3/18/44
Sat. Morn. 10:30
Italian Front
Dearest Mother,
Just a few lines letting you know that I'm feeling fine and hoping that everyone at home is
the same.
I Received your pkg. today mother, and the candy and other things in it are most appreciated.
It was a little banged up, but that doesn't change the taste of the candy. I ate a chocolate
bar and a piece of fudge already and it really tasted good. The tube of shaving cream is a little
smashed but luckily it isn't broken open. Mother I haven't shaved since I've been here, and boy
you should see my beard and mustache, they're really long. I'm not going to shave till I go back
to a rest camp and then I'll have a barber shave me. I'm afraid that if I tried to cut these
whiskers that I'd cut my face all up, so I'll wait and leave a barber do the honors for a quarter.
We've been having some pretty nice weather here these last few days. The sun's been out pretty
much and there's hardly any mud around any more. We still pick oranges during the day when it's
not too dangerous.
The only time it's really bad is during the nights. Nobody likes to see night time come, because
then you can't see very good and expect almost anything, and almost anything happens, from
artillery barrages, to attempted breakthroughs by jerries. But as I said before mother, as long as
a guy is careful he won't get hurt, and I'm still being very careful.
I received your V-mail with Joe's address in it so as soon as I finish this letter I'll drop him
a few lines.
I received a letter from Phil the other day and he said that he likes Los Angeles a lot.
Well mother, there isn't anything else to say so I'll close with lots of love to you mother dear,
daddy and the kids.
Your loving Son,
"Jimmy"
P.S.
Please don't worry about me mother because I'm O.K. Thanks again mother the pkg. is really good.
"Jimmy"