Dear Mom, Pa, Ele Letter No. 73

P.F.C. Anthony J. Curcio
Co. "A" STAR Unit 3902
U. of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho

Date 8/20/43
Letter No. 73
Rec'd --

Dear Mom, Pa, Ele,

Before I start you'll have to excuse this sheet of paper. The last minute I found out that I ran out of this type of paper and this sheet isn't to[o] clean. Ma[y]be you can get me some more?
Well it's Friday nite & I'm still here. Gosh I wish I ship out & get started on the course. I just found out today that after the first term we can get furloughs providing we pass. After that between terms we'll just get 7 days off. That will make me work all the harder. That's good news huh?
I received my daily letter today from Anita. I can almost count on it being here every nite. Gosh she's swell. How did you like her picture?
I got a swell letter from Ed tonight (my boss). He told me all about his job and it seems he's got a swell position, and he really likes it & he's making out swell.
While on that subject did I ask you to send me the pictures of the house that Ed designed? The one for Mr. Schultz from Mill Neck, Long Island? If not will you send them to me ma. I want to show Anita them. I sent the stuff back to you when I sent the stuff I showed to Helen Riley from St. Louis. Remember?
I got a card from Borella tonight also. He's at the State College of Washington & he feels pretty lonely being he was sent there and none of us was sent with him. He is a swell guy.
During calisthenics today we were lifting weights in the gym. I felt pretty good after that too. I never did that before.
I'm still studying and am refreshing pretty well.
I am so glad Grandma got her flat rented. I bet that's a relief off her mind. How is Grandma, ma?
And how is everything with you. Do you have to visit the doctor any more? Gosh I wish I could see you ma.
How big is Eleanor? I think I asked you that in my last letter.
I'll close now hoping this letter finds you all in the best of health.

Your Loving Soldier Boy,
Love & Kisses,
Tony

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele Letter No. 60

P.F.C. Anthony J. Curcio
1875 En. Avn. Bn. Co. H & S
McChord Field, Wash.

Date 7/15/43
Letter No. 60
Rec'd ---

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

I am writing a short letter & try to answer one of your questions. It's about my furlough. The whole battalion & myself want a furlough. Quite a lot of us put in for furloughs and some got theirs already. Those who are in the longest will get theirs first and they will go down the line. I don't know when mine will come up although I assume it will be some time next month. But I don't know. It could come up in a week & ma[y]be 3 months, I don't know. And if we start our training again they may stop furloughs until it's over. I don't know that either. But in case it should come up I would need some money. Soldiers round trip rate from here to N.Y. I think is $74 + meals. So would need about $100.
One of the cooks was notified last nite that he could leave on his furlough today. It's short notice and it was o.k. because he had the money on hand & I would like to do the same thing. I don't want to be stuck if my furlough should come up.
I don't want to build up your hopes too much on my coming home real soon because army orders change from hr. to hr. but I think my chances are 50/50 that I will get one some time next month. I'll keep you posted on how things progress.
I'll pray every nite it should come real soon. I guess the easiest way to send the money would be by money order. But ask Boby and see what she says.
Last nite I went to the U.S.O. dance and didn't have such a bad time but it was o.k.
I just heard a program on the radio from Mitchel Field, L.I., the Coca Cola program with Vincent Lopez & his orchestra. It made you feel so good when it comes some place near home.
I shall close now hoping you are all in the best of health & please pray everything goes all right I will be home next month.

Your Loving Soldier Boy,
Tony

Dear Mom, Pa, Barb, Ann, Ele, Letter No. 9

Pvt. Anthony J. Curcio 1-28-43
Flight "F" 360th Tech. Sch. Sqd. Letter No. 9
Jefferson Barracks, MO

Dear Mom, Pa, Barb, Ann, Ele,

Well here I am in Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, 14 miles south of St. Louis. We left Camp Upton at 11 o'clock Tuesday morning. We left in R.R. cars & the seats were able to be converted into births. It was the Pennsylvania R.R. Our first stop was Philadelphia, after passing through L.I., N.J., at 4:25 PM. From there we went to Harrisburg, PA, Altuna, and Pittsburgh during the night. All during the night we went through Ohio making stops at Columbus. During Wed. we hit Richmond, Ind. & at 9:30 we hit Indianapolis. From there we went straight thru to St. Louis to Jefferson Barracks.
We finally found out we were in the air corps. as you can tell by the address. After all the riffing we do about people coming from Missouri & here I am in MO myself. This place is very cold but the only place I feel it is in my feet & when I got up this morning. The air down here is dry & I don't feel it on my face, it just penetrates through the feet. We live in barracks or shall I call them huts. Wood frame with a small stove in the center. There are 6 in each hut. Our trip from Camp Upton was a bit tiresome & we didn't see much scenery because the windows were dirty & the steam from the locomotive blew right in front of our window. The food on the train was awful but the food here at the camp is swell. When we got here we were assigned to our huts & then we had chow. The dishes & silverware were immaculate compared to C.U. [Camp Upton]. After chow we went to get our bedding which consisted of 2 woolen blankets, 1 quilt, 2 sheets, 1 pillow case. We needed them all. The country around here is very hilly. After we got our bedding we went to the U.S.O. to send the telegrams. I sent one to you mom & one to Elfrieda. I sent them overnight because I didn't want to scare you. It would have probably came during the night. There is a lot of colored fellows here & are separated from us partly. They have a separate routine down here. The southern officers have a prejudice here against them. I really don't like the officers down here they seem to think they're a bit better than we are from N.Y. I don't know. But it is sure hard to understand them with their accent. This morning we were awaken about 5:30.
I slept fairly well. Then we had chow. When we came back we were shown how to make our beds. Boy what a screwy way. You have to break up the entire bed. Take the slip off the mattress & off the pillow. Fold your blankets, fold the quilt (in a certain way) fold your mattress. Where as in Upton we just had to straighten our fed and we were OK. Well we all do what we are told & we will keep our noses clean. I hope I like it here. He said we will stay here from 3 weeks to 2 months. So ma could you please send me a sleeveless sweater & some stationary (The stuff I got printed) say about 2 dozen sheets & envelopes & a few packs of cigarettes. Thanks ma. I would buy the stuff here but my money is running low. Sometimes we buy crackers & coffee & cards & etc. Besides I would feel much better if I did receive a package from home. Ma[y]be you can get a couple milky ways?

Love,
Tony

P.S. Did you get my telegram the first thing there mom? Please read this letter to grandma. I may not get a chance to write to grandma for a couple days so please read this to her. Will write again as soon as I get my first free moment. Be sure to put 360th in the address.