27 JULY 1944
U S S PRAIRIE
DEAR DAD,
WELL, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE THE ONLY ONE AT HOME WHILE THE REST OF THE CLAN GET A TWO WEEKS HEAD START ON YOUR VACATION? MOTHER ALWAYS VISIONED YOU AS HAVING ONE HECK OF A GOOD TIME, JUST PAINTING THE TOWN RED, DOING EVERYTHING UP IN THE BEST FASHIONS. YOU KNOW, THE HEN PECKED HUSBAND FINALLY CUT LOOSE FROM THE SHACKLES OF MARRIED LIFE. IF SHE ONLY KNEW THE TROUBLE WE HAD GETTING OUR DINNERS WITHOUT HER LAST YEAR WHILE YOU AND I KEPT UP THE HOME FRONT WHILE I WAITED FOR MY NAVY NOTICE.
DOUG FEURGOSON WAS RIGHT. THE VERY LAST ONE AND A VERY HOT ONE. NOT MUCH CHANCE OF CHANGE EITHER. DID YOU SEE THE WEDDING? I WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR OF GLENN GROSSMANS MARRIAGE TOO. EVERYBODY SEEMS TO BE GETTING HITCHED NOWADAYS.
MOTHER WROTE AND SAID THAT RALPH SANGER IS IN THE BAND NOW ON HIS SHIP. I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FAIRLY REGULARLY WITH THE BAND ON BOARD THE PRAIRIE BUT AM STILL STRIKING FOR RADIO. IF EVER A HALF DECENT CHANCE SHOULD PRESENT ITSELF FOR ME TO GET INTO THE BAND I WON'T HESITATE A SECOND TO TRY MY DARNDEST AND GET IN. RADIO IS NICE AND AMONG THE FINEST OF NAVY CAREERS, BUT WHEN A FELLOW IS MUSICALLY INCLINED AND CAN'T SEEM TO BE HAPPY UNLESS HE DOES THE THING HE SPENT YEARS LEARNING TO DO THERE IS NO USE TRYING TO FORCE SOME OTHER COURSE UPON HIM. SANGER WAS ALWAYS PLAYING THE DRUMS AND HE WASN'T SATISFIED UNLESS HE WAS THUMPING THE SKINS- THE SAME HOLDS TRUE WITH ME- I LEARNED TRUMPET AND THAT IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO.
I SAW THE NAVY WAY LAST NIGHT, THE MOVIE THAT PARAMOUNT MADE WHILE I WAS IN BOOT CAMP. I ONLY GOT A FLEETING GLIMPSE OF ME BUT MY COMPANY HAD A PRETTY GOOD REPRESENTATION IN THE REST OF THE FILM. ALL DURING THE BOXING MATCHES AND MARCHING SCENES MY COMPANY WAS RIGHT UP IN FRONT. I REMEMBER HOW DISGUSTED WE WERE THAT SUNDAY AFTERNOON WHEN WE WERE MADE TO SIT IN THE SUN WHILE THE MOVIE COMPANY WENT OVER THE FIGHT SCENES A HUNDRED TIMES. MOST OF US HAD WASHING TO DO AND WHEN THE DIRECTOR TOLD US TO BOO WE WERE PRETTY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT IT. THE ACTORS GOT THE HINT AND LET US GO. IT CERTAINLY WAS GOOD TO SEE THE OLD GREAT LAKES AGAIN AND FOR THE FIRST TIME I REALIZED THAT THOSE DAYS WERE DAYS TO BE REMEMBERED JUST LIKE THESE DAYS OUT HERE WILL ALWAYS BE MEMORIES, SOME GOOD, OTHERS NOT SO GOOD.
HAS MRS KOCH HEARD ANYTHING FROM FRED? THE LAST I KNEW HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO ENGLAND. I'VE BEEN WONDERING IF HE GOT IN THE INVASION. MOTHER TOLD ME BOB YENNE WAS IN ENGLAND.
WELL, DAD, I'LL HAVE TO SIGN OFF FOR NOW BUT WILL WRITE OFTEN TILL YOU LEAVE FOR CAMP. YOU SAID YOU'D TAKE CARE OF THE QUARTERLY AND STUFF SO THANKS IN ADVANCE.
LOTS OF LOVE,
Bud [signature]
Excuse The Typing [handwritten note at bottom left]