June 30, 1943

Wednesday

My dear and lovely lady,

I have just come from the post office and from standing in line at the money order window. Lots of money is sure passing [through] the mails these days. Anyway, I enclose three hundred and fifty dollars in money orders for you to take care of. I suggest that you put two hundred in Schertz, in the account that you and I have talked about in former letters. The other I wish you to get the negligee with and what other purposes you need it for. The two hundred is a suggestion and if you need it it is for your purposes. That leaves me here with only current pocket money. This gives you an idea what we can save, I think, since in two months I can send back four hundred and fifty dollars. Of course there will be things that I will see and want to buy from time to time for us so you had better keep me informed of the status of the account as I will write checks from here and inform you of the amount monthly. I am keeping only enough to pay my [current] bills, mess club, etc. with a small amount of pocket money. I will have to give Wackwitz a check next time I see him for seventeen dollars for the Alpaca rug. I am going to try to get him to get me a white one made from the belly skins, shorter finer hair and very soft if you think that you would like one for your bedroom. Maybe I could walk on it or something now and then??? I will mention the money orders in the next couple of letters to be sure that you have gotten them.

News is scarce honeybunch. I have done nothing of note. [I] am sending Dick Ziegler a money order for the pipe and ordering a can of tobacco from LA today, so you see that I have a fist full of money orders to get rid of. General Harry Johnson whom you [remember], had a birthday (fifty) yesterday and they gave him a little party before dinner at the mess last [night]. Tid bits and drinks. NO GOOD BEER, so I was a tid bit consumer. Not bad either. Our mess (Air Force Staff Mess) is wonderful and the food is fine. Much better than we would be able to get in the states. Stuff is sent in from all the surrounding countries, all the native fruits, plenty of good meat and we have hotel chefs as cooks. Does it make [your] mouth water. Possibly not for vegetables [which] are of course canned or frozen [though] well prepared. Native vegetable are of course taboo unless cooked to death. I feel very fortunate having been invited into the mess. Only twenty of us, mostly Colonels or Generals so of course the service is excellent. Not very nice to be telling you this for I know that your food problem is one of your main concerns. However the mess makes up for a lot of other short comings here. In fact the main social life centers around it. I lose out being away so much and have to pay just the same but it is worth it for the other messes are terrible.

Gosh I’m hungry talking about it. My striker is back from the hospital and the place is clean once more. The “fillers in” didn’t know much about the work and I didn’t have time to stand there and point. (I’m good at that you know).

My foot locker got here with the lock broken where they had opened it for examination. Took out all the [articles], hair tonic etc. that had [inflammable] material in them and things were a little wet but nothing ruined [though], outside of the uniform there was very little of real value. I can now commence my leather work. If I can find some leather I will make some more purses like you have for this Xmas, etc. Must close [my] darling much much love to you. I’ll be back in a f lash with a falsh later.

Edwin