October 7, 1944
Saturday Evening
Dear Family,
I guess that I might as well begin with the thought that is uppermost in my mind. I usually get one and lots of times two letters from you the last part of the week. But this time I haven’t heard from you since Wednesday noon. That was the day I was on KP and I got the letter you had written last Sunday. Of course I’ll still be looking tomorrow. As we’ve said I’m not worried but I sure am concerned.
It seems to be an almost established fact now that we’ll be leaving sometime around Wednesday of this next week. We had to throw away everything this evening such as hair tonic etc. that we can’t take with us but that we had been keeping to use up to the last minute. We are now rid of magazines, papers, boxes and everything that we can’t take along. Our kahkhis are to be turned in tomorrow evening and they are preparing to take our footlocker and beds so you can easily see that things are rapidly coming to a head.
I’m up with my news till yesterday morning so I’ll begin there. We spent the entire morning giving the barracks a final scrubbing. We scrubbed the ceiling, walls and everything down to and including the floor. That’s the most thorough cleaning it’s ever had and likely if we do any more cleaning on it, it’ll just be a scrubbing of the floor.
Then we were off Friday afternoon as the last half of our vacation and I didn’t do much of anything. I washed a few clothes, slept some and just generally let the afternoon slip away from me. It was a rest from duty though and I sure am not going to cry over spilled milk.
This morning we had a hike that lasted for about 3-½ hours so that took the first half of the day. For an hour and a half after dinner we attended a training movie and that concluded the day’s work.
I don’t know why they have to give us hikes on Saturdays but at least this one didn’t hurt me as bad as the last. But of course, there’ll be no question about sleeping tonight. I spent the later part of the afternoon cleaning my rifle, washing fatigues for next weekend generally getting things straightened up.
Yesterday evening I got your little box and it sure was appreciated. I hope mother made the cookies because I hope to be able to eat more of them sometime. There must have been some honey in them because they certainly stayed fresh. I couldn’t imagine what was in the can and it certainly was a great thrill to us when I opened it up this evening. I wonder if it was some of the chicken you canned. How did you happen to use tin? Boy it certainly was good!
I read the Sunday School paper entirely through after supper this evening so I guess that just about finishes the box.
Well it’s only about a quarter after eight but I feel so worn out that I think I’ll hit the hay in a very few minutes. Good-night, Donald…
Sunday 3:30PM
Again I’ll start with word about the letters I’ve received. Only this time the news is very much better. I am happy to say that at mail call today I received two letters from you. Boy I can’t tell you how glad they made me.
I’ll answer some of your questions and maybe by the time I get that done I’ll be warmed up and ready to write.
I surely appreciate those clippings. If I were home I know I would read small items like this and they are of no less interest to me now. Whether or not they are too near to me personally doesn’t matter. Send them often.
About the address on the Tribune, I did fill out a change of address card for them so that part of it you won’t have to take care of.
When it comes to receiving letters I am content if you are to leave things as they are. I still say receiving a letter is much more important than receiving a big letter. Its alright with me if you want to put three cent stamps on them instead of air mail all the time. Of course, I like to get them soon but I just can’t keep enough to put air-mails on all my letters.
I am wondering how the Noblesville football game came out. It would have been nice if Richard got straightened up for the game but at least I hope it wasn’t anything serious. I had read about his being vice-pres of the Hi Y. And you can be sure that this and being co-captain of the football team gives me a great pride. I guess the reason I am so happy about the things he is doing is because they are an accomplishment of the things I would have liked to do. Maybe that isn’t true either because I never had too much interest for football but I know from experience that the more things you are a part of: the better off you are. I have never been sorry that I took part in the free things I did.
I guess your letters explain about the box but I wonder why it got here before an air mail letter. I wonder what you’ve been doing today. Its a very nice day here but for a while this morning it looked pretty damp. About all I’ve got accomplished up until now has been going to church this morning.
I got sort of a greeting card from Rev. Siferd the other day so I guess I’ll have to get busy and write some kind of a letter to him before the day is over. I always sort of wonder under what sort of circumstances things like this are sent.
6PM
Well I did a little reading and finally got the aforesaid letter written. They only sent me a greeting card so I didn’t even have a letter to get a few ideas from. Between this and the fact that I’ve never seen them and really know little about them it was a pretty hard job. But I’ve written difficult letters before so even if it wasn’t so fancy I got it done in some fashion or other.
I don’t know how I’ll spend the rest of the evening but I’m sure not going to start anything very strenuous if I can help it. Bear in mind what I’ve told you before if you cease to hear from me in the near future. Continue to write till you hear different and I’ll do the same.
Lots of love, Donald
