April 3, 1943

Dearest Folks,

            Received both of your letters, the Special Delivery one and the other! I also received the package too, thanks again for everything.

            I also received the bad news too that Ike has to leave, but what can you do?  Please tell mom not to carry on as Ike will be O.K.  Her worry isn’t going to do Ike any good, it is only making him feel bad. So tell her to keep her spirits up and everything is going to be all right.

            Gee I am sure glad to hear it is warm in Baltimore. That sure is swell of Pop. Naomi,[I] am writing you this, don’t tell mom or pop it is hard enough that Ike is going, but as for me coming home for Easter, it is very doubtful. The outlook isn’t very good. Now that I work in the office, you know I am just learning things and soon they are going to make changes. So I am learning fast and at the same time learn all I can. Dearest sister furloughs in this camp are few, but I am still hoping something breaks and they start giving furloughs. So just hope I am one that gets it. Don’t forget don’t mention to mom or pop just tell them I don’t know. By the way as for asking it is no use, they wouldn’t even let a boy go home when his wife was having a baby. So you can see for yourself. So don’t worry if I can’t come home, soon I will be home for good.

            As for the car keep it up to the time Ike leaves and if he wants to have it don’t sell it, maybe Ike will get stationed close to home, and he will be able to use it. Ask Ike what he wants to do. Anything he says do it. If he wants to sell it, it is O.K. and if he doesn’t, put it in your backyard. You can do anything you want. If it will make mom feel better, sell it. If he decides to sell it, I guess you won’t get more than $300 anyway maybe less. So see how things turn out.

            As for the package and myself, I keep the package in the office so they all can have some. They just love the cake and cookies. They never tasted such good things like that. I am feeling great and my job is just swell. It is something I like to do, and it is a soft job too.

 

[No additional information is provided.  The letter is from Private Benjamin Rubin, Battery C, 497th C.A. (A.A.), Camp Stewart, Georgia]