Postmark: 09/27/1943

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Pvt. V. Misitano
Co. K. 342nd Inf.
APO 450
Camp Howze, Tex.
U.S. Army

Sept. 26, 1943
Sun nite 6:30

Dearest Mother,

    I received your most awaited letter. And from the way it reads looks like you were pretty much on the go those few days.

   Mother, I hope that Joe's back isn't too bad, but I do hope that it keeps him from going across. At least I'm praying that he doesn't go.

   So Phil's home again. Well mother I hope he has a good time, and as long as one of us comes home every couple of months I know that it makes you happy and mother that is the way I want you, always to be happy and in good health.

   And mother, I don't want you to worry about the telegram I sent you tonight, at least I hope it gets to you. I sent it in town with another boy to send for me. I'm restricted till I leave. No, mother I'm not the only one that's leaving. There are 60 men out of each co. leaving for a new camp. We found out that we were going to be shipped out last night when we came back from our 2 days bivouac. My buddy is leaving too so we'll still be together. (I hope).

   We went down to the recreation hall this afternoon and heard a speech from the General. He definitely told us that we were going to a new camp and not a P.O.E (Port of Embarkation) so please don't worry mother.

   I've been kept pretty busy all day today packing my clothes and getting out of the supply room all that I was missing.

   Mother, don't write till you get my new address. I'm supposed to leave Thur. nite so the following week you can expect to hear from me from my new camp. I hope that you told Rosie not to write also mother, when you received my telegram, that is if the guy sent it for me.

   So you're going to jar some peppers just for me, huh mom, well I've always liked peppers mother, so as soon as I get settled in my new camp you can send them to me. Maybe I'll be stationed closer or farther away, just always remember that I'll be safe and in good health mother, so please don't worry about me because I'll be O.K.

   Well Mother, I still have some things to clean up yet, so I'll close with lots of love to you mother dear, daddy and the kids. (Please don't worry mother, I'll be O.K.)

   Your loving Son,

"Jimmy"

Dad's reference to liking peppers takes me back to the days of our young family with him as the father. He always had a garden growing in the back yard with several kinds of hot peppers planted. He would come home for lunch from his mail route and fry up a steak lunch with a mound of hot peppers included. My brothers and I would watch in awe as he ate the impossibly hot peppers with tears streaming down his face, a big grin on his face. To get us kids to try the raw hot peppers, he would attempt to bribe us to take a bite. I think the going rate was a nickel a bite, with which he often got most of us to try them once, but we knew better than to try a second bite.

   - Jim Jr.