Promoted to Technical Sergeant (skipping Staff Sergeant)
Tuesday Night
Hello Folks,
I didn't actually think that I'd write this soon and maybe I wouldn't if I didn't have something special to tell you. And since I am writing so soon after being home I may get lazy and not write till the weekend.
Well here goes the surprise. You didn't know you had a Tec Sgt (Technical) visiting you this last weekend did you? Well I almost knew it but just not for sure so I didn't dare tell you. I couldn't hardly hold myself but I thought it might be best. The first I knew of it was just before I left the office to go on my pass. The lieutenant told me that I was at least going to make staff and maybe tec. The order was coming out that very afternoon but I didn't feel that I could wait for it. If it had come just a little sooner I could have had a little help on my sewing job. That's all to do over again. But I guess it wouldn't be right to complain about it.
I sure had luck getting back here this evening. The train was late in leaving Indianapolis so ran me close on my time. Instead of leaving at 10:47 it didn't leave until 5 minutes after twelve. I got to Trenton at around five o'clock and came rolling in here with about 15 minutes to spare on the 6 o'clock dead-line. It wouldn't have made too much difference but I'd sort of hate to be late.
The trip coming back wasn't too bad but it wasn't as enjoyable as the one going the other way. The kind of care you get to ride in makes all the difference in the world. Going home I was in a fairly new car in which you could tilt the seats back to a semi-reclining position. There was no such luxury on this other one but that wouldn't have been so bad if the temperature had been comfortable. During the whole trip there was a steady cold wind blowing on me from around the window. I never saw such poor construction! It was almost enough to give you pneumonia. Then to make things worse, running along the floor next to your feet was a pipe that, I suppose, was for heating the place. It would almost burn right through your shoes and to touch it with your leg was just like getting against a stove. It was like the old saying about being hot on one side and cold on the other. It was all I could do to relax at all last night and I don't believe that I slept any. That's one time that I was glad it wasn't a longer trip.
There hasn't been enough time elapsed for much news to have happened. So I might as well sign off. I'll have to get ahold of some stripes now before I can send you any to put on the shirt you're fixing for me.
You can tell whoever you see about this but I doubt if I'll do much writing to the rest of the folks for a few weeks anyway.
So long and be good.
Donald
T/Sgt Donald V. Tappan 35893186