January 15, 1945 Monday

Dear Home Town Female, (or shall we limit it to sweetheart),

                I guess you’ve been wondering when your boy would write again. Last week we finished up in pretty fair shape.  We had the much dreaded test-the one covering the whole school period. It took most of the afternoon but wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.  In the afternoon of Saturday we had Captain's inspection.  The band played and most of it took place in a shower-which everyone expected to turn into a flood or a good rain anyway.

                Then-the test wasn’t enough and neither was captain’s inspection as they pitched in guard duty.  Mine came early Sunday morning.  When I got off I finished up a big wash which was necessary and then put on my dress blues and went to church. After church I caught a bus to Cecil Field.  I finally found Jim out on the landing field where the afternoon flight was getting off.  The only excitement was when a Scout Bomber messed his tail up a bit on a landing.  Jim’s working long hours but it sure is good to see him.  It seems like every so often a guys got to foul up somehow.  Jim got his the other night when they secured the crash truck too early.  They have to work until 11 p.m. for two nights for that.

                I got back to the Base about 10:30 and that about brings things up to date.  Except that I got by last week without getting set back or anything-all the men on our plane did.  If I can just hang on for this 20^th week-just five more days until next Saturday.  I’ll be very happy. Then my dear, let’s just hope we have some decent drafts to pick from.  Maybe I didn’t tell you that the class ahead of us had drafts for 21 different places all over the United States and one draft for the Solomon Islands. Almost everyone was satisfied.  One thing of it is-that I’m keeping my fingers crossed that when I choose my draft and get there, I find more Mess duty.  See Hon, as long as you’re in the Navy you never get away from the scullery or watches, and usually the men who get it are new ones who come on a station.

                Here’s the dollar Hon and we won’t hear anything more like this.  It’s sweet of you to think of things like that, but if you want film it will have to be like this. A very good argument is that I buy for the one I’m indebted to.  I have another yellow box when I can find time to mail it. I have more to say but must fall out for school.  So toodle-oo Darling as ever.  Pablo