APRIL 5, 1944

WENSDAY EVENING

DEAR FOLKS:

            WELL I AM BACK AT CAMP TODAY AFTER SPENDING TWO DAYS IN LONDON WITH SIMPSON. WE HAD A VERY FINE TIME AND IT WAS A GREAT REUINION.WE WENT EVERY WHERE AND SEEN ALL THAT THERE WAS TO BE SEEN IN LONDON. I HAD ARRANGED TO MEET EDDIE AT 1 P.M. MONDAY AND I WAS AT THE CLUB WHERE I WAS TO MEET HIM AT 1:30….THE TRAIN WAS A LITTLE LATE IN GETTING TO LONDON BUT I TOOK A TAXI CAB FROM THE WATERLOO STATION WHERE I ARRIVED AND WENT TO THE CLUB IN STYLE. HE WAS THERE WAITING FOR ME AND IT WAS A GREAT THRILL TO SEE HIM ONCE MORE AFTER ALL THOSE MONTHS. HE LOOKS A LOT BETTER THAN HE DID WHEN I LAST SAW HIM, HE WAS A LOT HEAVIER AND THE ARMY SEEMED TO HAVE DONE HIM GOOD. HE WAS STILL IN GOOD HUMOR AND AS AHPPY AS HE EVER WAS. THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS TO RESERVE A ROOM AT THE RED CROSS FOR THE NIGHT, AND THEN WE ATE. THEY SERVE THE BEST MEALS IN TOWN AT THE RED CROSS AND THE CHARGE IS ONLY 1 &3d.OR ABOUT 25 CENTS IN OUR MONEY.  THEN WE WENT FOR A WALK AROUND THE TOWN. LONDON IS JUST LIKE NEW YORK, A BIG CITY WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE. EDDIE IS AN OLD HAND AROUND TOWN BY THIS TIME AND REALLY KNOWS HIS WAY AROUND. HE TOOK ME ALL OVER THE CITY AND NEVER GOT LOST ONCE. THEY HAVE UNDERGROUNDS IN LONDON WHICH ARE WHAT WE CALL SUBWAYS…..THEY RUN ALL OVER THE CITY AND ED KNOWS THEM LIKE A BOOK. THE CARS ARE VERY COMFORTABLE AND THEY ARE A VERY CONVENIENT AND CHEAP WAY TO TRAVEL. YOU DON’T BUY A TICKET OR PUT YOUR MONEY IN A TURNSTILE LIKE BACK HOME, THEY HAVE MACHINES ALONG THE WALL WHERE YOU PUT THE COINS IN AND A TICKET COMES OUT TOGEATHER WITH YOUR CHANGE IF ANY. SOME FUN. THEY EVEN HAVE MOVEABLE STAIRS JUST LIKE IN MACY’S.

            ED SHOWED ME ALL THE FAMOUS PLACES IN LONDON, BIG BEN, THE FAMOUS CLOCK ON THE PARLTMENT HOUSE, WESTMINSTER ABBEY, WATERLOO BRIDGE, THE THIMES, PICCIDALLY CIRCUS, BOND STREET, WEHRE ALL THE NICE CLOTHES ARE SOLD AND ANY OF OTHER PLACES. I HAD ALWAYS READ ABOUT THESE PLACES AND IT WAS GOOD TO ACTUALLY SEE THEM. THEY ARE ALL VERY OLD AND IMPRESSIVE LOOKING,

             WE WENT TO A FEW MOVIES WHILE WE WERE IN LONDON,WE SAW “THE SONG OF BERNADETTE”AND LIKE IT VERY MUCH. IT WAS PLAYING IN A NICE MOVIE AND ED AND I JUST LEANED BACK IN OUR SEATS AND ENJOYED OURSELVES. NOTHING BUT THE BEST FOR SIMPSON AND HAND.

            ALL IN ALL WE HAD A VERY PLEASANT TIME TOGETHER AND T TALKED ABOUT THE OLD DAYSIN THE THIRD SHIFT PLAYROLL. PEOPLE MUST HAVE THOUGHT WE WERE CRAZY LAUGHING SO MUCH BUT WE DID HAVE SOME FUNNY EXPERIENCES WORKING IN WRIGHT’S. HE WAS A VERY GOOD GUIDE AND KNEW JUST WHERE EVERYTHING WAS. JUST LIKE A REGULAR MAN-ABOUT-TOWN.

