April 8, 1944

Dear Mom and Dad,

Have been quite busy the last couple days. Friday we had to crawl 100 yards under live ammunition. Saturday we had our weekly inspection. Those inspections are right pretty. We do mass formation and then we pass in review in front of the Colonel. When we pass by in 3 abreast it makes a line 4 times as long as the ones they have at V.M.I.

I don’t know when we are going to ship out or when. Boys ship out of here every week but no one knows when they are going. There is no use in worrying about that. I used to wonder what we would do next but I don’t think about it any more. There is no use worrying. Just wait and see what happens.

We got paid last week one day. I had to stand in line even to get paid. I don’t know how come, but I got $60. I shouldn’t get but $50 and $3.00 more for being sharpshooter. Then if they take out my insurance and war bond I wouldn’t get that much but I didn’t argue with them, I took it. It was about time I was getting paid, I was down pretty low for money.

Last nigh three boys from my tent and I went into Jacksonville and went down to the U.S.O. to a movie. We had a lot of fun. Then we went out to the circus.

This is a lot different from the Easter I had last year. Remember Pickle and I were in Washington.

Put $10 in the bank and you and dad can split the other $10 for an Easter present. I didn’t get any thing to send you because they don’t allow any packages to go out of here.

Well I finally got up enough courage to write Ann and she answered me too.

With love

Your son Joe