25 AUGUST 1944
U S S PRAIRIE
DEAR FAMILY,
WELL, YESTERDAY WAS THE COMPLETION OF ONE YEAR IN THE NAVY, FOR ME. JUST ONE YEAR ONE DAY AND APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS AND TWELVE MINUTES THIRTY SEVEN SECONDS AGO I RAISED MY HAND TOOK THE OATH OF THE NAVY AND BECAME A GOB IN UNCLE SAMS NAVY. ALL SUMMER LONG I HAD PLANNED TO ENTER THE NAVY AND WHEN THE TIME CAME AND I DISCOVERED THE DIFFERENCE IN INDUCTION LEAVES WAS THREE IN THE ARMY TO ONE IN THE NAVY I ALMOST CLIMBED ABOARD THE ARMY BAND WAGON. BUT I HAD ALREADY EMBEDDED MYSELF FIRMLY IN NAVAL HANDS AND JUST DRIFTED TO THEIR SIDE REGARDLESS OF HOW HARD I TRIED TO CHANGE. THE ONLY UNHAPPY THING ABOUT THE WHOLE AFFAIR WAS THAT I WANTED TO SPEND A FEW WEEKS IN TEMAG. I REALIZE NOW THAT HAD I SACRIFICED A GOOD PLACE IN THE NAVY FOR THE ARMY FOR TWO EXTRA WEEKS LEAVE I MIGHT NOW BE IN A FOX HOLE IN FRANCE INSTEAD OF A CLEAN SHIP WITH GOOD FOOD. IN THE LONG RUN I GUESS MY CHOICE WAS THE BEST AND IS FASTLY DEVELOPING INTO BETTER PROPORTIONS.
DID THE ASHMANS FINALLY GO UP TO DEAR OLD TEMAGAMI? THAT'S SWELL IF SO, AND TOO BAD IF NOT. IF YOUR GOING OUT THE THIRD OF SEPTEMBER I GUESS THIS WILL HAVE TO BE MY LAST LETTER ADDRESSED TO CAMP. MAYBE IF I WRITE ONE TOMORROW IT MIGHT ARRIVE BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
IT SURE IS NEAT THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A LIBRARY IN THE SHAQUE. NOW IT WON'T BE NECESSARY TO KEEP BORROWING FROM THE CASTLE. JUST WHERE ARE YOU PUTTING THE BOOKS ANYWAY? WE NEVER DID HAVE MUCH SHELF SPACE AND UNLESS SOME NEW ONES WERE ADDED I CAN'T THINK OF A SUITABLE PLACE FOR BOOKS. BOY, SINCE I'VE JOINED THE NAVY, I CERTAINLY HAVE LEARNED TO APPRECIATE THE FINER WRITINGS- IN FACT I HAVE LEARNED TO LIKE READING AS MUCH AS ANYTHING ELSE I CARE FOR A GOOD DEAL;. I'VE READ MORE BOOKS SINCE COMING OUT IN THE PACIFIC THAN IN ANY FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO THAT TIME. OF COURSE, READING IS THE ONLY THING ONE CAN DO IN HIS SPARE TIME SO HE NATURALLY DEVELOPS THE READING HABIT LIKE SOME PEOPLE DEVELOPE THE SMOKING HABIT. IT TOOK A LONG TIME FOR ME TO FIND OUT, THOUGH, JUST HOW PLEASURABLE READING CAN BE.
I KEEP FINDING LESS AND LESS TO SAY IN MY LETTERS LATELY SO I'LL SIGN OFF FOR THE PRESENT. MAYBE A FEW LETTERS WILL COME TOMORROW AND I'LL BE IN A MORE WRITING MOOD TOO. OH WELL,
LOTS OF LOVE,
Bud [signature]
Harlan Shirey Yenne Jr. [cursive signature]
HARLAN SHIREY YENNE JR. S2/C RM