Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele Letter No. 141

Aug. 6, 1944
Sunday Night
#141
Rec'd #206

Dear Mom, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

Well here is the end of another week but this time it wasn't to prosperous as far as good times is concerned, but there is no reason why I should go out every weekend anyway.  Sat. night I (last night) went into Lompoc (that's a small town about 10 miles from camp) just to get out of camp I guess.  One of the boys and myself (he's a Brooklyn boy also) went to confession in a cute little church in Lompoc.  Then we bowled a game and then spent a few hrs at a dance.  It wasn't very exciting but we did pass the time away.  I sent you a little booklet from the U.S.O. about the town which will be good for your scrapbook.
Today we had to go out on the range all day.  So I missed mass.  I'll have to wait until next week to go to communion.  The capt. promised us off all day next Sat. because we went out today.  That ain't so bad, is it?
I received the four hankies and mom they're swell.  You say you hope I like them enough to send them to her, it never occurred to me for one split second not to send them to her.  How could she help but like them.  I sent them to her but she didn't get them as yet.  I also send Dad a carton of cigarettes for his birthday.
I hope Grandma can sell the house.  It gives her too many worries.  Right ma?  Give Grandma my love and tell her I will write real soon.
My writing isn't so good as I have a little bandage on my pinky and it makes it a bit uncomfortable when writing.  It's just a little sore.
I'm glad everybody remarks about your locks ma that's an excellent sign that you're picking up weight and getting along fine.  I certainly can tell that from the picture you sent me.  It's a honey.
What's new with everybody & everything?  Did Ann hear from Frank yet?  Did Bob hear from Al again? etc.  
I'll write soon again until then I remain

Your Loving Solider Boy

Tony

P.S.  I hope Sandy is getting to be a better boy.  How was he since you last wrote?

  
 

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele Letter No. 139

7/26/44
Wed. Night
#139
Rec'd 204

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

I received your swell letter yesterday.  I just can't wait til mail call comes each day.  It seems so long from one day til the next.
Since Sunday we have been out on the field most of the time.  I'm on guard duty tonight.  I was lucky not to get guard duty since I'm back.  I really don't know how they missed me so long.  
I believe beginning next month we will work 7 days a week for some sort of training.  I'll know more about that in a few days as the end of the month is Monday.
Helen writes me about every other day.  Not short letters like Tiny's either.  She is a swell sincere girl ma.  She went on a vacation and took a lot of pictures and she sends a few in each letter.  I'll enclose a few pictures and you can send them back after you all look at them.  Say ma what about making a few handkerchiefs?  This will be the last batch I promise you ma.  That sounds funny doesn't it?
Thanks for sending me the money ma.  You don't know how handy it came in as I was practically out of money.  I can't thank you too much ma.  When I send money home you can take it out.
I am so glad the baby likes her job.  Remember when I brought my first check in ma?  From Fairchilds.  I believe it was $26 and a few odd cents.  I was so proud & can see how the baby felt.
I am glad Grandma is getting better and I guess your next letter will tell me she is alright.  Give Grandma my love & kisses.  OK ma.
I didn't hear from Elfrieda since that explosion occured.  I hope she is all right.  I'll let you know as soon as I hear from her.  I am also glad Al's mother finally got a letter.  Is he expected home pretty soon?  And how about Henry?  I never did find the wisdom tooth ma.  I'm sorry.
Take good care of yourself ma and write soon again.  Remember I wait impatiently for your letters.  Until my next letter I remain

Your Loving Soldier Boy

Tony

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele Letter No. 101

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

12/6/43
Letter No. 101
Rec'd 151

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

Well I'm a man of leisure for one week. It is Monday and we have the whole week to ourselves all but for one hr. of dull (every morning from 9 until 10).
We had 6 tests on Fri. and I hope to make out OK in them. I'm practically in 2nd term. In fact I guess I can say I'm in 2nd term although we didn't [have] any official notice, but they dropped all those that didn't make second term so I guess it's safe in saying so.
Sat. afternoon Tiny and I did our Christmas shopping and Sunday after church we wrapped them at Casablanca (Tiny's sorority house). I sacked them all in a box and sent them today by R.R. express so don't be surprised when a big box arrives. But remember one thing and that is DON'T OPEN UNTIL CHRISTMAS. I have a present for Aunt Anna which I couldn't fit in the box so I will send it to you and you can wrap it and give it to her at Christmas OK? I put Grandma's present with yours so you can put it under the Christmas tree. I am not going to tell anybody what I got for anybody else in the family so when each one opens there's it will be a surprise. OK?
Today I went downtown to get a few odds and ends, Christmas cards, etc.
I am up at Gerlinger Hall and Tiny is practicing on the piano for her finals which come up next week.
We went to the show yesterday and saw "Lily Mars" with Judy Garland and Van Heflin. I liked it a lot. I like to see Van Heflin ever since I saw "Johnny Eager." Remember him in that picture?
It's getting cold up here in the morning in fact I got pretty cold during that hr. of drill this morning. (I didn't have my overcoat on as we couldn't wear them) but it's still starting to snap up a little. The dew on the grass and roofs freeze over and it looks real nice and then the sun comes out and melts it. I don't mind it when it's cold as long as it doesn't rain.
I guess that's about all for now. I am answering all the letters I couldn't answer during the term and I guess that will keep my pretty busy. I just found out that some of the fellows that left on furloughs Sat. were stuck up in Portland because they missed their train by 10 minutes and had to wait 15 hrs. for the next train. That's how uncertain train riding is which means you need plenty of time when you travel. I hope Tony (my roommate) wasn't in that bunch that missed the train.
I'll close now wishing everybody is in the best of health and very happy.

Your Loving Soldier Boy,
Tony

P.S. Give Grandma my love & kisses.
P.S. #2--I am [glad] Boby liked her present. And that's very thoughtful of Al Lindner. He's very thoughtful isn't he.
I'm glad the roofer came to fix Grandma's roof.
If I find out the marks I got on the G.I. tests I'll let you know. The G.I. tests are marked by machines and they are graded by the no. right but will make those marks correspond to A,B,C,D,F according to their charts. I know I got A in Trigonometry but I don't know about the rest.

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