December 31, 1945

New Years Eve

Dear Folks,

Thanks for your mail. I received Helen’s Christmas Card and a couple of letters from Ma and Helen and several form Joe. The mail is all early stuff though and I know there is a lot more at the Post office. The Army people explained to me that they have several sacks of mail that they haven’t had time to dig into yet.

We got here yesterday-Sunday- as you have no doubt seen in the paper. We are now at Hunter’s Point in day dock. They have 10 days of repairs scheduled. Add 5 days to store the ship and I’ll be off again two weeks from now.

Joe’s letters tell me that he and Denny really have a pretty good time together. I guess joe knows by now that I wasn’t bragging too much when I said I had a real nice son. He really is some youngster. That’s my boy and I hope Denny can say to others “That’s my Pop” .

It’s good to hear about the snow from you people. One of the Sgt’s working for me was saying he wished it would snow 5 feet deep out here so he could fall into it and feel like a New Yorker again. Manila and the part of the world I visit now are so hot that both trips I’ve had heat rash out there perspiring so much. Good old cold weather would be so good now.

I was very sorry to hear that Mr. Walton had died. It was good Bill and John were back. How about Bob- is he home too?

The Navy lieutenant you met is a schoolteacher- he and I play basketball at the “Y”. His name is Eddie Montesano. He got out of Central a year or so ahead of me. He is a good athlete but never played high school sports, so he isn’t on any of my team pictures.

I have my radio going out here now that we are in port. Col. Cogswell has a small portable, the Transport Surgeaon- Major Bobodilla- also has his own portable radio but of the other six officers I am the only one that has a radio. The Assistant before me had the radio given to the ship by somebody so I’m keeping it as long as I’m on here. It’s good to hear a radio after having the same records day after day on the ships loud- speaker systems. Out at sea the set won’t pick up anything at all though.

I will write you again soon. I hope I hear from you often. Keep me posted.

I spent $1.50 for a telegram and about $13 on the phone to-day so I can’t afford to call up. The time passed so quickly that Estelle and I didn’t realize we were using up so much time. I’ll write often while here- hope you do too.

Tom