May 26, 1943, Wednesday
Dear Folks,
Please excuse the pencil as I am now sitting in my tent and forget to bring my pen. We are out on bivouac again, but this time we only hiked about eight miles. This is another all nite affair and we’ll be back to camp sometime tomorrow morning. This state is pretty nice for hiking. Although you sweat quite a bit there is always a good breeze to reward you when you stop. This hiking and camping is good for a fellow. It develops in you a feeling of self security. I like it quite a bit, as you probably know from my days at Westwood. [Okay, Dad, how come you never took Mom and your FIVE daughters camping???!]
Talking about windows, every Friday nite we have to clean all the windows in the barracks for inspection. Besides we have to get down on our hands and knees and scrub the floor. So you see I’ll be quite useful when I get home. If and when I do get home I want you to make me wait outside the kitchen about fifteen minutes before meals, as I might get too lonesome for the army. We have lines for everything, even when we go to town. When I get home I might get too soft if I get right into a movie or can eat immediately. [Fortunately for Dad, that all changed when he met my Mom years later!]
The candy & cookie situation here is quite desperate, as the P.X.s have very little stock and what they have is bought up by fellows leaving for overseas. Any donations will be most gratefully received.
I suppose you’re relieved to get away from the old sermon at St. Margaret’s. How do you like St. Mark’s? Are the priests any better than at St. Margaret’s?
I got a card from Paul but as he put no return address on it, I can’t write back to him. He says he can’t stand the heat and wants to know how I stood it so long. Enough for now. More later. Love, Murray
