APRIL 5, 1944
WENSDAY EVENING
DEAR FOLKS:
WELL I AM
BACK AT CAMP TODAY
AFTER SPENDING TWO DAYS IN LONDON
WITH SIMPSON. WE HAD A VERY FINE TIME AND IT WAS A GREAT REUINION.WE WENT EVERY
WHERE AND SEEN ALL THAT THERE WAS TO BE SEEN IN LONDON. I HAD ARRANGED TO MEET EDDIE AT 1
P.M. MONDAY AND I WAS AT THE CLUB WHERE I WAS TO MEET HIM AT 1:30….THE TRAIN
WAS A LITTLE LATE IN GETTING TO LONDON BUT I TOOK A TAXI CAB FROM THE WATERLOO
STATION WHERE I ARRIVED AND WENT TO THE CLUB IN STYLE. HE WAS THERE WAITING FOR
ME AND IT WAS A GREAT THRILL TO SEE HIM ONCE MORE AFTER ALL THOSE MONTHS. HE
LOOKS A LOT BETTER THAN HE DID WHEN I LAST SAW HIM, HE WAS A LOT HEAVIER AND
THE ARMY SEEMED TO HAVE DONE HIM GOOD. HE WAS STILL IN GOOD HUMOR AND AS AHPPY
AS HE EVER WAS. THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS TO RESERVE A ROOM AT THE RED CROSS
FOR THE NIGHT, AND THEN WE ATE. THEY SERVE THE BEST MEALS IN TOWN AT THE RED
CROSS AND THE CHARGE IS ONLY 1 &3d.OR ABOUT 25 CENTS IN OUR MONEY. THEN WE WENT FOR A WALK AROUND THE TOWN. LONDON
IS JUST LIKE NEW YORK, A BIG CITY WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE. EDDIE IS AN OLD HAND AROUND TOWN BY THIS
TIME AND REALLY KNOWS HIS WAY AROUND. HE TOOK ME ALL OVER THE CITY AND NEVER
GOT LOST ONCE. THEY HAVE UNDERGROUNDS IN LONDON
WHICH ARE WHAT WE CALL SUBWAYS…..THEY RUN ALL OVER THE CITY AND ED KNOWS THEM
LIKE A BOOK. THE CARS ARE VERY COMFORTABLE AND THEY ARE A VERY CONVENIENT AND
CHEAP WAY TO TRAVEL. YOU DON’T BUY A TICKET OR PUT YOUR MONEY IN A TURNSTILE
LIKE BACK HOME, THEY HAVE MACHINES ALONG THE WALL WHERE YOU PUT THE COINS IN
AND A TICKET COMES OUT TOGEATHER WITH YOUR CHANGE IF ANY. SOME FUN. THEY EVEN
HAVE MOVEABLE STAIRS JUST LIKE IN MACY’S.
ED SHOWED
ME ALL THE FAMOUS PLACES IN LONDON, BIG BEN, THE FAMOUS CLOCK ON THE PARLTMENT
HOUSE, WESTMINSTER ABBEY, WATERLOO BRIDGE, THE THIMES, PICCIDALLY CIRCUS, BOND
STREET, WEHRE ALL THE NICE CLOTHES ARE SOLD AND ANY OF OTHER PLACES. I HAD
ALWAYS READ ABOUT THESE PLACES AND IT WAS GOOD TO ACTUALLY SEE THEM. THEY ARE
ALL VERY OLD AND IMPRESSIVE LOOKING,
WE WENT TO A FEW MOVIES WHILE WE WERE IN LONDON,WE SAW “THE SONG
OF BERNADETTE”AND LIKE IT VERY MUCH. IT WAS PLAYING IN A NICE MOVIE AND ED AND
I JUST LEANED BACK IN OUR SEATS AND ENJOYED OURSELVES. NOTHING BUT THE BEST FOR
SIMPSON AND HAND.
ALL IN ALL
WE HAD A VERY PLEASANT TIME TOGETHER AND T TALKED ABOUT THE OLD DAYSIN THE
THIRD SHIFT PLAYROLL. PEOPLE MUST HAVE THOUGHT WE WERE CRAZY LAUGHING SO MUCH
BUT WE DID HAVE SOME FUNNY EXPERIENCES WORKING IN WRIGHT’S. HE WAS A VERY GOOD
GUIDE AND KNEW JUST WHERE EVERYTHING WAS. JUST LIKE A REGULAR MAN-ABOUT-TOWN.
