18 June 1944
U.S.S. Prairie
Dearest Family
Another week gone by already. It seems so odd how quickly the days, even weeks pass by, but how slow the hours seem to go. I keep thinking this is about Wednesday not Sunday but when I look back over the week, there are so many instances in which I thought time would never stop dragging.
The last letters to arrive from home were mothers of the 3rd and Marys of the 4th. I received both of them last Monday. The Press clipping in Marys letter was interesting. We get the same news out here but in a much more condensed form. The newspapers probably receive their flashes the same way only they elaborate and discuss them to fill up space. What we have in a two page daily dope sheet would probably comprise a whole newspaper.
I've finally managed to get in the band to play whenever not on watch. Every noon I help out at a little concert on the boat deck where the band plays Marches etc. Sometimes I manage to play other times if I am not in the shack.
Recently the ships tailor noticed the Kiski emblem on my horn case. He said he used to play ball with Kiski boys at N.Y.U. years ago. I'm going to show him a list of the 50-odd all-americans I have and maybe he can recognize a few of the old timers. It is strange how many people are familiar with that little school. The farther from Home I get, the more people I meet who know Kiski.
Has Mary received a letter from Kemp - a shipmate of mine? When he heard she had promised to write any fellow 6 feet 1" over and especially after seeing her picture, he became surprisingly anxious to write to her. I hope she answers him - he's a swell fellow - good looking. I did explain to him that she is a "Toole" woman but as is true of any real salt, that was no excuse and didn't stop him.
In regards to having you send the Monitor, or Readers Digest etc., It's nice to have reading material but it usually takes so long for second class mail to get here. I am however having the "Post" sent to me and I'm expecting the first copy any week now. But as far as reading matter goes, what I really miss are the good books like I used at school. The library on board has a number of books but there mostly cowboy, war and in general pretty sloppy. What I'm dying for is the real good stuff. Westerns and the ham stuff just don't appeal to me.
It's nice everyone knows so much about my ship. Harriet Ann wrote and said Johnny knew some of the crew and had been aboard on a few occasions and surprised me with his knowledge of the details of the Prairie.
I plan on going to the movie in a few minutes so will sign off for the present.
Lots of love,
Bud
Harlan Shirey Yenne Jr. Sā (RM)