Wednesday night,

January 27. 1943

Dear Folks:

Your third package arrived here today and thank you. It contained foot powder, shoe polish and brushes. I am* the letter and package change around here, my name is called and more than anyone else. Thanks to you. Keep it up as I like it very much.

We weren’t on an hour hike today and it was quite a march. We covered lots of ground but I was not tired when we finished. You know I like to walk and I don’t mind this marching at all. We have been held indoors lately but we are getting out more these last days. The snow is melting and we can see the ground again. Today we changed the big guns for the first* time. That is quite a job because the gun is quite large and takes a lot of elbow grease to keep clean. Everyone pitched in however, so we finally got it clean enough to pass inspection. From cleaning our own rifles to cleaning the big guns is quite a jump but we can do it now. Incidentally I feel like Daniel Boone where I walk with my rifle now. At first it was very clumsy to handle but we are getting more used to them now and can move them around quite well. I almost forgot the next item. I drove one of our 2 ½ ton trucks today. Boy, it was great fun. We drove them into the woods and had to drive along a path cut through the trees. We went up hills and down again, turning this way and then turning back again. The ground was very muddy and we went through lots of puddles. It was the first I had driven since we sold our car but it all came back to me after I got behind the wheel. You see we were in a line with about 18 other trucks and had to follow each other through the woods. They call it a envoy and we all have to take a turn at it. The trucks are very powerful and quite a change from the old Plymouth. These trucks never stall and they start every time. Remember Howard Johnson’s Ma? If I had had one of these trucks, I never would have had such a time.

I haven’t mentioned any of the fellows I bunk with. But they are all good guys with a few exceptions. About five of them are from Patenon* - among them are Christopher, whom you asked about and that DeLucia fellow that Helen mentioned. DeLucia isn’t ___ with me but Christopher is. I pal around mostly with Angus B. Prott, a real Scotchmen who is a great story teller, Jim Curry, a fellow from New York, Murray Grodner*, a nice Jewish fellow and a farmer named Chet Audrewer*. So you can see we are quite a mixed group. We even have a fellow from Vienna, Austria who was in a concen-tration camp for 11 months. He really hates the Germans and keeps telling us how lucky we are over here. When some of the fellows kick about the camp he tells them some of his experiences and really shuts them up.

We had some bad news today. One of our boys got a case of scarlet fever so we have to go back in quarantine. That means no movies for sometime. I managed to see two movies in the last few days so I don’t mind it too much. The captain says he will leave us out as soon as the doctor will allow so we are hoping. I don’t really want a pass only to see Waltone*. I want to see the son of a gun and have a good laugh. When we went bowling that last day, we never thought we might meet again in Washington.

The watch Dad gave me keeps perfect time so far. I haven’t been late for any formation and that is something. Your scarf is very comfortable so you see I am well protected. I’ll show you how to make hospital corner when I get home. So long for now.

Joe

P.S. That lady Ma helped on the bus wrote me a letter. I am enclosing it so you can send it and maybe thank her. I got another from an old friend of Aunt May’s which I am also enclosing. You might answer her if you want to.