Sunday afternoon;

Hello Tom:

Here is your little brother once more- still at fort Lewis and waiting for our trip to India we were supposed to leave on the 28^th but only the advance column left then.

I was in Tacoma last night and made a record in the U.S.O. club. It is just about the size of the one you made just before you went in the army. Remember that one? They cost only ten cents so they probably won’t last very long. The next time you go back to Paterson play it and have a good laugh. They played it back for me and it was sure a funny sensation hearing your own voice.

Is Estelle back at the fort with you? I hope her mother is recovered enough to allow her to go back to your house Ma sent me a picture of your house and it is certainly a classy place. Wow, you sure have come a long way from your old barracks days at Fort Custis!

It certainly is a beautiful place and must be in a small location. Do you need a guard or something like that?

Tom, I put in my application for officer school at Fort Sill. That is the school for the field artillery and where all of our officers came from. I will have to wait quite sometime now for a physical and interview – longer than usual because of these maneuvers we are going on. I would like to make it and am going to try my best. If I don’t make it, I won’t be disappointed too much. All I can do is do my best and see what happens. If I never try, I’ll be kicking myself afterwards.

I have been in message center for two weeks now and finding out what it is all about. It is a desk job and pretty easy – no hikes, K.P. or guard duty. Did you know I haven’t had any duty like that since I’ve been in the army. What a gold-bricks I am.

So long,

Joe