APO 901

July 27, 1945

Dear Father,

            This letter is a couple of days late because the original one burned.  Censorship is hard to figure out.  At times things apparently go through which at the writing would seem highly questionable.  Other things that are highly unrelated to local events bounce.  There are times that I wonder about the whole thing and almost give up writing letters at all.

            The climate, which originally was completely dry, is now warming up with a great amount.  At times it gets a bit rough to get clothes dry to wear.  The other day some of my stuff was almost dry at noon.  I figured to let it stay until afternoon for a complete job.  One hour later it was as wet as when I first put it out.  I figure not if it gets any where near dry to pull it in.

            The mayor’s race in Boston should prove interesting.  I wonder how many of those candidates are straw men for Curly.  When a field gets that big it would appear that all is not well, I can well imagine how the air will ? with the mud all during the fall.  What is the situation on the Soldier’s Ballot this year?

            My chief joy is the arrival of one of the boys I roomed with in Texas Tech.  I got down to see him and had supper with him.  They are flying 1324’s; maybe I’ll get a chance to go up.  The only trouble is the distance between us or we would have quite a session almost daily.  I am just waiting for John V. and Philip to hit this place.  This old boy got in a couple of days too late to get this Battle Star to his collection.  So far he has 3.  What breaks his heart is that he missed it by only a couple of days too.

            I did not recall Gleason’s name although the face was familiar.  It was strange that quite a few of those boys in Naval ROTC went to the submarine service with rather rough results.  I am hoping to get those issues of the Alumni News to catch up on back doings.  A few days ago I wrote to them to see what the story was.  A couple of days later that card you forwarded came through.  That APO mess up did a lot of damage all around.  Bright people in the post office at times it would seem.

            The other day I thought I saw the old boy who gave me my only A in Harvard but the traffic was too heavy to turn around to see for sure.  If he is here I’ll find him.  This place is getting to be a general reunion.  I wish more of the Ground Forces from Europe would come here but I doubt if they will.

            The mud lately has been rough.  We are daily winching out trucks.  It is good practice in using the blocks.

            Oh yes I changed a jeep clutch.  I guess I can handle the Ford now.

John