I GOT SOME THINGS WHILE
WASIN TOWN.
THERE IS A BIG P.X. IN LONDON
AND I STOCKED UP ON SOME THINGS LIKE CANDY, TOOTH BRUSH,TOOTH POWDER, HAIR
TONIC AND ETC. SOME OF THE THINGS I WAS
A LITTLE SHORT ON AND I STOCKED UP ON THOSE. WHAT I BOUGHT TOGEATHER WITH WHAT
YOU ARE SENDING ME WILL TAKE CARE OF ME FOR QUITE A WHILE.
WHEN I GOT
BACK TO CAMP I HAD NO LESS THAN TO LETTERS TO READ UP ON. 3 FROM MA, 3 FROM
HELEN, 1 FROM TOM, WALTON, EILEEN, AND 1 FROM A PAYROLL FRIEND. I JUST HERE FOR
ABOUT AN HOUR AND CAUGHT UP ON ALL OF THEM. SOME FUN BELIEVE ME. YOU DON’T HAVE
VERY MANY DAYS LIKE THAT AND I SURE GOT A KICK OUT OF READING HEM. I GOT THAT
ISSUE OF “WRIGHT’S” MAGAZINE AND READ ALL ABOUT THAT “HELL’S ANGLE’S” PLANE
THAT MA WROTE ABOUT. SIMPSON TOLD ME THAT HE HAD ACTUALLY SEEN THE PLANE AND
THAT IT’S MOTORS HAD BEEN MADE IN DEAR OLD PATERSON.
ED LIKES HIS JOB AND IT SOUNDED VERY
INTERESTING. HE IS SATISFIED WITH HIS PLACE IN THE ARMY AND DOSEN’T SEEM TO
MIND IT AT ALL. HE AND I ARE BOTH LUCKY IN DOING WORK THAT WE BOTH LIKE VERY
MUCH, AND TAT MAKES IT A LOT MORE PLEASANT FOR BOTH OF US.
MA ASKED IF
I WOULD CARE TO HAVE A PAPER SENT OVER.. WELL MA, A PAPER WOULD BE NICE EXCEPT
FOR ONE THING, WHEN PAPERS ARE DELIVERED THEY COME ALL AT ONCE AND ARE USUALLY
QIUTE OLD. SO I DON’T THINK I WOULD CARE TO HAVE A SUSCRIPTION TO ONE. SOME OF
THE FELLOWS FROM PITTSBURGH
GET PAPERS DELIVERED TO THEM AND I ALWAYS READ THEM. THEY ARE JUST LKE THE
WORLD-TELEGRAM SO IT IS JUST AS THOUGH I WAS READING THE TELEGRAM AFTER DAD
BROUGHT IT HOMEWITH HIM.
HELEN ASKED
IF SHE COULD SEND ME A WATCH STRAP. I THINK I COULD USE A SPARE ONE HELEN. SO
IT YOU ARE ABLE TO, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOU SEND ME A WATCH STRAP.
I ALMOST FORGOT
TO TELL YOU THAT I HAD A NICE HAIR CUT, SHAMPOO, SCALP MASSAGE AT EDDIE’S
BARBER IN LONDON.
SIMPSON HAS HIS HAIR CUT IN THIS CLASSY PLACE SO WHEN I MENTIONED ABOUT GETTING
A HAIR CUT AND SHAVE WHEN I FIRST SAW HIM, HE INSISTED THAT I GO TO THIS PLACE.
THEY GAVE ME ALL THE TRIMMINGS AND IT WAS WELL WORTH THE PRICE.
WHILE I WAS
IN LONDON I GOT
A LITTLE SUPRISE FOR YOU AND I WILL GET IT DELIVERED TO ME IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS.
I WILL THEN PASS IT ON TO YOU. I’LL NOT TELL YOU WHAT IT IS BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE
IT AN A MONTH OR SO. DON’T ASK ME WHAT IT IS……….
I WAS GLAD
TO HEAR THAT THE BABY IS DOING WELL. I WOULD SURE LIKE TO SEE HIM DO HIS TRICK
FOR TOM… I KNOW HE COULD DO IT BECAUSE HE IS REALLY VERY STRONG……. DID YOU EVER
GET THAT SKETCH I MAILED YOU? YOU WIL GET A LAUGH WHEN YOU SEE IT.
I WOULD LIKE
TO GET SOME MORE OFTHAT CARAMEL CANDY THAT HELEN SENDS TO ME. I LIKE IT A LOT.
Love,
Joe