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.

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele Letter No. 75

8/26/43
Letter #75
Rec'd 112

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

If I stay here any longer I think I will stay her permanently. I have a funny suspicion that they may start a branch at this university. I guess I'll just have to wait & find out.
I got another hair cut today. I got a pretty good one this time. I had to go into town to get it.
I am picking up a lot math & chemistry & physics which I guess I will need.
We got a letter from Borella. He said it's pretty tough. You have to be on the ball all the time. Pants & shirts pressed at all times, shoes polished, etc. If you don't you get demerits. I guess I'll [have] to keep on the beam.
I am so glad Barb & Ann had such a good time. The way our boys are going ma[y]be I can look forward to it next year. Who knows.
I am glad you liked the picture of Anita. You could send it to me if you want. Aren't you going to send hankies or something like I said ma? Her address is Miss Anita Becker, 1114 N. Lawrence St., Tacoma (6), Washington.
When I was eating last nite a piece of my back tooth broke off. It's one of those teeth that the dentist at McChord filled. He was a bit rough. If it bothers me I will go to the dentist as soon as possible.
Last nite I had to press my pants & iron my shirt. (I washed it the night before, after study hall at night.) I['m] getting to be pretty good at ironing.
I hope everybody is OK and in the best of health. Will close now.

Your Loving Solider 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

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele Letter No. 68

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

Date 8/8/43
Letter No. 68
Rec'd 103, 104, 105

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

I was so happy to receive two letters. It seems like I waited so long for them.
You say that Coney Island is getting full of negros [sic]. Isn't funny how different races keep moving from one section to another. I guess in another 10 years the Ridgewood section will have a different language, I mean nationality, in it. Isn't that right?
If I was back at McChord Field and I did get my furlough I would not be able to fly home as the army restricted that just in case of emergency. But we don't have to worry about that for awhile. I am sorry to say. But if I did get my furlough it would be 7 days & traveling time. I hope you didn't feel too disappointed that I didn't get my furlough. I guess you were disappointed but we'll just keep our fingers crossed that the college I get sent to is East?
You said that you will go to church to see Elfrieda get married if she considers you all as friends. Well I'm glad she did send the invitation because there is no hard feelings and never will be. I wish you would buy Elfrieda a wedding present and put a little money gift in for me. $5.00 I guess. What do you think ma. I think I should put something like that to show that there are no feelings. Isn't that right ma?
You guessed right when you guessed I didn't have any money. You see we were shipped from McChord on the 29 & the 31 was pay day. That means we were red lined & won't get paid till next month or ma[y]be a partial payment on the 15 of August. Thanks ma. I will hold on the the money to see how I make out at the college.
Our trip from McChord was made at night so I didn't see many towns but I think I know the route. First we went north about 30 miles to Auburn to get a pullman car. Then we headed east passing thru Palmer, Roslyn, Cle Elum, Ellensburg, Beverly, Othello, Walden, [?], Ritz, Cheney, Spokane. Then we headed southeast passing thru Rosalia, Oaksdale, Garfield, Palouse, Pullman & thru Moscow. I cam pretty sure that's the route. Moscow is right on the border of Washington & Idaho.
I still have my map. Boy I certainly traveled a lot. But I have one desire & that is to travel east.
You ask me what happened to Peggy. Nothing happened to Peggy. Peggy was just a good friend but I think, in fact I know, I like Anita a lot better even tho I know her for such a short time.
Anita is about 5'1" has brown hair, greenish blue gray eyes (I don't know what the color is you would call that). She is slim (probably only weighs as much as Boby). She has a perfect set of white teeth and cute. Do you think you can picture her. I'll see if she's got an extra picture & send it to you. Oh I forgot she's 18 years old.
Helen Riley still writes to me. And she always writes a nice letter too.
I think my eyes bothered me because I wasn't used to staring at books. They feel better now.
I feel fine especially getting to bed regular each night. It really does you a lot of good.
Friday we had the same routine in school.
Sat. we just had classes in the morning & Sat. afternoon we were able to go into town if we liked but we only went in the nite. Boy what a dull town. Anita said in one of her letters "I laughed a little when I looked on the map and found out that Moscow only had a population of 300 four thousand people." She said "It must be an awful come down, just N.Y. then Tacoma, & now Moscow. But there is the compensation of peace & quiet which will be helpful in studying." I think she's right. But still is an awful dull place on Sat. nite. THere are two small movie houses. Two dance halls & a carnival that moved out last night. We went to the show & saw "They came to blow up America." It was pretty good. Then we went to the dance and didn't stay there very long as the average age of the girls there were so young & most of them couldn't dance. Then we took a look at the carnival, we stayed there about 15 minutes. So all in all we had a fine time doing nothing. In a way I'm glad tho, as Anita says "a peaceful quiet town will help in studying." Right?
Today I'll write letters & study.
The weather here has been cool. I like it too, I can think good in cool weather.
How is Boby making out with her unit? And how is Bob & Ele making out with the piano? And how is Ann making out with her knitting? Let me know ma. I hope everybody is in the best of health. Until my next letter I remain

Your Loving Soldier Boy,
Tony

P.S. Thank Ele for her clipping. I don't know what's happening to Brooklyn. It won't seem like Brooklyn without Camilli, will it?

