May 30, 1943, Sunday
Dear Folks,
Here’s my usual Sunday letter. It’s quarter after three and in two hours I’m going on guard duty. The weather has been pretty rainy for the past couple of weeks and it’s been coming down steady all day. I don’t envy myself for having guard duty tonite, but there’s nothing to be done about it.
Our camping trip was quite successful and all had a good time. We had a forced march on the way back and we really walked. We got back in record time. I was an advance guard and had to keep well ahead of the company to watch for the enemy, or gas.
Yesterday I was picked for a detail which I really enjoyed. We had to take apart and clean garand rifles. It was quite an experience and I gained some knowledge about them. We’ll probably be issued rifles pretty soon to drill and shoot. That’s the part I’ll like and I hope my marksmanship that I had on the rifle team will come back to me.
We went to the dance at Taylor again last nite and had a pretty good time. I’ve found out that you can’t go to town for less than five dollars, because of car fares & meals, etc. You get pretty restless if you stay in camp all week long so we usually try to go out somewhere every Saturday. Being near the end of the month I’m broke and had to borrow to go out last nite. June 5 is payday so I think I can last till then. I wish we were nearer town so it wouldn’t cost so much. They say that Southern hospitality is unbeatable but give me the north any day.
I got Dad’s letter last week and appreciated the $2. I think I’ll wait for my suit, Dad, so you can forget about it for awhile.
The rain has stopped now. Too bad about Bob MacLean’s mix up. I’ll bet he loves K.P., and Fort Devens it the place where you really get it. He ought to have left there by now, maybe down this way.
Have you heard from Tim yet? I wonder how he is making out? I got a card from Paul but since there’s no return address on it I can’t write to him.
I have to eat early chow so I’ll have to close now, with Love, Moe.
