Wednesday Sept. 3
[Wednesday Nov. 3]
Dear Mom-
Your letter came today—also one from Helen—It certainly is nice to get mail—It’s about all there is during the week. Six days a week, twelve hours a day, that’s a pretty long time—at night we have from 6—9:45 to write, study, wash, shave, and do whatever else is required. You asked if I was saving any money. You have no idea how little we have to spend after taking out for insurance laundry, Platoon fund, company fund, cleaning and pressing and little odds and ends—A week end costs money too. Transportation is high—food is high—everything is high. I do manage to save a bit—I always feel that I should hold on to some, because we never can tell when we will miss being paid—It’s awfully easy to miss a pay—I don’t see why they work it the way they do—but that’s the army for you—I said I didn’t have the money to go to Chicago—I figured it would cost $15-$20—for 36 hours—and I didn’t think it was worth it—I have insurance coming due in January (I mean civilian insurance) that’s $24.50. Hope I can get it together by that time—I haven’t forgotten that I owe you some money—I’m going to pay you as soon as I can Mommy—I’ve been thinking lately that it might be possible for me to make an allotment to you. The need must be proved you know—I think may it would be ok—It would give you $50 a month. If I’m not mistaken $22.00 of it would come from my pay—That would make my pay only $18-$20 minus—and as I said it’s darn hard to get along on that. I guess it will be better if and when I get a rating—I’ll probably be made a technician 5th grade sooner or later and then I’ll make $66.00 a month –(minus the insurance etc) Perhaps until then I could apply for an allotment for you and you could keep $30 of it and send me the $20 or whatever I needed at the time. It may seem like it’s gyping the government, but I don’t feel that way about it. Things are so high now for both of us—of course when I ship overseas you wouldn’t be able to send it to me but I’d be able to make out OK over there—I’d be getting 10% more for overseas service and I wouldn’t have so many obligations or opportunities to spend it. In that case you could save it for me because I do want to have some when I come out of the army—write and tell me what you think of this plan—to make it plainer—
I’d allot $22 a month to you—
The government would send $28—
Totaling $50
You could send me $20 or save it for me
That would help you $30 a month which is
the same as I paid when I was there.
(All this of course depends on the allotment going thru O.K.—
Let me know what you think about it—
I’m inclosing my will and Power of Attorney which are almost self explanatory—You have complete control over my affairs in my absence and are executrix of my will leaving all that I have or may earn or have left to me by others to you. It may seem morbid but we must think about these things. As power of attorney you would be able to sign any papers for me that might be required in my absence—I think it would be a good idea for you to register both documents at the Registrar of Deeds office at the City Hall—I hope to straighten all these matters out when I get my furlough—which I am due soon—after we get where we’re going—there is no rush about registering the will and P of A, but keep them in a safe place—we’ll discuss the whole thing when I see you—
I miss you all—hope it won’t be too long before I’m home—I haven’t heard from Daddy since I’ve been here, although I wrote him—Haven’t heard from Gene yet—guess he’s plenty busy—Glad to hear he made it. I knew he would.
Good night—If you can get a letter to my by the eighth—write me here—if not wait to answer my questions when I send my new address—(South I hope!)
Adios—
Love
Jack