Jan 2, 1945

Dear Sisters:

A New Year is here and it still finds me many miles from home it surely seems odd to find one’s self so distant from everything but there is really very little that can be done about it as an individual so I’ll keep my nose up and hope and pray that before another New Year rolls around I should be home to stay.

New Years around here was very quiet we stayed at home for the evening some of the fellows from the field dropped in and we sat and talked, if it hadn’t been for the radio we would not have known that the new year arrived

As I told you we had to work Sunday before New Years but there was no work in and our officers wouldn’t call any he told us to go home about ½ hours after we got there. They also paid us on Sunday they really make little of Sunday in the army but then we were lucky to get any time off for the fellows in Europe surely don’t get time of and have a hell of a tough job to do.

I must go to school again they are making a new model B-25 and they have changed so much that our engineering officer arranged for a mobile training unit to come here so from 2 until 5 P.M. each for the next two weeks we will attend it. I really think it is a good thing and I hope I can get a lot out of the course.

I have a bunch of letters here and I’ll answer them now.

I’m glad you liked your gift Mildred and you are very welcome

You surely must be having terrible weather back home from what you say I’m glad you had a nice Christmas

I wonder what is wrong with Lois she surely used to be a smart girl

I bet train travel was heavy over the holidays and that it was no pleasure to travel.

You got very nice gifts for Christmas you should be well outfitted I’m glad you sent Albert a box I’m sure he appreciated it.

You surely are lucky to have former pupils come and clean your windows Sima.

Yea I guess the new rationing deal will make it a little tough for us We cannot buy anything at the commissary without any points

Maybe the army will do Sammy W good it must agree with him gaining 22 lbs.

I don’t mind being the goat for your new paper I really think it is nice.

So you are the phantom Patrol well maybe so but as you say it ain’t possible

Boy the old town is surely losing a lot of fellows in this damn war and I bet when the reports came back from were the Germans pushed us back there will be more.

We did not get our New Years dinner at camp. They were not serving any out there. Mary made a nice dinner here at home.

So old W. left you now you were teaching his daughter.

I hope the situation is much better in Belgium but I think we paid plenty for that error.

Yea the fellows we had in for dinner line in the barracks and they surely always grab the chance to get out of them for awhile.

We are both well and hope you are the same.

Happy New Years

So Long

Love

John