Thursday evening

1/21/43

Dear Folks:

Here is your wandering soldier boy once more. We are in a heavy snowstorm out here now as you probably saw in the paper. This is the third day and it has kept us pretty well indoors. All we do outside is walk from classroom to classroom. No more tent pitching for a time anyhow. We are not cold or anything like that because the barracks are well heated.

Your package or box, I guess you call it, just arrived at 6 o’clock. Thanks very much- the peanut brittle has been in circulation already and the coat hangers are more precious than money. They can’t be bought out here. You gave me enough to last out my career and I will never need more. Ma sent me another dollar today but I want to tell you again that I don’t need any. When I do, I would sound off.

We all had to buy sleeping bags yesterday. They are used to sleep in during air raid alerts, maneuvers, etc. We may be called out and have to stay overnight in the outdoors so they are needed. They cost 8 dollars but it will be deducted from our pay. I would rather spend the money rather than be cold.

Today I cleaned a rifle for the first time and it is a pretty tough job. You have to clean out every little metal piece and some are hard to get at. I passed on the second exam since my sight was a little dusty the first time. Nobody did it perfect the first time so I wasn’t so bad. I have been handling the gun pretty often the last few days and can go through the manual of arms pretty well. We haven’t touched the big guns since it started to snow but we had quite an experience a few days ago. One of the fellows on an adjoining gun rewired some sinews before he was supposed to and the entire barrel of the gun slipped back. It fell back out of place and slipped to the ground. The tube costs 25, 000 dollars and lucky for the fellow it was not damaged. If it had been, he would have had to stay in the army until he paid for the damage. He was sort of a wise guy anyhow and noone felt sorry for him. He insisted on going ahead and taking them off without a specific order to do so. He won’t do that again. After it happened the captain drew us all together and warned us against such careless acts. We will all be very careful from now on.

So much for that. We are supposed to camp out of quarantine Friday and then I may be able to go to a movie. I miss then quite a lot as all we see are training films at least once a day. Now I well try and answer some of your questions about *, I should * my last pay check, * money of about 65.00, Credit Union of about 350. I would like Helen to inquire about them if she could find time. My arm doesn’t hurt at all from the slate. I have * from Charlie and Tom but not Bill Walter. Do you know his new address. I am going to write to him at his old address tonight. O’Brien wrote to me and Mr. McDonald sent me a *. Thank her if you see her will you? I am going to try and buy some * and send them go Grandma and Grandpa *. I’d send a letter but there isn’t anything I could say. I am feeling fine and I almost forgot. After our months *, we are going to be assigned to one of the * battery of this fort so I won’t be working from here. I like it here and won’t *. * Artillery is one of the best branches.

So long of love,

Joe Marr

Give my regards to John and tell him I’m quite efficient at * *. We see them all day every day. His * about the * was a big help.