Tuesday morning, Nov. 16, 1943

Dear Folks:

The second box of candy that Dad mailed reached me this morning and was a honey. Thanks a lot, I’m having a hard time keeping all the boys away – if I let them run loose the whole box would be gone too soon. I’ll ration it out to them and thank you on their behalf. Living out in the open sure gives one a huge appetite.

As I told you we are at Camp Forrest near Tullahoma until Thursday of this week when we move to Camp Granite. I’ve learned that we are going back there – which is the same camp where my old outfit was stationed. The first time we went there all there was in the section was just wasteland. We built the camp you know, laid out roads, tents, walks etc. so that now it is just like a regular army camp. Our second trek there will be much more comfortable you can see – all the hard work will already have been done for us. I was surprised of course to find out that we were going back to the same camp as I new, thought I would ever see Camp Granite again. The desert should be nice around this time of year – it shouldn’t be quite as hot and besides this I am used to a little extra heat after being there four months in the summer. Now I can start saving money again as there isn’t anywhere to spend money out there except the port exchange. Living near these small towns is an expensive proposition because everything is so high. In McMinville and Murfreesboro you could spend a couple of dollars easily and have little to show for it. So I’ll probably send some money home each month – saving some in case I get to Hollywood. This time I am determined to see Bill Walton or bust. I am going to arrange a diferent date with him so that we can really get together. He is still on the coast somewhere and should he ask to get into Los Angeles some weekend.

I imagine Dad had quite a nice time on his birthday when Grandma and Grandpa had him up for a chicken dinner. I’ll bet Grandpa will be surprised to find out I’m in California again he and I were discussing it when I was there on furlough.

About gloves and a sweater, thanks for asking me but I have two good pair of gloves issued to me and I don’t need a sweater right at this time. You are swell to think about it but there is nothing I really need. Don’t be thinking you have to buy me something for Christmas – save your money as you will need it for taxes etc. One thing you might send me are a few flash-light batteries and an extra bulb. I burned out all you send me and lost the extra bulb. Of course these things are very hard to get so I can wait – don’t think you have to rush out and hunt all over for them. Anytime you see them around will do. My supply of our mail envelopes is still good and should last me until we move from Camp Granite. We will probably be there for about 3 months and then move to a new post of station.

Johnny Arche is going along with me I see him every day – you see he works right around headquarter and I’m always running into him. Dad asked me who I’m with now – well the 13 men I was transferred with are still in the same section – where I work – are all good guys and all come from the east – N.Y Penn etc. This group is our old National Guard unit from Pennsylvania and are just like the fellows around Paterson. We haven’t any regular army men in the group – all of us are “amateurs” at this army game and just looking forward to the day when it is all over.

God bless all of you,

Joe

P.S. This is the special order by which I was transformed.