01/24/44

Dear Mom and Dad,

I received 2 letters from you today. One you wrote Thursday and one Friday.

The first thing I want to say is I don’t know where David M. is. I thought I had told you that once.

Today we were taken out and told how to use a bayonet. Some of the boys didn’t do it right so they made them put their rifles out on the backs of their hands and hold it straight out.

I received Dot’s letter today and she told me she had talked to you. I also received one from Julia today. I received one yesterday from Gee and one from Sula. She told me about spending the night with you.

I’m glad Julia got my wing and took it home. You can keep it there till I get home. Did you have a good time in Roanoke?

Tell Spot he should be here. We have plenty of potatoes around. Butter and milk are the only thing that are scarce around here. We only have milk for breakfast and we have to grab to get some. We have to grab for the butter at all three meals. That’s the only thing we don’t get second on.

At dinner and suppertime they will refill the big pitchers of cream as often as it runs out. Here lately I have just been drinking coffee for breakfast and at the other meals drinking cream. The worst thing about eating is I’m not getting any bigger. They work it off me.

Its time to go to bed now so I’ll finish answering your letter tomorrow.

With Love,

Your Son

Joe

P.S. If you don’t have anything to tell me just drop a few lines anyway.