Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele Letter No. 130

Anthony J. Curcio
Co. B - 22 Tank Bn. A.P.O. 261
Camp Cooke, Calif.
 
5/23/44 
Letter No. 130
Rec'd  193

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,


I really don't know how to start this letter, I mean I don't know exactly what to say.  I received the package today and when I opened it my eyes just popped out of my head.  Gosh the watch was really something!  I told you all to get one not so expensive.  I just don't know what to say.  It's the perfect thing.  Waterproof, shockproof, non magnetic, sweep hand, illuminates in the night.  Gosh.  And the cherries.  Grandma always comes thru don't she.  And the candy & cookies & flashlight and stamps.  Even the card was so pretty.  And in the envelope with the stamps it had the card from American Legion.  It's all too much to put in words of thanks and appreciation.
Pretty soon, if not already, you'll receive the year book I subscribed to at the University.  Remember?  The University sent a copy to the library here at camp and I looked at it last night.  I got my picture in 3 times.  Can you imagine.  On page 128 Anita & I are dancing (jitterbugging).  That's when she came down that weekend.  Remember.  On page 133 Tiny & I are dancing at the barn dance they had at the sorority house.  You'll find me in the group picture under section P5 Section 1.  Tiny is in the picture on page 76 with Gertrude Lawrence with the Phi Betas.  She also appears with the house pictures (Casablanca Lodge).  She looks good don't she?  I thought the book came real swell.  It's a swell [?] also.
In my last letter I think I forgot to tell you that I saw the picture "Gaslight" with Charles Boyer & Ingrid Bergman.  Boy don't miss it ma.  It will keep you on the edge of your seat.  and they both played excellent parts.  I also saw "The Story of Dr. Wassell" with Gary Cooper & Laraine Day Sunday night as I said.  It was real good & very colorful.  It's a true story.  I wish you see it.
The weather hear had calmed down a bit and it isn't so windy.
I hope you write Tiny again and keep the chain rolling.  I got a letter from her today and she is real busy with her finals.  You can wish her a lot of luck in them.
I want to thank you all again.  It's so swell to know you have a real family behind you.  Just imagine in 11 days I'll be a man.  21 years old.  Gee whiz.  I'll have to close my letters "Your Loving Soldier Man."  Will write soon again.

Your Loving Soldier Boy,

Tony

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele Letter No. 122

Anthony J. Curcio
Co. B - 22 Tank Bn. A.P.O. 261
Camp Cooke, Calif.
 
4/23/44 
Letter No. 122
Rec'd  4/18/44

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

It is Sunday night and I just got off an easy day of K.P.  Sunday is always easy.  I received your letter of April 18 and it took about 4 days to get there.  I thought it was pretty good.  I am glad my mail gets there that fast too.
Don't forget to let me know what Dr. Trombly [?] says.  I am very anxious to hear.  I am glad you got out to the show.  Try to get outdoors as much as possible.
Last week Tiny was busy and couldn't write but I thought there was something wrong so I sent her a telegram like I did you.  But she was all right.  I guess maybe I jumped to too many conclusions in a hurry.  Huh?  She is making out ok.  I am glad you all are writing to each other.  It makes me feel happy.  Tiny said she was more than pleased with your letters and enjoys writing to you.  I hope you both continue, and Barb too?
I just can't wait to till mail call comes everyday so I can receive your letter ma and I feel so relieved when I receive them.  I think they are really swell ma.
As for my birthday ma there is really nothing I need.  If you want to give me money you can start a bank account for me. Also one that you can draw on too if that is possible and then in case you should need it you can get it readily.  Tiny is also going to save some for me.  We made that little agreement before I left the University.  I think it's a good idea, don't you?  I will be able to send some money home again now that I am at a camp like I did when I was at McChord Field.
We haven't did too much with the tanks since my last letter but I found out that there is a lot of work to be done on them.  But I like to work on them.
I am glad Grandma is alright and I am glad she went to the show also.  So Grandma having any trouble with the house?
As soon as I get a little time I will send home my tooth.  That sounds funny.  Doesn't it?
The weather is a bit misty out today but the sun is usually out.  I guess the only thing you can get here is windburn although this past week we felt the sun a little bit.
I'll write soon again as soon as I get a chance.  Hope everybody is in the best of health.  Give Grandma my love and kisses.

