Jan. 13, 1943

Wednesday evening

Dear Folks,

I have just come from the mess hall and am going to try and finish this before we have to go to the recreation hall. We are going to see another film tonight which will be the fifth since I became a soldier. They sure do keep us on the go here.

Since I came here Sunday morning I have really been busy. I will tell you what we did today to illustrate my point. We got up at 6 o’clock, dressed and went into formation outside our barracks. After the formation we went back inside and finished making our beds and cleaning up the floor. I am getting pretty handy at housework by the way and can make up a bed pretty well. Hospital corners etc. The next call was for breakfast. After breakfast we were formed again and inspected. At this inspection a second lieutenant comes in the room and examines each man. This includes both your person and your bed. Everything must be neat and orderly. This inspection is daily when you are a rookie. By this time it is about eight o’clock and we went to a training film. After an hour of this we went to the drill field and marched. The next two hours we went to the gun fork and tried to learn something about the 155 mm. guns in which battery specializes. After this we go back to the barracks and police up outside. Dinner is next and I sure packed it way. The food here is very good and plentiful.

The afternoon started with a lecture of one hour on military courtesy and another hour of gas mask material. Back to the barracks we went for our daily physical examination. This too is only done to rookies. We dressed again in our work clothes and went for a four mile hike. More police work after we got back and then we had to change into our o.d. or dress clothes. This is for retreat, which is the most formal part in our day. Supper came after this which brings me up to this time. I received your letter at supper.

This day I have outlived is not unusual for us – we have had it the same way every day since we arrived. This is not a complaint because I don’t mind it in the least. As a matter of fact I would rather be busy than just hanging around. We were told by the captain that we had to complete our basic training, usually 3 weeks or 4 weeks. They must have a good reason for this although they don’t tell us why. But it suits me fine. Here are some of the subjects we have covered in four days – motor transportation, gas mask use, tent making, military courtesy, health lectures, marching, army organization and guard duty.

I don’t know whether you received my last letter as the lieutenant took it out of my pocket while I was standing in formation. It was sticking out of my pocket and that isn’t regulation. He wasn’t mad about it but he took it anyway.

I have to tell you something about my trip over to the Washington. We left Dix Wednesday morning and kept going till Sunday morning. We passed through Penn, Indiana, Chicago and up through the north-west, North Dakota, Montana, etc. The scenery up around Chicago wasn’t anything unusual. Past Chicago however we started through the prairies, flat lands for hundreds of miles, without any hills at all. Then we left into the Rockies which are sure high and snowy at this time of year. After we got through the mountains we came into the big forests which are everywhere out her. Our camp is just out of the forest, with big green trees, like Christmas tress all around us. The hardest part of the trip was the fact that we were restricted to our particular car. That gets tiresome after a time. They let us off the train times on the way over. At Paradise, Montana (6 buildings and the railroad station – no more) and Bismarck. We ran around and stretched our legs. They fed us very well on the train even though we ate out of our mess kits. You may be interested in the way they fed us. Our train consisted of six cars and a kitchen car. The three cars in front of the kitchen car all assembled in the aisles and marched through the kitchen car to the last three cars. They turned around after passing through and picked up the food the way back. The order was reversed for the other one.

We slept in pullman cars and I slept very well. The porter even made up our beds for us just like civilians. We had plenty of rumors flying around the train regarding our destination. Everywhere from Maine to Colorado but never Washington. We were surely surprised let me tell you. Besides our destination we were going into every branch of the service according to the rumors.

This branch of the service is very good in my opinion. We specialize in those big 155 mm. guns that can throw a shell 13 miles. It takes plenty of math. And I might have an advantage in that respect. I don’t remember much of math I had in college but I think I can brush up on it when we have it in class. That is coming up soon. If Tom can get it, I should be able to do something with it (I hope). I don’t want to be assigned to an office job after basic training because I can learn more about the guns in the field. I will have to see what happens on that scene.

Don’t send me any money. I still have about $7.50 from the $10.00 I brought with me. Most of that went for shoe polish, tips for the porter, cook and telegrams which won’t come up again. If I ever need some I will ask you. So don’t send any, I’ll just lose it. Helen’s cakes of course are most welcome but if they are too much trouble to ship you don’t have to bother. By the time they get here they probably will be stale anyway. I know Helen would like to make it for me but tell her to take it easy after work. She works hard enough at Wright’s to have to go home and work for me. So tell her to take it easy and relax. We soldiers eat more than enough anyhow. Love to all of you and I haven’t forgotten how swell you all are.

So long everybody,

Joe