June 13, 1944

June 13, 1944

“Same Spot”

Dear Mom & Dad:

I got your June 1st letter yesterday & also a copy of the latest Minn. News from Daddy. I certainly enjoy those letters & papers. Can’t kick at all about your letters – they come thru like clockwork & often. Wish I could say the same for some of my other correspondents. I hear from Dot regularly too.

I feel fine these days – still keeping busy & getting plenty of exercise & sleep. Don’t feel like I’m gaining any weight tho.

To keep in trim we officers play volley ball every night after training hours. My roommate, Armani, & I play with A battery against the staff. We get a big kick out of drubbing them, cuz the “old man” (Bn. Cmdr.) plays on the staff. Now & then we get real ambitious & get up a soft-ball game.

This last weekend, Armani & myself went into town to visit Lee & Loper. They both showed us the usual good time. Sat. night we ate at Lee’s outfit & then took in the boxing matches. After the fights we returned to Lee’s & proceeded to wrap ourselves around some Budweiser & play some table-tennis.

We all got up early Sunday morning & went to a nearby officers club for fried eggs & hot cakes. We never get fresh eggs out here, you know, so that was quite a treat in itself. Then Lee & I had a game of tennis. I hadn’t played since N.Z. & found that my game had grown quite stale during the layoff. It was fun anyway. Sunday afternoon we just sat around in Loper’s shack & chatted. We had a roast beef supper at Loper’s & then went to a movie. After that Armani & I started the long trek back to the “woods” (campsite of 8th Field). It was a swell weekend.

A week ago last Sunday, Lee was up to see me here at camp & we took a ride around to take some pictures. I’ll send some along with this letter & the remainder with the next one.

By the way – we’re going out on another of those 4-day maneuvers, so I won’t be able to write ‘till I get back. Boy – it’s going to be cold out on the ground this time. It’s getting so you can see your breath at night now. Reminds me of sleeping out on those cold October nights back there on the front porch. I’ll bet Daddy’ll never get past the middle of Sept. before he gets chicken. It’s pretty nice right now, all gravy, but wait’ll you start waking up with frost on your beard. Course I never had a beard, but I used to get it on my nose.

So Nancy must have raisins before she’ll get in bed. Didn’t I have that same habit – believe I called it, “moya.” And I too would fall asleep with most of ‘em still in my mitt. So you told me anyway!

No – I don’t have to do the air-observing unless I’m picked for the job. However I’d like to very much – it’s fairly safe & lots of fun. The other day I was up for 1 ½ hrs. For the first time in my young life I did a loop! It was really a sensation! The pilot let me fly for 1 hr. by myself – it’s really sport. He said I was good & should have been a pilot.

Am enclosing a money order also for $50 – how’s my financial status now?

Enough for now – must hit the hay. Hello to sis if she’s still there.

Love, Dorance