March 3, 1944
Friday
4 PM.
Dear Mother,
I read your
letter yesterday and will answer it when I have time, for it may be the last
chance I have for a few days.
I’ve had a rather
leisurely, or leisure some, week out here on the range running this SWB. In
fact, that’s about all I have done except for a few minutes yesterday morning
when I crawled about 100 yards under barbed wire and machine gun bullets. I’ve
done a lot of reading and have caught up with my correspondence. Though the job
couldn’t be any easier, it does get pretty tiresome! I missed that tough
“Physical Fitness Test” and hike and all the “practice runs” for it, so that
was nice! The last of the month, we have a 9 mile hike in 2 hours, take a 25
mile hike in 8 hours, so that will really be tough on us. However, we always
get by, so guess we will succeed on this too as usual. Naturally we hate the
long and fast hikes, but there’s nothing we can do about them but make them!
Last year we did the 15 miles in less than 7 hours for a reward.
Glad to
hear that your cold was about well and hope you are doing OK now and don’t
catch another one soon. I’ve really had one myself for the last week and it
almost got me, only I wouldn’t give up. I’m sure I had a high fever one day and
nite, but felt better the next morning and kept
going! I’m still plenty stuffed up and cough my head off and my chest is pretty
sore, though it’s better than it has been. This is the first time I’ve felt
badly since I’ve been in the army. I think I’m on the mend now and I will be
all right soon unless I get wet again. We haven’t had any more rain since I
last wrote you, but it’s still partly cloudy all the time. They had another
flood around
I go out on
a “24 hour cruise” with about 25 others in my company beginning Sunday
sometime. We go with one of the Battalions. I suppose it’s a “big boat” so
don’t be surprised that I mention a “little sea sickness” in my next letter!
Other than that, it ought to be lots of fun, though. I wish we didn’t have to
have it on Sunday.
I made an
allotment yesterday to have $6.25 taken out of my meager salary every month for
Bonds and they will be sent to you as they accumulate, so take care of them for
me. If I ever go overseas I guess I can have nearly all my salary put in bonds.
Also, they are made out to you as co-owner so that way either of us can cash
them without the other’s signature. Have
you gotten the other one from Joe?
I hope Joe
gets out of the draft some way, but I’m afraid he won’t. Bromsmith will be a
lonesome old town soon, won’t it?
Did you
ever get to go home? Hope you found everything on these.
I’m
authorized to wear the “Soldiers Good Conduct Medal” now. I never have heard
whether my State Guard Duty will count on my Army Services, but should soon.
What are
they going to do about the “Locker” if Emory has to go? Will Ching and Mr. K run it? Looks like there will be a lot of changes
made soon!
Well,
that’s all I can scrape up now, so take care of yourself
and write again soon.
Love
as always,
Russell