July 23, 1943
Fri. 7:15 P.M.
Dearest Mother,
Just a few lines to let you know that I'm feeling fine and hope that you are the same.
I received the letter you wrote on Mon. while I was out on bivouac Wed. and was glad to receive
it.
Mother, we only stayed out on bivouac till yesterday afternoon. We ran through a few problems
while we were out there. In your letter you said that you wished you knew what some of the problems
are like that we have. Mother, if I was home I could explain what some of them are like, but to
explain them on paper would be pretty hard and you probably wouldn't understand them. I'll tell
you one thing mother, and that is that after a problem my knees and chest and arms are pretty sore
and sometimes a little scratched up from crawling and creeping on the ground and sneaking through
bushes that have thorns a mile long on them.
Mother, you also said that you hadn't seen Rosie since the night I left and you also said that
she must have gotten orders from someone not to go up. Mother, the way that read it sounded as
though that someone was me when I told Rosie not to go up. Well mother it wasn't me that told her
not to go up, in fact two wks. after I came back from furlough she sent me pictures that we took
and I wrote her a letter the same night telling her to take the pictures that she had up for you
to see and also give you any ones that you may want. So mother, it couldn't have been me. I want
her to go up and see you, and mother, I also want you to like her. When I was home you said that you
didn't like her and so far as I know, I guess you still don't like her. Mother, do you ever think
that you will like her. I hope that you will mother, because maybe some day she might be your
daughter-in-law, that is if nothing happens to me before the war is over.
Well mother, we were supposed to have another hike tonight, but instead they changed it till
tomorrow morn. 5:00 The hike is 9 mi long and we have to make in 2 hr. We will have to walk real
fast and run part of the way. We are even going to have the medics follow us in ambulances just in
case some one faints or gets sick and falls out.
Well mother, I'm glad you saw Russell, but about crying mother, I believe he does because when I
see him he usually looks pretty disgusted with this place. We see each other pretty often out here.
He's in the same barracks that my buddies cousin's in and where my buddy and I go over to see his
cousin, Russell is usually around and then we all go over to the service club and buy something to
eat and drink.
Since I've been here, I haven't seen Garris. Does Garris have any stripes yet. I know Russell
doesn't, at least he didn't the last time I seen him. Mother, I got a letter tonight from Rosie and
she said that Lenora Cassiatti told her that someone at home has some kind of an itch. She wrote the letter on Mon. nite and you also wrote yours on Mon. and you didn't
say anything about anyone being sick. Is some one really sick mother, or was Lenora wrong? (ans.)
Well mother, I'll close now with lots of love to you mother dear, daddy and the kids.
Your loving Son,
"Jimmy"
P.S.
God bless you mother, and take good care of yourself.
