Dear Folks,

      I received your letter yesterday. I was tickled to death to get it too, because I am always looking for them.

      Well, how is everybody back home? I am fine & dandy. I like it fine.

      We are assigned to the big disappearing guns now and I sure am tickled. Since we are assigned to them I don't believe we ever be ship out of here. I don't want to be as this is getting to be regular home for me. And it is that way with the rest of the kids (they are all satisfied).

      We can't leave the Fort as much as we used to could because there has to be a certain percentage here. There is 2 of us to each part & if the other fellow goes I have to stay in camp so if a wrong ship comes in we can get her.

      I am on the Ammunition Detachment now, but I think we try all parts of it before we get thru.

      Do you see many movie war pictures back there? Talk about seeing picture show & Theatre. They sure have them out here about every door.

      And when a fellow goes down town about half the people you see are soldiers & Sailors & even lots of Red Cross Nurses. Them Red Cross girls are sure the right spirit kind. I'll take off my hat to any of them. Talk about brave, why them little Red Cross Ladies are as true as us soldiers any day.

      But when it comes right down to the real True & Brave ones, Dad & Mother are the ones. And they are the ones that will get the credit too.

      I suppose Sip is right in his height of glory to be in town. Is Duke & Jim still alive? I suppose them & Earl have it out several times Ha, Ha.

      A fellow can sure see lots of nice & nice lady dogs out here. It sure makes a fellow tired to see them carry them damn fool dogs arround. But just the I sure see some dandy Spanish Greyhounds. And I am going to bring one with me when I get out of the Army.

      How did you Farmer's Union make out on the 4th? I was reading the paper & I see that you are in for a real celebration. What do the store keepers think of the Farmer's Union by this?

      Now Mama, I want you to always have a good time while I'm gone but it won't be long until I am back there.

      Have you got the car fix up yet, or have you a new one?

      Maybe you think I wouldn't like to be there an picking cherries. We have some out here, but they don't have the right kind of flavor.

      Cousin's Joe sure did have some boy, didn't he? I sure have my opinion of that kind of a fool. He had ought to be drafted. We would take that out of him here. There was one kid here that was a regular Jersey Grant kind but now a person couldn't ask for a better kid.

      I don't know how long the Willey's intend to stay. I haven't seen much of them lately. They have only been up here twice, but Charley goes down there about ever night.

      I got a letter from Herb & he wanted me to come down there for the 4th but I couldn't get a long enough pass to go down. But maybe I can sometime later.

      That sure is tough luck for Clarence & Beulah's baby to have that darned Whooper Cough. I'll bet Mike's sure will be careful of their babe.