Dec. 20, 1944

 

Dear Dot & Dana-

            I am still fine as usual. I just received my Christmas box that you and Dana sent me and six letters, one was from Charlotte. The box was in good condition except the candy was melted a little. Everything was nice and the pen writes swell, only it don’t improve my writing much. I hope I get a chance to use the new tie the Dana sent me soon. Thanks a lot dear, for everything. I hope you get the money all right that I sent you.

            It is still awful hot where I am and I sweat so much that my back got worse, so I went to stick bay and got some stuff for it and it is much better now. I have been thinking of trying for second class, but it is so darn hard for me to learn anything out of a book, that I guess I will just forget about it. Yes Dot, I guess it would be all right for me to write something about Pearl Harbor now, but I didn’t see anything worth writing about. It is an old dump worse than Oakland.

            I wish you would write and tell me what you had done to the barn. Have you had doors put on? You mentioned putting a lock on the door.

            I bought two work shirts and two pairs of shorts this morning, that’s about all I have to buy, is my work clothes. We can get all the clothes we need here on this ship. And we get all the cigarettes we want too. Only 50 ¢ a carton. Please don’t send me any more boxes, as I can get everything I need here on the ship. It takes so long for them to get here that they are all busted open by the time they reach us if they aren’t wrapped up awfully well. You mentioned having a banana pie. Gee, I’d give a lot for one right now. No Dot, I haven’t had any bananas for ages.

            Well Dana, it’s just five days before Christmas, hope you get some nice presents and have a nice time. Somebody told me the other day that you had been saying some swear words. I wish you would be a good little boy and stop saying those words. If you don’t I might change my mind and not buy you that pony I promised you. You haven’t written me a letter for a long time. I suppose you are busy having lots of fun playing with the boys & girls.

            I have a new boat now Dana wish I could give you a ride in it I would let you drive it too. I wore the other one out so I had to swap it in for a new one. Ha!

            Well, kids I guess this will be all for this time. Hope I get some more mail tomorrow.

                                                Lots of love & kisses,

                                                                      Daddy.