Dear Mother Dad + Grandma --
You'll have to excuse me for writing this in pencil. You see I'm at the office and my pen is in the barracks. I've been out on the range all morning and just finished my afternoon class. So I decided I'd spend a part of the last two hours of the day in writing my Wednesday letter.
There is nothing new. Monday went smoothly and I got by my new class without difficulty. Tuesday evening we had our usual review class. Tonight I'm taking Wells into town for dinner. It's his last night as an O.C. He graduates tomorrow.
It has finally stopped raining but the ground is still quite soft and it hasn't exactly warmed up. All of the papers down here are excited. about the "flood." I guess they aren't used to such heavy rains, for up home we wouldn't call this anything more than "high water"
Having all of these new courses moved into the OCS area has certainly had its affect on our living conditions. 1st, the higher ranking officer got our mess hall and now they are taking our orderly. We will still get some orderly service, but no longer will I be able to put my shoes out in the hall + have them returned all shined. I'll have to use a little elbow grease on my own, I guess.
The wardrobe trunk has not yet arrived, but I suppose it will be here tomorrow. or Friday. The swimming trunks did arrive safely, thank you. And I got the chamois skin too, although when I opened the envelope I couldn't imagine what your were sending. Thanks a lot. Maybe I'll get my windows cleaned now.
I'm glad you liked the corsage, Mother. I wish a could have been there to help you show it off.
I'm glad Margaret Ochsenrieter has a job. -- But she can't afford to live in an apt. like ours on what the college pays for that job. She better find a cheaper place to live + start saving some of her money.
Well the war is looking a little better. By the end of May all of the mopping up in Africa should be completed and I fully expect an invasion of the continent by July 4th. After that I don't think anyone can even guess how long it will take. Even if we should be able to crush Germany quickly -- there is still Japan, and we have given her plenty of time to dig in. At any rate by this time next year we should be on the downhill run with the end at least somewhere in view.
Dad those 600 Navy men will be wanting navy jewelry, etc. If you can get a line, you may be able to help your business. I know that the army stores here do a whale of a business -- although mostly in cheaper goods.
Yours,John