22 AUGUST 1944
U S S PRAIRIE
DEAREST FAMILY,
RIGHT NOW I COULD HANDLE THE WHOLE JAPANESE ARMY SINGLE HANDED. YEP, THE MAIL MAN BROUGHT ME FIVE LETTERS FROM YOU MIGHTY EXPLORERS AND MY LITTLE LADY BACK IN THE STATES. TOO, YESTERDAY I GOT A LETTER FROM BARBARA WRIGHT. THE CROWNING POINT IN ALL THE LETTERS WAS MARYS REFERENCE TO DORA USING A FLASHLIGHT TO SEE DOWN HER PAJAMA PANTS IN SEARCH FOR LURKING SPIDERS. AT THAT I LAUGHED UNTILL THE WHOLE SHIP ROCKED.
WHATEVER GAVE YOU THE IDEA THAT I WAS EVER IN NEWFOUNDLAND. THE MIGHTY PRAIRIE WAS THERE BUT THAT WAS BEFORE I WAS PUT ABOARD. I JUST WANT TO PUT YOU RIGHT BEFORE YOU SPREAD ANY FALSE RUMORS TO FRIENDS. IF LOMMY IS RESPONSIBLE TELL HIM TO DIG A BIT DEEPER.
DADS OFFICIAL REPORT ON CONDITIONS AT THE CAMP WAS PRETTY THOUROUGH. I GUESS, THOUGH, THAT MAKING REPAIRS TO THE DOCK OR MANY OF THE OTHER THINGS NEEDING REPAIR WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTILL LUMBER CAN BE HAD AFTER WAR. THOUGHT: IT JUST DAWNED THAT THERE IS PLENTY OF LUMBER UP THERE. WELL ANY WAY----
SO THE SQUIRRELS ARE SLOWLY MAKING AN APPEARANCE ON THE ISLAND AGAIN. A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK I DON'T THINK THERE WERE ANY BECAUSE OOSH AND HIS PALS ATE THEM UP. IT'LL BE SWELL IF WE CAN GET THE WILD LIFE BACK ON THE ISLAND THE WAY IT USED TO BE YEARS AGO. THE LOONS AND SUCH ADD GREATLY TO THE ALREADY WONDERFUL PLEASURES.
I'M HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE WITH MY HEARING. NOTHING SERIOUS BUT HEARING SO MUCH CODE SOMETIMES JAMMED WITH LOUD INTERFERENCE HAS PLAYED HAVOC TO MY EARS. I CAN'T HEAR HIGH NOTES CLEARLY WHEN I PLAY AND CAN'T TUNE MY HORN ANYMORE TO THE RIGHT PITCH.
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PROBABLY A LITTLE REST WILL CLEAR UP THE SITUATION, SO I'M NOT WORRIED.
MY SATURDAY EVENING POST HAS BEEN ARRIVING ~~RRXX~~ QUITE REGULARLY ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES IN RETROSPECT. I JUST FINISHED READING THE LIFE STORY OF COMMANDO KELLY THE PITTSBURGH BOY WHO WON THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR FOR HIS SHOWING IN ITALY. I DIDN'T READ IT IN ORDER BUT GOT THE COPIES EVENTUALLY. READING STUFF IS PRECIOUS AND I ALWAYS HAVE A WAITING LIST FOR MY COPIES AS I FINISH THEM.
I'M EXPECTING QUITE SOME FAVORABLE REPORTS ON THE TRIP TO THE BUSH. IF THE FISHING IS AS GOOD AS FORMER PARTIES REPORT AND WITH SUCH EXPERT FISHERMEN AS DORA AND MAMA IN THE PARTY THE YENNE BUNCH OUGHT TO CLEAN OUT EAGLE ROCK. SINCE THE OTHERS DIDN'T GO OVER TO GREENROD LAKE IT MIGHT BE WISE IF YOU TRIED. ANYWAY I AM EXPECTING A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE EXPEDITION AND MAYBE WITH A CARBON COPY SO IT CAN BE FILED AWAY WITH THE OTHER MISSING MEMBER IN WASHINGTON.
THIS LETTER IS A BIT WEAK BUT I'LL SEND IT ON ANYWAY TO LET YOU KNOW I'M STILL KICKING AND ABSORBING THIS TROPICAL SUN UNTILL NOW I CAN PASS FOR ANY GUY IN HARLEM.
LOTS OF LOVE
Bud [signature]
HARLAN SHIREY YENNE JR. S2/C RM