[USS PRAIRIE letterhead with ship illustration]
U. S. S. PRAIRIE
17 MAY 1944
SOUTH PACIFIC
DEAREST FAMILY,
WELL, ONCE AGAIN I AM ATTEMPTING TO WRITE YOU AN TYPE-WRITTEN LETTER. THIS TIME, AS IS THE CASE OF ALL THE LETTERS I TYPEWRITE, I HOPE I AM MORE SUCCESSFUL.
TWO DAYS AGO I RECEIVED THE FIRST LETTER FROM ANYONE IN THE STATES IN SEVERAL WEEKS. IT WAS AN EASTER GREETINGS LETTER FROM AUNT MARIE HOWE. NATURALLY WHEN I GOT IT I WAS PLENTY EXCITED AND OF COURSE EVEN THOUGH THE NEWS WAS OVER A MONTH OLD, TO ME IT WAS THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS. TRUTHFULLY, I WAS NEVER SO GLAD TO GET ANYTHING IN MY LIFE.
WELL, WELL, WELL. GUESS WHAT JUST CAME FOR ME? YESSIR, FOUR LETTERS. ONE FROM VEEN, ONE FROM MOM, ONE FROM MARY AND ONE FROM EDDIE STRANG AT KISKI. MY MAIL IS FINALLY CATCHING UP WITH ME. THEY WERE ALL AIR MAIL LETTERS. AIR MAIL IS MUCH SURER AND FASTER THAN ANYTHING ELSE SO PLEASE WRITE BY THAT METHOD. V-MAIL IS ABOUT THE SLOWEST THING THERE IS.
I'M IN THE SMALL SHIPS BAND HERE. AT FIRST I ALMOST TRIED TO CHANGE MY RATE TO MUSIC, BUT DECIDED TO KEEP INTO RADIO. STILL, MY CHANCES OF ADVANCEMENT WOULD BE MUCH FASTER IF IN MUSIC THAN IN MY PRESENT JOB. AT ANY RATE, THOUGH, I STUCK TO RADIO AND PLAY IN THE BAND ON THE SIDE. I HAVE A VERY INTERESTING STORY TO TELL ABOUT THAT, BUT IT'LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTILL I GET HOME.
I HOPE MARY GOT A GOOD JOB. SHE OUGHT TO REALLY BE ABLE TO BRING IN SAVINGS WITH PRESENT DAY CIVILIAN WAGES. HOW IS TIDI MAKING OUT WITH HER NEW JOB IN WASHINGTON?
INCEDENTALLY, RALPH SANGER IS OUT HERE TOO, BUT OF COURSE I CAN'T SEE HIM. AT LEAST NOT NOW. BOY COULD WE EVER TALK OF THINGS IF WE EVER GOT TOGETHER. ALSO, HAS FRED KOCH GONE OVERSEAS YET?
FOR NOW I'LL HAVE TO CLOSE BUT WILL RESUME IN ANOTHER LETTER SOON. PLEASE PARDON THE TYPING.
LOVE TO ALL,
Bud [handwritten signature]
HARLAN SHIREY YENNE JR. S/2C &RM
U. S. S. PRAIRIE