December 8, ‘43
Dearest Mother and Dad;
All my good stationery has been packed so don’t worry about sending me some anyways soon. I want you to be sure and notice my new address. You were nearly right in your guess but we are closer than that.
I had a lot of fun the other day. Caught some on the ground and I really let them have it. They tried to hit me, but I beat them to it. Hope I find some more like that. Please don’t worry because I didn’t give them a chance and I don’t intend to if I can help it.
The squadron is getting along fine now. We have our ups and downs just like a family but it all works out O.K. Our percentage so far is seventy-five Japs for two of us. I don’t think that is bad at all. Col. Kearby got two more yesterday making a total of sixteen. Guess he will soon be the leading ace over here. He is really a swell person. I have flown with him often.
Looks like Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill are going to get something done now. Boy, I surely hope so. This side is going to be tougher than most folks at home think. They are very smart and ingenious and don’t think they aren’t for one minute. We are very anxious to get home and General Kinney told us we could go home after three hundred hours or a year’s service, which will probably be just about the same time for me. I can hardly wait. Of course, we would return to action again after a long rest period.
Sometimes I feel like I have aged quite a bit over here. I am sure it must be the nervous strain one stays in all the time. I still refrain from drinking tho occasionally I have had a nip or two at our celebrations over a victory. I do think, however, that I am smoking too much. I am cutting that down now. We are not getting our mail here now as it is going to our new station but we will be there shortly. Surely hope I have a big stack awaiting me. Mail is life giving over here.
Give my regards to all the neighbors and tell them I would certainly like to see them. Surely would like to whiz down good ol’ Elm St. and pull up at 1001 and never leave again. Guess this sounds like I am homesick, and to be truthful. I am more homesick this week than I have been in years. Say, did you know I will soon have my second anniversary in the Army? Yep, guess I am getting to be and “old” Army man.
Well, Mom, I am about out of news, Lytle, Chase, and I are going to town to the Allied Officers’ club for dinner tonight to break the monotony. Anything for a change.
Please write soon. Tell Dad to write.
Love, Son