Camp Crowder 7/31/43

Dearest Darling

This move was a surprise to me, but I suppose things will happen that way from now on. Did you receive the telegram last night (Friday)? I didn’t want to frighten you dear, with the message, but I was so selfish I wanted you to know where to send mail. I hope you’ll forgive me. Bunnie dear, I also sent a card on the way out here, have you received it yet? I think, or I should say know, all mail will be forwarded here from Camp Dix.

We are about twenty miles from Joplin, which isn’t a very large city, about forty thousand population, coming from Jamesburg. That’s pretty rich-no?

After two weeks we can get a pass to go to Joplin or within a radius of fifty miles of the Camp, tho we must be back by eleven o’clock. There is a Guest House here, but you must make arrangements a month in advance. The charge is very small, $1.50 for husband and wife i.e. your sweetheart and your bad Bonzo. We could actually be together, though I don’t suppose we will be able to make. Incidentally, you may stay at the Guest House only three days. They say it is very difficult to get rooms in any of the near-by cities.

We start our basic training Monday. It will last for four weeks, then we have a special course in some phase of communications. This will last from nine to fourteen weeks. If you do well in this phase of training you may be selected to go to Fort Monmouth where you will study to become an officer. This last phase will last three months. There’s plenty to go through before you get there but I’m hoping for the best. No one is assumed of anything. As Tom said, “Out here Lawyers become Cooks, and Cooks Generals.”

At the end of your specialist training you can get a furlough, i.e. five days at home plus travel time. That will be some time in December, as far as I know now. Maybe the second or third week. I hope it will be for Christmas day anyhow.

I guess from now on we’re going to have plenty to do. It won’t be so terribly difficult though, because the camp is rather nice, much nicer than Dix. Our meals are nay good, more home like if that could ever be possible. We eat from china, rather heavy for that term, but a welcome change from that big metal-hold all tray. We set ten at a table and serve ourselves. Last night we had roast, beef-mashed potatoes, cole slaw, and apple pie. It wasn’t too bad. Gee’ honey, I’d go there fire and flood to eat in our kitchen again, but I guess there’s no use hoping. Maybe we could get together sometime before my leave, though it will cost plenty and we don’t have it, do we my Bunnie? You’ll think it over though, won’t you dear?

I’m going to get someone to mail this now, so I’ll say Bye- for now. I’ll write more later.

Love & Kisses Bun

Bonzo