June 15, 1943

PITTSBURG REPL DEPOT CALIF [JUN] 15 710P

MISS MARION SNEEN

APT 102 362 LOMA DR LOSA

BOTH LEAVES RETURNED DISAPPROVED PER NEW ORDERS FROM WASHINGTON WILL WRITE DETAILS AND TRY TO MAKE NEW PLANS.

VERY SORRY AND DISAPPOINTED SINCERELY

DIP.

Tuesday

June 15, 1943

Dear Mom & Dad:

Guess I slipped a little – I think it’s been almost a week since I last wrote. You see they’ve got me working now & I don’t have quite as much letter writing time as I used to have. I will try to keep them coming more regular though – even if I just write short notes.

Yeah – I was attached to a company here for duty as a regular training officer. It doesn’t change my status any – I’m still a member of the Casual Officers Bn. It just means a little more work for me. We have 300 enlisted men in the company, & the 6 of us officers must see to it that they are kept busy & in shape. Most of the training we give them is basic infantry stuff – I’m learning plenty myself so I think it’s a break for me. We take 3 hikes a week & they’re really dillies. In fact we are leaving in about 15 minutes on a night hike from 9 o’clock ‘till 2 A.M. Yesterday I had to lead the platoon in a post parade – did OK I guess. Next week I draw Commander of the Guard & also Bn. Duty Officer so you see they’ve got me on the go. Oh well – it beats laying around – this was I’ll get in condition for the field & gain a lot of much needed experience. Gotta get my leggings on now – will finish when I get back so I can get this in morning mail.

Good morning – just as you suspected, I was much too tired at 2 A.M. this morning to think of anything but the bunk. It was a fairly stiff hike cuz we went along very hilly country. Just outside of camp we have a ridge of young mountains & that’s where we have most of our hikes. Feel fine this morning though – just finished a breakfast of French toast. Tis now 8 A.M. & as soon as I finish this I’ll hit the hay – we have the morning free to rest up.

Lee & I got together last Wed. night as we had planned. We met at the Mark Hopkins & had dinner there in the “Peacock Court” where the famous Henry King & his band are playing. When the music started  - both Lee & I were rarin to dance so we looked around for some typical Minn. gals. Finally spotted a couple cuties sitting with their folks. We went over & asked them if they’d like to dance – they did & so we did. They turned out to be a couple of [dolls] just fresh out of boarding school – mediocre dancers.

You asked me a while back if I ever got my foot locker from Sill. No – the darn thing is still missing. I’m having it traced though so I imagine it’ll turn up one of these days. I’m going to buy another locker in the meantime from one of the men here in the barracks – some of them have 2 or 3 so I think I can buy one pretty cheap.

I just wrote Swany, Sykes, Coll & Rolie each a V-letter – I owed them all one & finally got around to it. From you last letter I guess Coll & Swany have changed addresses – I hope they will forward the mail O.K. Sykes & Rolie have probably changed too by now.

Did I tell you I was planning to get a couple days leave to visit Marion Sneen in L.A.? Yeah – I had things all set with her for this coming weekend – she even had fixed up a date for Lt. Cook who was going with me - & then Washington had to step in with a new War Dept. order banning all leaves for casual officers. Rough deal – had to telegram her today & tell her the bad news.

Well – I feel a nice warm comfortable bed coming on so guess I’ll close. Hope everything is hunky-dory at home & don’t forget not to worry about me. So long.

Love, Dorance

P.S. No indication of a boat ride yet.