Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele Letter No. 76

Co. "A" STAR Unit 3902
U. of Idaho, Moscow
8/30/43
Letter 76
Rec'd 112 & 113

Dear Mom, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

Well here it is another Monday and I'm sill here. But I did have a swell weekend. DiFranza & I went to visit Spokane. It's about 70 miles N.W. of here. We left at 4 o'clock. We took a bus & got in Spokane at 7 o'clock. We headed first to the U.S.O. to get a bite to eat. After we ate a band came in, so we stayed there. And boy that band was good. I think it's the best I heard since I'm in the army. And all the girls could dance here. There was was no question about that. The dance was over at 11 o'clock, little did we realize we didn't have a place to sleep. All the dormitories were filled up. We asked a sailor where we could get a place to stay. He said he didn't know, but if we couldn't get a place we could sleep with him. Well that's where we ended up. It was the funniest thing. The three of us in that bed. We couldn't toss & turn like we wanted to and I woke up about 10 times and the sailor said he fell out of bed once. We were so restless we got up at 8:30. We went to the service men's center and had coffee and cake for breakfast and we also took a shower and polished our shoes. Boy those service centers are swell. I guess we won't know what to do without them. We walked around a little and a car came up beside the curve and asked us if we would like to go to some church. He would take us to any church we wanted to go.
They operated through the U.S.O. It almost knocked me over. It was the first time I saw that before. But we didn't go because we had to catch a 12:30 bus back to Moscow and we still had to eat and we didn't know where the church would be. We got the bus and as we were coming back it started to rain. But it was still a nice trip. Boy and what nice scenery. Hill, hills & some more hills. But as we got closer to Spokane the hills got bigger and the pine trees got bigger. It was further up north. Also coming back on the bus we met a young nurse and we talked to her all the way back. She was nice. She came from Lewiston about 40 miles south of Moscow. We had a swell weekend. And DiFranza met a buddy of his from his home town at the U.S.O. at Spokane, and boy were they happy to see each other. Before DiFranza came into the army he used to color postcards and every time we go some place we run across cards that he colored before he came into the army. I'll enclose a card that he did and if you run across any cards with Tichnor Bros. on them you can bet that he did them. He comes from Boston, Mass.
Last night I received 6 letters in mail call. Two cards, one from Ann & one from Mom & Pop. Boy they were swell thanks. I received a letter from Ma, 2 from Anita, and a letter from Elfrieda.
I am so glad Boby is giving you such a swell time ma. And I'm glad you all are having a swell time. Boy did my heart sink when you told me about losing Grandma. I can just imagine how everybody felt especially Grandma. I just can't explain how I felt, wow!
I am so glad you were so surprised about the war bond. Every time I had a few extra dollars I sent Elfrieda it and she saved them for me. I sent her the rest so she could get it off her hands before she got married. She's a good kid. That is a swell present you sent Elfrieda. I just know she will like it an awful lot. She liked mine an awful lot too. As long as she is happy.
I wish you would send the pictures ma. You can wait with the paper. It will be forwarded if I'm shipped. They have a pretty good system here.
I am fine and I hope everybody is ok too. I'll close now and until my next letter I remain

Your Loving Soldier Boy,
Tony

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele No. 71

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

Date 8/16/43
Letter No. 71
Rec'd ----

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

It's Sunday nite and I just came in from mail call. I got two letters from Boby which I enjoyed very much. I like the way she writes. You can tell by her letters how intelligent she is. I also got a letter from Anita & a card from her also. And guess what kind of a card it is. It just like the one you sent to me some time ago. This is the saying it had:
"Don't write nothing sad to the boys in the service." The magazine articles say:
"Don't tell them how sorry you feel for yourself ---
They've got worries enough anyway! ---
And so I won't tell you how lonesome I am,
How sad & dejected and blue ---
I won't even tell you I miss you real bad
But, just off the record, I do."
It has a girl sitting in an arm chair reading a magazine. Do you remember when you sent me that one? It made me feel so good when I got it. Whenever that happens like you & Anita picking out the same thing it makes me feel like we have something in common. It makes me feel so good.
Anita got my picture made & she said it turned out real swell. It's good to have someone like that to think about ma.
I went to town Sat. afternoon before the stores closed & bought Elfrieda a set of book ends and a card. It cost me 4.25. The lady put in a nice box & wrapped it up for me. So I didn't have to do anything to worry about. So you won't have to get anything ma. I sent it direct to her. I hope she likes it. This is the way it looks.

[Illustration]

It looks pretty nice. I guess it will be all right, huh?
Last nite I went to the show again & saw "The Ox Bow Incident." It was alright but it was kind of slow. After that we went to one of the dances & stayed about a half hour & then cam back & went to sleep.
Today I went to church 10 o'clock mass. It was a nice church only the priest talked too low. As we were walking to the church a lady picked us up and took us right in front of the door. She told us about her son. He is also in the A.S.T.P. unit & is going to a college in California. It was pretty nice of her, don't you think so?
This afternoon I wrote some letters. Tonight after I finish this letter I'll write to Anita & Grandma & then study a little.
I will enclose another postcard showing Moscow in one shot. That's all there is there is no more.
You should find Spokane on the map. It's about the largest town in Washington besides Seattle & Tacoma. See if you can find it ok?
I guess Bob & Ann are up in the Catskills by now. I hope they have a nice time.
How is Pop making out? What [?] is he got now? How is he feeling? How big is Eleanor getting? I was looking over some pictures & just started to think I bet she's bigger than I am now. I will close now & write soon again.

Your Loving Soldier Boy,
Tony