Wednesday

Nov. 8, 1944

My dearest wife:

I haven’t heard from you for a couple days now. I hope everything is alright with you. I have been here a week now and I only received one letter from you, but I guess its worse at your end, not hearing from me very often. I wanted to write last night, but I worked until 12 midnight and then I was darn tired. I didn’t want to miss but I guess you understand. I’ll probably be working late again tonight. I have so much work to do since I came down here. That’s not all I have to go to school for three days, two hours each day and today was the second day – tomorrow the last.

I am taking a break now so I can write to you. I was just invited over to the mess hall for a big steak, and they are really big. I am writing this in the mess hall.

Did I tell you I was in the main P.X. on Monday? Boy that sure is some place. They have just about everything. The only thing I didn’t see was furniture, and maybe they had some there that I didn’t see. Just like Montgomery Ward’s back home in Tiffin. They have all kinds of glass ware, toys for kids, hardware and numerous other things. I believe you would like it here. They have a dress shop and a beauty shop for women – everything here, you never have to go to town.

I just figured out today why they send troops here before they send them overseas. They keep you here and torture you and get you good and mad, by then you want to go over, and the quicker the better. They seem to be doing a good job on me. By the looks of things I may not get to see our new baby. Our date is in January.

Just took a break, had to eat my steak. I’ll bet outside one like this would cost $1.50 or more. It was the best steak I had in a long long time, and so tender.

I am so lonesome for you honey. Between you and the army on my mind, I’m going nuts. I seem to miss you more and more every day. I hope I hear from you tomorrow. I just can’t work when I don’t hear anything.

I love you so much Maggie. I could give you a big kiss if I had you here now.

Well I must do some more work.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

All my love,

Pres