June 23^rd, 1945

Dear Billy:

I received your letter of June 8^th yesterday. Sure took a long time to get here. They may have brought it over via rowboat.

We had a letter from Heltie a couple of days ago and he has been made Master Sergeant. I think it was quite a surprise because when he was home last week-end, he didn’t mention anything about it. I just finished sewing them off and put on the Tech. Master Sgt. Stripes on his summer shirts so now I’ll have to take them off and put on the Master Sgt. Stripes. If I say so myself, I’m really getting pretty good at sewing on stripes, shoulder patches, etc. I used to have to have an awful time trying to get them in the right place but now I can do it with my eyes closed.

Before I sent your blouse to you, I happened to look at the bars on the shoulders and I didn’t exactly like the way you had them sewed on, so I took them off and re-sewed them. As I was doing it, I was thinking to myself that after fussing so much to get them on just right, maybe by the time the blouse reached you, you’d be a captain and you’d have to take them off and put on you Captain’s bars. Of course, that’s probably just a lot of wishful thinking, but it sure would be swell if it worked out that way. Remember when you were at Ft. Hamilton, I no sooner had your Sergeant’s stripes sewed on that you were made staff Sgt. and I had to start all over again. I certainly hope it happens again. I have a feeling that you’re going to be promoted and sure hope I’m right.

I was off on Thursday and Mother and I went shopping in the morning and then Dad met us at 1’oclock and we went for a ride up to Poughkeepsie and had dinner at Smith Brothers. Everything was fine except we got caught in a terrible storm on the way home. Of course, there were no lights on the road and it rained so hard we couldn’t see. We just had to stop where we were. The lightning was terrible, too. As a matter of fact, it was the worst storm I’ve ever seen.

I bought you a souvenir from Smith Brothers—a little maple sugar soldier boy. I’ll put it in the next package.

By for now, Honey Lamb. Let me know if you want anything special.

H.C Meehan