Santa Ana Air Base

Wednesday April 18, 1945

Dear Tom

Hi Buddie. Well how are you these days. I hope ok. Hope you are still on the job. And I suppose you are Motor Sgt. Now ha ha. Well tom I am ok and am feeling swell. And boy have I been having a time. Oh “boy.” Life in these United States is really swell. I will tell you more about it later on.

Well how is every thang going over there these days. I suppose every thang is … up ha. I hear you all have moved. And I hear you have Lt. Perry for Company now. I’ll bet he jumps and goes around like he always does. Or did he settle down since he has that job. Are you still on the Bull dozer?

I suppose a lot of the old gang has left since I left? Is old Ramsey and Lonnie Gunnels still around. The reason I have been writing you is that I thought maybe they have left by now.

Getting back to the States. I sure did try and drink up all the beer in Denver the last nineteen days I had left. [edited for content]

Well Tom if I were you I would hold out for rotation. Cause you get to stay in the States. And boy you get to stay in the Air Core and you get the stay twelve days or more at one of these Stations like I am in. And if you are married you get to bring your wife and it only cost you $1.25 a day for her to stay with you. And you have every thang you would care to eat. No fooling! And they give you a good short arm infection. I am still fit for duty.

Well Tom I don’t know where I will go from here as yet. Frank Popish went to Newburgh, NY, a Air Base out there. Old Ralph Malaby he is going to Leemire, California. My orders might come in any time now.

I went to L.G. the other nite. I stayed Sat nite and all day Sunday. Had a swell time. Me and old Rushing are going in tomorrow nite we have a couple of dates. Not bad either ha.

Old Goldman Richard Page Graytoch Degenhart are all out here oh yes bet your honkey. We spell em that name right ha. Did you all get old Bayed back for 1^st soldier. Some of the boys saw him at Angel Islands.

Well Tom I sure do wish you were here with me. And all the rest of the old gang. Sure do wish this war was over. I sure would like to be a civilian again, wouldn’t we all.

Well Tom tell all the gang I said hello and not to work to hard. I should write to old Garty. I suppose he still looks after the tires in the shop. How is old Red Mare doing. Sulley is still doing ok I suppose. Is Michael still on his job. Any way Tom be sure and tell them I say hello and let them read this line of bull. But its not that bad.

So as ever your

Old Buddie

Whilkey

Write if you still can and are able.