Headquarters Co

1166 Eng C Group

Camp Swift

Texas

April 4, 1945

Dear Father,

Last Wednesday night things started to pop but good. On and off for a long time we have been waiting on the Port Commander to call us but no soap. Twice our party has packed in preparation. This time things really broke. About 8 o’clock a driver was needed. I was the only one left. The S. 4 again was busy like a paper hanger. The Port call had come. Everyone who had had been holding back last minute business started to operate. Several sold their automobiles for cash. As far as anyone could see we had only a matter of days. For quite a while I have been watching the stock market for a favorable moment to unload. Man I had to operate. Fortunately I caught the beginning recovery but still I could have done better had I been able to wait a few more days. Now the darn thing has been cancelled or held up for a while longer. In another 5 weeks I am due for a furlough. Financially I am not doing too well because I, like many others, figured to be gone long ago and accordingly made out class E. allotments. The other draw back is the fact that they are to Cooperative Banks to maintain running shares. It was a good idea but this darned Army gives promise to mess me up. In spite of all apparent dismal signs I still have my confidence in a local bank. Furthermore just as long as old boys want to pay money to have someone else pull their details I have a source of money. This past weekend I made $11.50 ($3 for stand by driver Saturday night, $5 for K P Sunday, $2 for C 2 Sunday night, $1.50 for C 2 Monday night) If I hadn’t planned to visit my friends in Austin last night I could have netted another $5 as C 2. I doubt that I will get another furlough but the Army has messed me up before so I am being very careful.

Recently the weather here has been very spring like, better full northern summer. Last night the fence at Amarillo blew down. The temperature dropped at least 30 degrees. In view of the fact that most of our woolens have been taken up, we are in pretty frugal shape today. The motor pool has a good warm building with a farm store. Needless to say we are staying indoors until the sun gets the place livable again.

You recall what a good thing financially, my laundry was during the summer of 1943 over in Camp Fannin. This is a possibility that I may have another such concession when we get set up on foreign soil. Our assistant S-4 officer, a captain is a young fellow full of ideas. At present he has too. One a sand blasting attachment for a Le Roi Compressor which we will have to borrow or steal once we hit combat. The other a washing machine, home made you understand but apparently serviceable. He got the motor, a one cylinder gasoline affair which fought at San Jaun Hill for sure and since has had no care. We have through the kindness of the local Post Ordinance got it to running fairly well. So much for the power unit. The tub is a GI Can or small ash barrel to you. The agitator is a homemade device which probably will give out under the first hard pull. The weak point that cries out is the device they dreamed up to keep the water in the GI Can. Perhaps you can see what an oil seal looks like by crawling under the rear end of the Ford. If not you will have to visual it through my words. An oil seal is a leather ring expanded by a coil spring holding it tight around a turning shaft. It is so devised that the pressure of the fluid pushes against it making the fit tighter, providing it is facing the correct way. The old boy who put the seal into the bottom of the barrel must have been on the ball because he put it back end too. Someday out in Hong Kong that darn thing is going to start leaking water and soap but good. In the meanwhile I have put in a bid for the laundry business in my spare time. I figure that if each man utilizing the service pay a dollar per month I should be in pretty sound financial condition before I am through.

This Sunday I have a date with the family in Austin for dinner and a boat ride on Lake Austin. Always just about the time I get ready to leave a post I find a home.

Sincerely

John