November 2, 1942

Sunday 12:20 P.M.

Dearest Mary Ellen

Well darling I’ve got quite a bit to tell you today. Last night we were able to get oases so three of us went in about seven. When off duty you can wear civilian shoes so I wore my brown florsheims. Boy they sure felt good after wearing these big heavy army shoes for two weeks. Here is a regular bus line that runs right by our barracks. It only costs 10 cents each way so it is pretty reasonable. We got into town about 7:30 and walked around town for an hour or so. I was surprised to see that it was a big as it is. I told you it was smaller than Winlock but It is quite a bit bigger. There is one main street but it is quite long. There is a Woolworth and a couple of other variety stores. I was surprised to see a J.C. Penney store. They are operated by white people. There are about four or five mens furnishingstores, which are pretty reasonable, and are kept up pretty nice. We shopped around for a good belt buckle but there weren’t any to be found. I also want to get a regular cap but I don’t know when I will be able to get one. I wish I could have me R.O.T.E. hat changed into a regular army cap. Bob and I bought one of those wire collar rigs, like the one I gave Vern. There was a carnival in town, it was a fair carnival of fair size. It cost us 11 cents to get in and the only thing I spent anything on was a sideshow which wasn’t much, 25 cents for pitching baseballs and 10 cents for popcorn. It was sure good for me. It made me feel like a white man again. There were quite a few Mexicans in the carnival but there wasn’t any rough stuff at all, I was surprised to find the place as civilized as it was. They had a USO dance with free punch, cookies, and candy. We went in and looked around and had something to eat and about 11:30 we left for camp again. The girls were pretty scarce. There seemed to be about 10 men to every girl. No civilians were allowed in the dance at all but I only saw about 3 kids without uniforms on all night. Everyone here is friendly and you don’t feel like too much of a stranger. The two women sponsors were sure nice, they kept everybody eating and drinking punch all the time. Things ran smoothly while we were there and no one got rough or rowdy. There were MP’s all over the place though so no one stayed around very long if they were drinking. I guess there is a pretty rough place outside of town about five miles. Two of our fellows went out there last night and they were both brought in by MP’s. One of them has to appear before the commanding officers tomorrow. They are both older fellows though all the younger fellows came home early and stayed out of trouble. This place I spoke of is called the Barn and I guess it really is a barn from the way the way the fellows talk. Its nothing but a brawl so we are going to stay a safe distance away from it.

We were able to sleep until 9:30 this morning. On Sunday you can sleep as long as you are able to unless you are going to be on duty. Sleeping there until 9:30 we naturally missed out on breakfast so we went over to the PX café and had coffee and doughnuts. We ate lunch at 11:15 so I am satisfied now. We had a good lunch too, chicken (fried) but it doesn’t compare with your mothers fried chicken. The water here is very bad, and even when it has ice in it, it is hard to down. We can get bottled and fountain cokes most of the time but we have to walk about four blocks for it.

Today is the windiest it has been since we came and it sure makes it miserable. The air is full of dust all the time, its in clouds over the camp. Even in our barracks our clothes are covered with it. It is quite hot and when the sun shines there the window you can see the dust blowing around in the room. We can wipe our foot lockers off in the morning and by evening they will be completely covered by dust. My nose feels like it is stopped up all the time because of the dust I’m breathing all the time. It doesn’t do much good to take a shower because by the time you walk back to your barracks from the shower room you feel dirty again. The water in the wash room is just like it was at Mothers and George’s place in Tacoma. I did a washing this morning and it looks worse than it did before I started. We have to hang our clothes line inside or they would get there times as dusty. I guess we get our drilling tomorrow; we haven’t had any since we arrived here Friday. I am going to take a shower before I eat and then go to the show here on the field if it is a good one.

Most of the fellows are staying in the barracks today because its so windy and dirty out that you almost suffocate. I’m going get some mentholatum to put on my lips to keep them from drying out so much, I think it would be a good idea to put it in my nose too.

I have been trying to think of some of the things I want you to send me but I really don’t need much, I am going to buy a little sewing kit here I can get one here for 43 cents. It is small and I’ll see probably use it all up by Xmas so you might be able to send me one then if I need it I would like you to send me a shoe polishing kit darling, that’s one thing I do need. I can’t get one here, I don’t know about in town I didn’t think to look last night. Get one with a regular bristle brush and if you can brown polish and dabber that is the main things I need in it. Don’t make a trip into town for it dear, just get whatever you can in Woodland, it will be plenty good enough. I had a swell brush that I packed away but I don’t know what box it is in so don’t try to find it. They have some nice stationary here, but I’m not going to buy any until I finish this tablet, which won’t take me long. This is my second tablet, so you can see they don’t last long. By the way dear how do you like the size of this letter. I hope it is long enough for you. I would like to write one like this every day but I can’t think of this much every day. I’m just wondering when I will get a letter from you. I would like to get one Wed. but that might be a little early to expect one that I brought my pajamas. This one only a couple of us in here who have them and we really need them these cold nights. It gets quite hot during the day, but around 7:30 its begins to cool down right away. I guess it’s a good thing it is windy because it would really be hot otherwise.

I wish you could have been with me last night darling, we could have had so much fun. Of course under ordinary circumstances I wouldn’t even take you to a dance or town or carnival in a place like this, but being the only place around it would have to do. Remember darling to ask me anything you want to about things and stuff. It will sure be good to start getting mail from you so we can start answering our letters.

All of us are up against it for hangers dear, it would sure be swell if you could crate up about 30 of them and send them with the shoe outfit if you can get it. The hangers are in Aunt Dollys atic in the front bedroom. They are in a box there. Pick out all the wooden ones first dear they work better than the other for pants. Well dearest I don’t want to have to send this letter parcel past so I had better quit now. I’m being good darling and I’m thinking of you all the time. I hope it isn’t too long before I am able to see you, I am going to have a talk with the commanding officer and find out what chance I have of getting a furl low for Christmas. Good –Bye my darling. All my love

Glenn