Monday Evening – September 4, 1944
Leesburg Range
Hello Family,
This is just a little different from my usual procedure but I can’t see that there will be anything too wrong with it. I have a little time tonight so I’ll start a letter now. I won’t send it out till tomorrow evening and if I have time then I’ll write a little more. But just in case we have to work extra late tomorrow I’ll have a little letter written.
We got out here at about 4:30 yesterday evening and thus had time to get straightened up before dark. Then this morning we got up at five o’clock and started to work. Those of us that didn’t have to fire anything did about the same kind of work we do back in the company area.
We had a half hour of close order drill, a half hour of physical training and three hours of study and work on squad tactics. It was, of course, all stuff we have done many times before but they just had to find something for us to do.
I’ll let you in on a little secret. I believe that all they are doing now is just finding something to keep us busy. We’re just going over old stuff and just so we’re doing something they don’t seem to care whether we’re learning or not. In the first place, they wouldn’t have sent us all out here to do nothing but fill in time if there had been anything important for us to do. Since we didn’t go on maneuvers, I think, they’re about at the end of their rope as far as training goes. They seem to be just stalling for time till we move out of here. I may have the wrong idea about what they are waiting for but they sure are waiting for something.
Well I got to jabbering and forgot to tell you about what I did this afternoon. I went out on the rifle range and spent most of my time keeping score. That’s just about my type of work and I can say I spent a fairly enjoyable afternoon. Boy, I sure and lazy, don’t you think so?
I haven’t heard from you since the middle of last week so I sure hope to get a letter at mail call tonight.
Maybe you think I wouldn’t like to be home tonight. It’s really hard seeing school time come around and me being stuck here.
That’s just about all the news I can think of now so I’ll close for the present. Boy it’s sure been hot today. DT
I’ve changed my mind again. I got your letter tonight and I want to let you know how I feel about this watch. In the first place that’s a whole lot more than I wanted to pay. It would take me quite a while to save that much money. But use your own judgement and if you are fairly sure it will satisfy me I suppose it might be alright to go ahead. Some of you’ll have to finance it for a while though. But I sure don’t want you to sell my other one for $10 dollars.
I’ve enumerated again some of the qualities I’d like for a watch to have. A second hand of some kind and luminous numbers, of course. Be neither conspicuously large or small or be otherwise too outstanding. If my Gruen were built in the shape that service watches are (usually round) it would be about the right size. I suppose it’s not too necessary to be a well known name or an American make but I would like for it to be possible to be repaired without too much fuss or worry. Please use good judgement.
I expect I could sell my watch here for a good bit more than $10 or maybe you could put an ad in the Tribune. I see Daddy wearing it in the picture and if he likes it and thinks he could get $25 worth of good and enjoyment from it I’d give it to him. I don’t mean sell either. If he doesn’t especially care for it then we’ll sell it.
I wish I could find an air mail stamp to put on this but if I can’t it’ll have to free. I’ve got one back at the barracks but that doesn’t do me any good here.
Oh yes – you don’t need to worry about the color of the watch face suiting me. It can be white, black, brown or what not just so it’s not radically outstanding.
Those were good pictures in the letter tonight. I’m keeping the one of Dad and old Friday. The ministers look like real nice people to me.
Use your good judgment. Good luck and lots of love, Donald