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann, Ele, Letter No. 37

Pvt. Anthony J. Curcio
1875 EN. AVN. BN. Co. H & S
McChord Field, Wash.

Date 4-3-43
Letter No. 37

Dear Ma, Pa, Barb, Ann & Ele,

Well how is everybody? I didn't hear from home in so long I just pray everything is O.K. I'm pretty sure it is but I still would like to know how everything is taking place. I dropped a line last night of my address just so you would know my address & I would get mail that much sooner.
I shall start from the beginning when I left Hammer Field. We left there at 4 P.M. (Monday 29) in Pullman cars. Boy they were nice. The porter came around and fixed the bunks and we had a good sleep. In the morning he would come around & make the bunks again. That's O.K. huh!
Right after we started to travel the sergeant came around and asked who would like to have K.P. at $ .40 an hour. He wanted 4 fellows. So I volunteered. It really wasn't K.P. but a waiters job. They have a dinner car which feeds 36 at one time & the table has to be cleaned off & reset for each setting. After all were fed we could go back to our cars & wait until next meal. So it was pretty easy. And we could eat all we wanted too. And one of the porters made a collection & when the trip was over they split the money. I got a dollar & seventy-five in tips & $4.00 for the hrs. So I made a total of $5.75. Not bad huh. The reason they paid us instead of taking regular K.P.s was the army hires the train with cooks & waiters to serve us our meals but they were short of help. That's where we came in.
Now a word about the trip. We traveled up thru California, thru Oregon, thru Washington to McChord Field, which is about 14 miles away from Tacoma & about 5 miles away from Seattle. The scenery was much the same as the St. of Colorado. Very mountainous. This time we passed thru the Cascade Mts. The St. of Oregon had a lot of lumber camps. We also passed Mt. Shasta (14,181 ft. high). It was once an active volcano. We saw the lava beds a little ways passed the Mt. We arrived at McChord Field about 6:30 Wed. morning. This place is also an air port, but we are not connected with it. We were given barracks, bedding, got examined and slept. Then I shot down to the P.K. and practically [?] the place out. I got your present & sent it out already. I hope you like it. I got Grandma a pillow case & a little air corp pin which I also pinned on the pillow case. I also got you one ma, which I put in the present. I also got Barb, Ann & Ele one so you all can pin them on your dresses. I also got a banner for Eleanor & a "New Testament" which I got at J.B. I got Dad an ash tray. I got Aunt Anna a couple of handkerchiefs. And I also got a pack of Easter Cards. I sent your present & Grandma's. The rest I'll send out later. How did the pictures turn out that I sent home? If they turn out O.K. You can use the picture for the present I got you ma. I'm not going to tell you what it is either. Or maybe you got it already. They you can show it to Aunt Teeny & say "this is what my son sent me." See what she says. (I forgot to tell you, they have a very large & complete P.K. here).
Thursday I had K.P. What a racket. We got up at 5:30 & started work at 7 o'clock, & got thru at 6 P.M. At J.B. we had to get up at 3 and work 'til 8:30. Some difference. They didn't push you around here either. You took your time & everything got done & no squaking either. We talked to the cooks & they even let us taste the food to see whether it had the right taste. That's O.K. huh! But that was at the big general mess hall. Now we have our own little mess hall & have to walk a mile to get there. I don't know how it will be here.
This morning we had a little drill & then some very good Calisthenics. This afternoon we had details to do. Tonight we were all separated into companies. Some were put in Co. A, some Co. B, & the rest in Headquarters & Service. That's what H & S stands for in my address. I think it's the best part of the engineering aviation battalion, I don't know.
I think we will have to bypass school. I think we will get more extensive training here. Those tests we took had nothing to do with why we were shipped here for more training. There are many college graduates here right with us. It's just by the no's. They needed some men, so we were sent here. That's how the army works. It will be pretty good though, as long as we get training. I don't mind as much not going to school as I don't think I would learn too much in those schools. Our classification came with us so it may help us get a rating. But I'm not jumping to any conclusions. I tell you how things progress as we go along.
I started this letter last night & will finish it today (Sat.) unless we have to do something.
Sat. morning ( this morning) we had drill by 2nd leutenants & calisthenics. Then we had a detail. In the afternoon we had to G.I. the barracks.
Ever since we arrived here it's been raining. Very little Sun. But today it was pretty good. The sun shined a bit. You see this is the rainy season for this section.
Today the clouds lifted, and we see one of the tallest mountains; Mt. Rainier. We are about 40 miles from it. It extends way up into the clouds and most of the time you can't see it for that reason. It's 14,140 ft. high. The mountain is always covered with snow. It's really a wonderful sight. I'll try to get some pictures up the P.K. & send them to you.
Well I think that's about all for tonight & I will write you soon. I hope you are all in the best of health (I am) and I hope to hear from you real soon. So until then I remain,

Your Loving Soldier Boy,
Tony

P.S. I probably have time to write about the middle of next week. I will also try to send the rest of the packages out. By the way, did you show Aunt Teeny the present yet?