she majors in Music. And boy can she play the piano. She plays over the broadcasting system at the U. sometimes and when she was in L.A. she played in the philharmonic. She's got quite a background. Sometimes I wonder how I get along with her, she's got so much brains. But we had a swell time at any rate.
They had another dance in the gym and the band was swell. Sat. afternoon our football team played a navy team at the stadium and although it was a good game we lost 25-6. It was a lot of fun tho.
Sunday afternoon we went canoeing and took some pictures. I'll send them home if they turn out. At night we bowled two games. She's so small she could barely lift the ball up--no less roll it down the alley, but she got a grand total of 68.
We are starting tests again: Today we had a history test. I think I made out O.K. in it. Tomorrow is English, Wed. Geog., Thurs. Military Law, & Fri. Physics. It's going to be another tough week.
A.S.T.U. means Army Specialized Training Unit. I was almost positive I told you ma.
My cold is all gone and I feel fine.
Ronald Hemenway and 50 others are leaving this week because they didn't make out so good in there subjects.
Give Grandma my love and I hope you are all in the best of health.
I'll try to write as soon as I can.

Your Loving Soldier Boy,
Tony

P.S. I'll wait awhile with the papers. I can't get down to mail them as yet.

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele Letter No. 92

Anthony J. Curcio
Co. "A" A.S.T.U. 3920
U. of O. Eugene

Date 10/12/43
Letter No. 92
Rec'd 126, 129, 130

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

Gosh it's getting hard to write letters. We study 2 1/2 hrs. a night now instead of only two and have Sunday night off. And chow is at 5:30 instead of six and we have to fall out at 6:45 for study hall.
Friday night the university put on an assembly for the students. So first we went to study & then we went to assembly. They had the dance band and they put on a couple of skits and the Major & the president of the University said a few words. It was pretty good. On Sat. afternoon between 4 & 6 the sorority houses were open for all the service men. They called it open house. So Hemenway and myself went to the Alpha Tau Omega (A.T.O.) and [it was a] very nice house. Well we were the first ones there and did we feel silly. There must have [been] about 30 girls in there. We felt very much relieved when some other soldiers came in. We danced and talked. So guess who I met? The president of the house. She's a junior at the University. They call her Tiny because she is so small. She's only 4'11 3/4". She's one of those intellects. She's only 19 and is majoring in music. I think she's about the most intelligent girls I ever talked to. I took her to the show Sunday afternoon and saw "Five Graves to Cairo" & "Henry Aldrich Gets Glamour." I saw the one first but it was good to see it over again. It certainly swell out here on the campus ma. It's so different from an army camp and everybody treats me swell here.
I made out in everything except History. I try harder this quarter.
I wanted to send the money home but there is no way I can do it on the campus and when I get into town the post office is closed. Do you want me to wire it home?
Did I tell you I got the box with the slide rule & etc? Well I did and everything is O.K. The cards are swell too. Thank Ann for me.
I certainly would like to see the baby. I bet she certainly is getting beautiful.
You can send the shaving kit. In fact I was thinking of asking you to send it.
You could send some of my favorite tobacco. It will be a swell change.
Thanks for the swell card also. And thank Grandma for her card and stamps. They always come at the right time. I had one left. Give Grandma a kiss for every stamp ma.
Also thank Boby for her letter. It's swell to hear from her. So until my next letter I remain

Your Loving Soldier Boy,
Tony

P.S. I started 3 different times before I finished this letter. But I wanted to make it a little long.

Dear Helen

Co. "A" A.S.T.U. 3920
U. of O.
EUGENE
10/7/43

Dear Helen,

I hope you don't think I'm kidnapped or something but last week we just about got a test in every subject we got and it certainly kept me busy. We study 10 1/2 hrs. a day instead of 10 also so...but I am so certain you'll understand that I don't think I will go any further.
I am making out pretty good in math, physics, chem., but Eng. Hist. and Geog. make me a bit worried sometimes. But I guess I'll pull thru somehow or another.
We were also tested by the major in drilling a platoon and altho we were a bit nervous I made out pretty good.
I'll include a few clippings from the U. paper to give you an idea of what's going on. I did lose my stripes but so did everybody also. Sgts. etc. are all privates now.
I wish I could write a lot more but time is so short for us around here. I got 20 letters in my draw that I didn't answer, but your one of the first I am answering because just love receive letters from you.
We have to fall out in a few minutes so i will close now but please write soon. I'll try to write more next time. I hope you and your family are in the best of health. Until then

I remain sincerely
as ever
Tony

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele Letter No. 91

Anthony J. Curcio
Co. "A" A.S.T.U. 3920
U. of O. Eugene, Ore.

Date 10/4/43
Letter No. 91
Rec'd 128

Dear Mom, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

Here it starts another week and it was a bit hard to get started being Anita was down but I'm back in the groove again. We had a swell time. She got in town about 1 o'clock Sat. afternoon and got a room at the hotel. She called up the orderly room, and then as soon as I got back from class I went down. (That is after I got paid - that was the first time in three months so as soon as I get a chance I will send the money home.) They had a dance at the University gymnasium. And we had a swell time. We did the lindy and as we were doing it one of the men of the paper took our picture. I hope they print it. I showed her around the campus Sunday and in the afternoon we say "So Proudly We Hail." And boy was it good. An excellent picture. She had to catch the 6:43 train back so I just about saw her off as I had to be back at the dormitory at 7:15. We had a swell time. I hated to see her go.
I caught a honey of a cold too. I must have caught it at the dance. I did get a bit sweated up.
Well I said my speech on Sat. and made OK believe it or not. It really surprised me.
I subscribed to the yearbook. It comes out in May. Last year it got the nations award. They are going to have a part for the A.S.T.U. so I thought it would be nice to have.
The weather is starting to get a bit rainy. That's what it's going to be all winter. Just like Washington weather.
I hope everybody is in the best of health & I hope pop is O.K.
I'll close now remaining

Your Loving Soldier Boy,
Tony

P.S. I am sorry if I miss writing you some things ma. They just slip my mind sometimes. And ma, you know I always love to receive letters from you.

Love
T

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele Letter No. 90

Anthony J. Curcio
Co. "A" A.S.T.U. 3920
U. of O. Eugene, Ore.

Date 10/1/43
Letter No. 90
Rec'd ---

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

I am going to try to attempt to drop a line before I fall out. If not I'll finish tonight.
Well my tests are just almost over. Boy they certainly get people worried. But I think I made out fairly well anyway. I got my mark in math already. We had 15 problems and I got 13 right. Boy I was sore because I got the two wrong because they were so simple. I [?] with myself. But I think I got a pretty good grade don't you? Physics test was pretty easy. I'll let you know what I got when I find out. Chem was alright. History & Geography are on the border line. But I can't say how I made out. So keep your fingers crossed. You know how I spit out my words.
They even gave us a test in drilling a platoon. The captain said it was very good. And compared to some of the other fellows I though it was pretty good myself not too conceited of course.
We are learning how to swim correctly. Which will be quite an advancement if I can do it the way he says.
During physics laboratory today we performed an experiment (another fellow and myself) and we came out with a .75% [?] and the teacher said it was the best one he say all week. That also made me feel that I am getting along pretty well.
I had to drop there and fall out but I just came back from study and have a few more minutes before I go to bed.
Well Anita comes tomorrow & I can't wait till I see her. It can't come fast enough. I write and let you know all about it.
I am fine and in the best of health. I hope you all are the same and I hope Pop feels O.K.
I have the University paper which gives you a good idea of how things are on the campus. I will send it to you soon. Until my next letter I remain

Your Loving Solider Boy,
Tony