Your Loving Soldier Boy,

Tony

P.S.  Feo is at Westover Field Mass.  He is getting his crew and will go over pretty soon.  I will enclose a picture of him.  Then you can send it back.

Dear Helen

Co. "A" A.S.T.U. 3920
U. of O.
EUGENE
9/9/43

Dear Helen,

Well I finally was shipped and now I am still further away from home, but aside from that I can't complain just a wee bit. I told you how nice the U. of Idaho was, well this is far superior. The campus is larger & more beautiful. We live in dormitories two in a room. I have a suite, two closets, 5 drawers, 3 mirrors & a bed that actually has springs in it. In fact I think it's too soft. The mess hall is immaculate and we eat out of plates. Can you imagine a soldier eating out of plates. It's all like a dream. Everything here so far has been run with perfect organization, something that makes my heart happy. You very seldom hear of that in the army. But I guess you really can't call this the army. I think I'll write & tell my mother to take down the service flag...her son is in the A.S.T.P.
We start classes on Monday & it will be plenty tough and we will be studying from morning till night. I hope I can get thru, and if I don't I'll say well I tried my best. But I hope and say I made it.
I will write whenever I can. I'm afraid it won't be as much as I would like to but I want you to know the reason why, rather than let you think I am neglecting my friends. And you would be the last one I would neglect. I mean that with all sincerity because I know the kind of person you are and I just love to read your letters. I hope you will answer soon, like you always do & I hope you are in the best of health & please send my regards to your family. So until then I remain

Sincerely as ever
Tony

P.S. Today I am 8 months in the army. It just came to me.
P.S. #2 After reading over the letter I forgot to tell you I left Moscow (?) Tues. nite about 5:30 and arrived here yesterday at about 1:30 P.M. First we traveled to Spokane & then headed south to Walla Walla, along the Columbia River to Portland and then to Eugene. I though you would like to know. T

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele Letter No. 80

Co. "A" ASTU 3920
U. of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
9/8/43
Letter 80

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

It doesn't seem like I'll ever get away from the West coast. I'm about 30 miles from the West coast between the Coastal Range Mts. & the Cascade Mountains & about in the middle of the state. But I don't think anybody could ask for anything better than what we have right here. I'll tell you about it in a minute. We left Moscow at 5:30 last night and arrived here about 1:30 PM today. First we went to Spokane, from Spokane we headed southwest to Wallula on the Wash. border and traveled along the border next to the Columbia River to Portland & from Portland down to Eugene. Eugene has a population of about 20 thousand and is a beautiful clean place. I raved about the conditions we had at the University of Idaho, but believe me when I say that the conditions and the campus are far superior than those of Idaho. It's a much larger campus and it holds a lot more students. We live in a men's dormitory, and the place is wonderful. I am with a friend of mine (Ronald Hemenway) (Kansas). There are two in each room. We have double beds, a sink, two closets, 6 large drawers & 4 small drawers, medicine cabinet & 3 mirrors. It looks like this: [drawing]

We have a latrine & two showers on each floor. The mess hall (or shall I say dining room) is immaculate. In fact the whole place is immaculate. We eat from plates & have cups & saucers for our coffee. Tonight for chow we had ham, potatoes, & cabbage on a plate, coffee, bottle of milk & a glass, [?] on a small plate, butter & bread on a small plate & a piece of pie. And boy it's good. The lounging room is like an old fashioned place with big heavy furniture. It's really swell.
Everything done so far has been done with perfect organization. And the way they talk it's really going to be swell. But we will have to work real hard.
We start classes on Monday. We will find more about the campus tomorrow.
I'll tell you more tomorrow. And I'll write when I can because we won't have too much time for ourselves. Until then I remain,

Your Loving Soldier Boy,
Love & Kisses
Tony

P.S. Please tell Grandma & Aunt Anna. I'll write to Grandma tom.

T.