North Africa

Sun August 29 1943

Dearest mom & all

How is everyone a way down in Texas this Sunday morning. Fine I hope. I am feeling pertty good after having two days off. But I needed it, for I worked five days and nights with out ever stopping, that is the way with this army driving when you have to really work it comes all at one time

In the two days I had off I put out my washing, you should see the way we wash here, we use a five gallon can for a boiler and no wash board at all just boil them clean. That is as clean as we can and if that isn’t enough we use our helmet to rinse in, I have seen better laundry and I have seen worse, but it will do until we can do better.

You all keep worrying about the lighter; just forget about the lighter there are things we need and have to have worse; that is razor blocks, we only get one blade per week and have to shave every day. I don’t see how they think we can use one lonely blade for seven shaves, when it is all I can do to get one shave per blade, and I can use some Camel Cigarettes too, we get from three to five packages per week and sometimes not that many. I wrote Lucy not long ago asking for cigarettes and vmail, got a letter the other day, she said they were on the way. Just hope they get here, with what V mail I have and what she is sending will be enough.

My Buddy Jeffery made it back from Sicley o.k. sure was glad to see him get back, he and I are bunking together, his wife and the girl I went with in Georgia are real good friends, I got letters from the Georgia Gal quite often. Has it rained any there yet, sure hope it has so there will be a good peanut crop made if nothing else guess it is too late for it to do the tomatoes any good, that is the way it goes though when things would bring a good price don’t make anything. If it is as dry and hot there as it is here, it sure is hot, the only way we make it here is that it is real cool at night, before morning you have to get under one blanket, and that one feels good.

Hope you have gotten the money order I sent you for $50, when we get paid again will send $50 or maybe more, if you all need any of the money for anything don’t hesitate to use all you want for that is what I am sending it for but if you don’t use any of it you can buy Bonds in your or Pops name, as I told you before that is for reasons of my own and will explain why when I get home, I mean take all the money that is in the bank in my name and buy Bonds.

Well it isn’t very long until Christmas and looks like someone over estimated the time we would be home, but lots of things can happen in 2 or 3 months we could accidently be home but I doubt it, so as for Christmas presents just send me some Camels and a few razor blades when you can and that will be all the Christmas that I want in a country like this for it is too expensive and too much trouble to send so much over seas and I know all of you will send your love and Prayers with every letter and things you end, well as I have to go to work will sign off for this time with lots of love to all Marlin.