OCC #56 Ft. Sill. Okla.
Jan 24,1943 Dear Mother + Dad --
Your Air mail letter of Jan 14th, inclosing the $10 money order, arrived on the 22nd. In the same mail was a letter from Alice dated the 18th + one from Tommy + Agnes dated the 19th. Not very good service for the extra three cents it cost, is it? Thanks very much for the money order. I can use it -- even though I'm not really hard up now that I've been paid.
Enclosed you will find a check for the $11 to cover the cost of my Xmas presents.
I was in town last night, Mother, + purchased a coin silver bracelet for you. Hope it's what you wanted. It's a bit more plain them some -- but you never went in too much for ginger-bread chings. It's Indian made. You should be getting it soon. Don't bother to pay me for it. I took the price out of the $10 you + Dad sent. O.K?
I forget to tell you that I sent the cotton long underwear home because its much too big around the waist. The tops are ok so I kept them.
Thank you Dad for starting an Xmas club for me. I do appreciate it.
thanks for forwarding Jean Dyer's letter + for Margie Clayton's address. Jean didn't have much to say -- except that she likes her job and has had a raise.
I'm glad Grices heard from Jr. They must feel much better.
Your box haven't arrived yet. I'm anxious to discover what’s in it. "Surprise" sounds very interesting. I suppose it should come along early this week.
Thanks for the stamps, Dad. I don't use them often, but when I do I never seem to have them.
Don't worry about baking a cake for me when I come home. I'll be satisfied with mashed potatoes. I would like some ham loaf if you could manage it, though.
I've had 5's in all of my tests so for -- and in firing too. We fired three days this week. I fired twice. The shells for the 37 mm cost $3 a piece. I blew up quite a few defense bonds. But the only way to learn is by experience -- so I guess it was worth it. This week we shot 75 mm. Shells cost about $10. See where your money goes!
We filled out "cut sheets" this week. We had to rate every man in our section. It was a tough job and very unfair, for they are all good men. The Tactical Officers tabulate the results and if one man is consistently low, he is carefully watched -- often chopped. So it was serious business and not just a popularity contest. I hope I made out all right.
When my laundry came back from the cleaners this week my socks were missing. The army only gives us six pair -- and so I had purchased about $5 worth extra. Now I'm out of socks again, so I had to buy more in town last night. I hope I get those back from the laundry, but I have my doubts.
Did I tell you that I can buy the Philadelphia Inquirer out here. Of course it doesn't have all of the news; but the funnies and feature sections are there. (Sunday Inquirer only.)
I haven't seen Roscoe Brownell or anyone else I know for sometime. We get so busy we don't get around Yesterday afternoon we went to see a demonstration on loading an airplane with field artillery material. It was interesting for the 1st half how; after that we were all ready to go home. I did get into town by 4:30 anyway.
We had a good dinner today. Chicken, mashed potatoes, chicken noodle soup, peas & carrots, olives, rolls + butter, coffee, and a peach sundae.
This morning Young and I signed out a transit from the Instrument Room and fooled around with it for about an hour. It's quite a complicated gadget. I'll know quite a bit about surveying before I'm through.
I shall certainly kkep my eyes open for the Princeton boys. They haven't arrived as yet, I know. I probably wouldnt know Wells Henderson if I did see him -- but it would be good to look him up
I hear B. U. may be selected to train Army men. I wish I could pull a few things & get stationed there for a few month. But there's no use ever thinking about it -- for I'm just not that lucky
Well I guess that's about all for today.
Yours, John