Thursday night

February 10, 1944

Dear Folks,

It is two days since I was home and I am still feeling swell. I was very lucky to get a chance to see all of you again and even talk to Tom. Not very many fellows are lucky enough to be able to see their family like that. You all looked swell to me and made my visit very pleasant.

I guess you will be interested to know I am still in New England and had no trouble at all in getting back to camp. I made very good connections on my way back and slept most of the way back. The train and bus were very warm and I was dozing all the time. I was in camp a full hour before my pass expired.

I want you to tell Uncle Walt once more that I surely appreciate his going all the way down to the station and bringing me home. It was a cold night to be losing all that sleep and it was a mighty nice thing to do.
That phone of ours surely was busy with me calling up all my relatives. It is a handy thing to have around when time is short.

Some of the boys were telling me that you asked them if they would take care of me. Why those guys will have enough to do to look out for themselves – more than likely little me will be taking care of them. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be alright.

I’m sorry about missing that train and about the fountain pen. No sooner did I get on the train than I found the pen in my pocket. So now I have three pens in all – I’ll ship the pen back home at the first chance I get.

You asked me while I was home if I wanted anything. Well I have thought of something – candy. [Censored] be swell if you could send me some every week or so – that would make me very happy.

I guess Tom is getting down to business at the university. I enjoyed talking to him even though I would rather have seen him. We just missed each other – Tom going down to Virginia and me coming down from New England.

Well folks I think I’ll close this now. Thank Aunt Cyrella, Aunt Girt and everybody that was so swell to me.

So long for now.

Joe