July 20, 1942

Dear Anna:

Received your most welcomed letter and I am glad to hear from you and the rest of the family.

Your ideas of visiting places while I have the chance sounds very good to me and I think I will take advantage of the opportunity while I can. Last Sunday I had all day off so I went to Chicago again and I spent good part of the day there. I seen many places of interest. Among them was the Chicago University. It certainly is a beautiful place. You could not even begin to see everything in so short a time but I will try to see as much as I can while I can. The city itself is quite a bit like our own city except that I think we are more modern in our trolley transportation. It seems to me our trolleys are more up to date than they are in Chicago. There are also many places of amusements such as movie houses and etc. I went to one of them and I seen a swell vaudeville show that I went and had dinner in one of the restaurants there and they certainly have some beautiful places to live in.

The only fare I have to pay is from the camp to Chicago. In Chicago the trolley service is free to us and we can ride anywhere and anytime and it cost us nothing. Of course I always offer to pay but they won’t take any money from me and the same goes for amusements we get a special reduction in price.

A desire has suddenly come upon me to see the Hawaiian Islands and I hope I will have the opportunity to see the place. It certainly is funny some times the way you can get a desire to see and do some things.

Since I was home last I have not heard from my brother and suddenly I receive a letter from him and one from one of my nieces. It was sent to Fort Euster and forwarded to me here. Since he had not written to me, I wasn’t going to write to him. He still dishes out that smooth line of wanting to do so much for me and asking me to please let him know where I am but so far I had no desire to write to him or letting him know where I am as I don’t think he really cares that much about me. If he wants to he can easily locate me through the war department.

I can just stand a certain amount of that smooth line of talk and I know when I have had enough. I guess maybe I shouldn’t talk this way but that is the way I am and I can not help it. I guess maybe I shouldn’t tell you about this but I always feel that you are closer to me than any one else and I want to keep feeling that way about you if it is Ok with you.

In regards to putting a picture in the locket I sent you that is just exactly what I was hoping you would do and I hope you do and keep it with you always if you want to.

I sent a birthday card to Betty and I hope she will pardon me for sending it so late as I did not remember the exact date until you told me in your letter. I hope Betty has recovered form the sprain you told me about and certainly hope it is not anything serious.

I can not think of much more to say and I really think I have said enough for the time being. Therefore I will close with lots of love to you and the best of health to you and the rest of the family.

Best Regards to all.

Always Yours,

Tony

P.S. Some of the boys and myself got quite a kick out of that newspaper clipping you sent me.