            I GOT SOME THINGS WHILE WASIN TOWN. THERE IS A BIG P.X. IN LONDON AND I STOCKED UP ON SOME THINGS LIKE CANDY, TOOTH BRUSH,TOOTH POWDER, HAIR TONIC AND ETC.  SOME OF THE THINGS I WAS A LITTLE SHORT ON AND I STOCKED UP ON THOSE. WHAT I BOUGHT TOGEATHER WITH WHAT YOU ARE SENDING ME WILL TAKE CARE OF ME FOR QUITE A WHILE.

            WHEN I GOT BACK TO CAMP I HAD NO LESS THAN TO LETTERS TO READ UP ON. 3 FROM MA, 3 FROM HELEN, 1 FROM TOM, WALTON, EILEEN, AND 1 FROM A PAYROLL FRIEND. I JUST HERE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND CAUGHT UP ON ALL OF THEM. SOME FUN BELIEVE ME. YOU DON’T HAVE VERY MANY DAYS LIKE THAT AND I SURE GOT A KICK OUT OF READING HEM. I GOT THAT ISSUE OF “WRIGHT’S” MAGAZINE AND READ ALL ABOUT THAT “HELL’S ANGLE’S” PLANE THAT MA WROTE ABOUT. SIMPSON TOLD ME THAT HE HAD ACTUALLY SEEN THE PLANE AND THAT IT’S MOTORS HAD BEEN MADE IN DEAR OLD PATERSON.

             ED LIKES HIS JOB AND IT SOUNDED VERY INTERESTING. HE IS SATISFIED WITH HIS PLACE IN THE ARMY AND DOSEN’T SEEM TO MIND IT AT ALL. HE AND I ARE BOTH LUCKY IN DOING WORK THAT WE BOTH LIKE VERY MUCH, AND TAT MAKES IT A LOT MORE PLEASANT FOR BOTH OF US.

            MA ASKED IF I WOULD CARE TO HAVE A PAPER SENT OVER.. WELL MA, A PAPER WOULD BE NICE EXCEPT FOR ONE THING, WHEN PAPERS ARE DELIVERED THEY COME ALL AT ONCE AND ARE USUALLY QIUTE OLD. SO I DON’T THINK I WOULD CARE TO HAVE A SUSCRIPTION TO ONE. SOME OF THE FELLOWS FROM PITTSBURGH GET PAPERS DELIVERED TO THEM AND I ALWAYS READ THEM. THEY ARE JUST LKE THE WORLD-TELEGRAM SO IT IS JUST AS THOUGH I WAS READING THE TELEGRAM AFTER DAD BROUGHT IT HOMEWITH HIM.

            HELEN ASKED IF SHE COULD SEND ME A WATCH STRAP. I THINK I COULD USE A SPARE ONE HELEN. SO IT YOU ARE ABLE TO, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOU SEND ME A WATCH STRAP.

            I ALMOST FORGOT TO TELL YOU THAT I HAD A NICE HAIR CUT, SHAMPOO, SCALP MASSAGE AT EDDIE’S BARBER IN LONDON. SIMPSON HAS HIS HAIR CUT IN THIS CLASSY PLACE SO WHEN I MENTIONED ABOUT GETTING A HAIR CUT AND SHAVE WHEN I FIRST SAW HIM, HE INSISTED THAT I GO TO THIS PLACE. THEY GAVE ME ALL THE TRIMMINGS AND IT WAS WELL WORTH THE PRICE.

            WHILE I WAS IN LONDON I GOT A LITTLE SUPRISE FOR YOU AND I WILL GET IT DELIVERED TO ME IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS. I WILL THEN PASS IT ON TO YOU. I’LL NOT TELL YOU WHAT IT IS BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE IT AN A MONTH OR SO. DON’T ASK ME WHAT IT IS……….

            I WAS GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE BABY IS DOING WELL. I WOULD SURE LIKE TO SEE HIM DO HIS TRICK FOR TOM… I KNOW HE COULD DO IT BECAUSE HE IS REALLY VERY STRONG……. DID YOU EVER GET THAT SKETCH I MAILED YOU? YOU WIL GET A LAUGH WHEN YOU SEE IT.

            I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME MORE OFTHAT CARAMEL CANDY THAT HELEN SENDS TO ME. I LIKE IT A LOT.

Love,

Joe