October 12, ‘43
Dearest Mother and Dad,
Hello! What are you doing today? I hope everything is still fine with you. I am well and having lots of fun. Of course, it does get rather boring over here but I guess that goes with this sort of stuff.
Be sure and be on the look-out for a write up about C E N S O R E D. He has really been doing good over here. He knocked down five in one fight and now has a total of eight. I guess he will get all kinds of decorations now and he deserves all of them. He is a wonderful flyer.
As I have told you before, I have a special job with the squadron in which I work with several Aussies. I have gotten to know them pretty well now and at times we have lots of fun. Some of them are combat pilots and we have some very good bull sessions. They are mighty nice fellows!
I saw Jack Mullins last night and he told me he was moving to another place over here. He has been made company commander of a new outfit and that will give him his captaincy. I sure like old Jack. He has turned out to be a nice guy and seems to be very much on the ball. I am glad to see him get a company.
I am sure you will read in the papers about our activities over here lately. They are all true, too. I wish you could hear what Tokio says sometimes.
It is really funny the way they fix up their reports. Believe me they are taking a beating and I think they will continue to take one. It won’t be long before you will understand what I mean.
As per usual, I don’t have much of anything to write about. I wish we could at least tell something about our operations but I guess you will have to get that from the newscasts.
I think you will be getting quite a big surprise pretty soon from the War Dept. and I think you will be proud to get it. I know I was. I won’t tell you any more about it so it will be a big surprise.
Have you heard from Barbara lately? Is she still planning on visiting you? We haven’t received any mail the past few days so I just wondered what her latest plans were. I am sure you will like her very much.
By the way, I had a letter from Kat last week and also one from Thelma. I wish you would tell them to write me as often as they can because I surely like to hear from them. You can’t possibly imagine how much mail means to a person over here. You and Barbara have really done a swell job in writing to me and I appreciate that. When I go on leave I’ll try to do my Xmas shopping if they will permit us to send them across.
Well, Mom, I guess this will have to suffice for the present. I miss you all very much so write often. Be sure to take care of Barbara for me.
Love,
Son
P.S. I won thirty dollars (ten pounds) last night shooting craps.