3/9/1943
Tues. 7:30 P.M.
Dearest Mother,
Just a few lines to let you know how I'm making out. Well mother, to begin with, Sun. I had a
pretty good time, me and some of the boys went over the U.S.O and we bought pop, sodas, and in the
U.S.O. there is a special room where you can read all the Sun. funny papers, and there's magazines
also you can read. We seen a place where you can have your picture taken, but the line was so big
that we didn't even stop, and besides you have wait till about 3 wks. before you get them, so we
decided that we'll wait till we go in to town and get some snapshots.
Sun. evening me and Tony went to the show, got out about 9:30 P.M., come back to our barracks and
got ready to go to bed.
Yesterday was the toughest day that I put in yet. We were drilling and marching from 7:30 till
11:30 went to lunch and then about 12:30 we had to fall out with our packs and rifles. We drilled
out on our parading grounds and pitched tents till about 4:30, then (this is the payoff) after
marching all day and practicing pitching tents, we were told (at 4:30) to get ready for retreat,
then go to chow, and at 6:30 be ready to fall out with full field pack, rifle, and top coat (we
had to wear our top coat because it was cold last night) and ready to go on a little hike. Well,
that little hike lasted till 11:00 P.M. from 6:45 P.M. about 4 hrs and 15 min. We had one rest per.
for about 20 min and we also stopped to pitch tents in the dark and boy, was that a picnic. As
tired as we were we still laughed and joked while pitching our tents of how they looked after they
were pitched. When the whole Co. had all the tents up, they were inspected by officers who came
with us and then after the inspection we tore them down and started back to camp. Our hike was
about 6 1/2 mi long, and it seemed like 60 mi. to every one of us. All in all, we were on our
feet for about 15 hrs. excluding the time off for lunch and Sup. After we came back from our
little hike (that's what the capt. called it before we started out) we put our packs in the barracks
and went down to the kitchen and got a cup of coffee and piece of cake, after that we came back to
our barracks and hit the hay (and I do mean hit).
Today, ha, ha, I fooled them, I have a slight cold and reported on sick call to get some pills,
after I got my pills, it was about 10:30 and I was supposed to come back to my barracks and at
dinner time I was supposed to get ready and go with the rest of the sqd. and drill, well, I came
back to my barracks, but I didn't go out this afternoon and march, I laid down on my bunk and
fell to sleep, when I woke up it was 3:30 so I just stayed in my barracks and read funny books,
and when my sgt. came back at 4:30, (that's when every one is through drilling for the day) he
didn't even say a word, in fact he didn't even know whether I was out or not, so you see mom, this
is one son you never have to worry about, because I have ways of getting out of things even here in
the army.
Well mother dear, I guess this is all for now, so I'll close with love to you, daddy, and the kids.
Your loving Son,
"Jimmy"
