Tuesday evening

January 12, 1944

Dear Folks:

I am a little late in writing to you since I got back from my overnight pass into Los Angeles. You see our lantern broke down on us yesterday and we had no light. Tonight we have a little light going but it isn’t much good.

As usual I enjoyed talking to all of you on the phone Sunday morning. I was lucky in getting the call through when all of you were home. I wanted to have a few words with Ma Dad and Helen and thank goodness all of you were there. I first put the call through at 8 o’clock Hollywood time just as I was going to church. I put the call in and the operator told me that there would be a two hour delay. Mass was at 9 o’clock and I figured I would be back in time. When I got back to the hotel at 10 o’clock the clerk told me the call went through in 45 minutes and he was looking around the hotel for me. I was sorry I missed the call and told the clerk to send it on its way again. I waited in the lobby for about a half hour and got it through. Did I get you up from your dinner?

Today we signed the new payroll for January and my name appeared as the first one in the sergeants list. Always before it was in with the privates and p.f.c’s I get $78.00 now and have that $50.00 allotment coming into effect with the new pay.

As I told you Sunday I was off from noon Saturday until midnight Sunday. I got in San Bernardino about 7 o’clock Saturday night and hitch-hiked into Los Angeles arriving in Hollywood at 8:30. All the busses were crowded you see so another fellow and myself decided to hitch-hike into Hollywood. I got a ride all the way in and it was very comfortable- heater and everything. The first thing I did was eat a T-bone steak and then got a hotel room and went to the Palladium. Harry James was playing and the music was very good. After the Palladium closed I went to a Station place and had spaghetti- just like the Tree Tavern, hard bread and everything. Boy that tasted good. Sunday morning was taken up with church at the Blessed Sacrament Church and the phone call. After lunch I went to a movie and then just walked around the town a little. At four o’clock I started back to Los Angeles and got the train out to San Bernardino where our trucks were parked. We left there about 8 o’clock and were back in early about 1 a.m. Monday. I had a very good time on my short pass and especially enjoyed talking to all of you.

In answer to Ma’s question our movies are run by means of a motor generator which generates the electricity necessary to run the movie. The radio never arrived here but we don’t miss it very much. There are a couple of them in the battery and I just go to another tent if I want to listen.

Dennis’ picture arrived in good shape and before me it is a honey. What a boy! It is a grand picture and I was proud to show my husky nephew to the boys. I wrote a letter to Estelle as soon as I got the picture and thanked her for it. I was glad to hear that she had been pleasant to you when you went calling Christmas Day. She should be that way all the time.

I am glad to hear that Tom’s team is doing well now. He wrote me a letter which I am going to answer right now.

I will write to Wrights as soon as the check arrives. I am curious as to what it will be like. It is good to think that they haven’t forgotten us anyhow.

Say I have a confession to make. I accidentally tore up the letter containing Johns address. I have two letters to him waiting for his address-so will you let me have it again?

Johnny Roche first came in and fired up our light for us. Now we have a good light once more. Quite a handy guy that Pat.

Joe

P.S. Pat is still in Headquarters. with us.