[Calculations at top of page:]
3605
/075
+1 Foo Log
10 76 days line P.H.
8 DECEMBER 1944
U S S PRAIRIE
RADIO SHACK
DEAREST FAMILY,
WELL, SANTA MADE HIS SECOND AND THIRD APPEARANCE THIS MORNING. THERE WAS A NICE BOX FROM VEEN WHICH I HAVEN'T OPENED YET BUT EXPECT TO IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES WHEN THE REST OF THE FELLOWS ON MY WATCH GET UP HERE. WE GENERALLY MAKE THE OPENING OF THE XMAS PACKAGES A FAMILY AFFAIR. I OPENED THE BOX FROM YOU FOLKS THIS MORNING - THE ONE WITH ALL THE MAGAZINES AND CANDY AND THE KNITTED HOOD. THAT HOOD JUST ABOUT CAUSED A RIOT AMONG THE MEN. IF THE TEMPERATURE EVER DROPS BELOW EIGHTY AROUND HERE IT IS COLD- AND THAT SNUG HOOD TOOK THE CAKE. NEVERTHELESS IF WE SHOULD GO NORTH LATER ON THAT WILL REALLY BE USED TO GOOD ADVANTAGE.
THREE LETTERS CAME ALSO. THE PICTURE OF DORA GEORGE AND CHICK PLAYING IN THE SNOW ON THANKSGIVING HAD A TERRIFIC EFFECT ON ALL US YANKIE NORTHERN BOYS. EVERYONE STARTED REMINISCING (SO) OVER HIS YOUTHFULL DAYS AND WINTER VACATIONS. MANY OF US WOULD GIVE PLENTY TO SEE A LITTLE SNOW THIS CHRISTMAS. BOB BUZZARD HAVING BEEN OUT HERE FOR 27 MONTHS CAN PROBABLY TELL YOU WHAT IT IS LIKE- XMAS WITHOUT SNOW ETC. BOB IS CERTAINLY FORTUNATE TO BE BACK AND FOR GOOD, TOO, BUT HE'LL MISS THE BIG SHOW COMING UP. I GUESS WE'RE OUT HERE TILL THE FINAL CURTAIN NOW. MAY IT FALL QUICKLY. BUT NOT ONE OF US ARE OVER EXPECTANT AND OPTIMISTIC. WE'LL CELEBRATE THIS XMAS IN JAPANESE WATERS AND WE'RE HOPING TO CELEBRATE NEXT YEAR IN JAPAN ITSELF - BUT REGARDLESS THE MOST OF US, THOUGH WE HATE THE THOUGHT OF IT, ARE AGREED TO DO THIS G D JOB RIGHT, GET IT OVER WITH ONCE AND FOR ALL AND THEN GET BACK HOME AND STAY THERE. IF THERE IS ANOTHER WAR IT WONT BE BECAUSE ANY OF US WHO HAVE SEEN THIS ONE HAD A HAND IN IT.
WE JUST BROKE INTO VEENS PRESENT. IT WAS REALLY SWELL- CANDY, COOKIES- HOME MADE- IT WAS. SHE ENCLOSED A BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS CARD. WHAT A WOMAN. HER PACKAGE SURVIVED THE TRIP IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.
I FORGET WHETHER I MENTIONED IN MY LAST LETTER THAT IXL HAVE TO GIVE THE CHRISTMAS UP TO YOU FOLKS. I HAVE NO MEANS OF GETTING ANYTHING HOME EVEN IF THERE WERE ANYPLACE TO GET PRESENTS. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THERE IS TO GET FOR MARY-TIDI OR VEEN. MARY AND HARRIET WOULD PROBABLY SETTLE FOR THE AFFECTION I FEEL FOR THEIR BROTHER; BUT VEEN MAY NOT APPROACH THE SUBJECT IN THE SAME LIGHT. IF THERE IS SOMETHING RATHER NICE YOU COULD GET HER I'D BE VERY GRATEFUL. EARLY NEXT YEAR I PLAN TO SEND HOME ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS SO YOU CAN ADD THAT TO THE BANK ACCOUNT AND IT WILL HELP MAKE UP FOR MY TROUBLE DOING MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING WILL CAUSE YOU. THE PRESENT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LAVISH- I SHELLED PLENTY LAST YEAR FOR THAT COMPACT- JUST MAKE IT SOMETHING THAT WILL KEEP HER OVER, WILL HELP SAY THANKS FOR HER NICE BOX.
GEE. NORA IS CERTAINLY LOOKING BIG. SHE LOOKS AS IF SHE COULD HANDLE THE ANGEL HIMSELF. NINE YEARS AGO I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD LOVE HER LIKE I DO NOW. I WOULDN'T TRADE HER FOR ALL THE BROTHERS IN THE WORLD. IT IS SO WARMING TO KNOW THAT ONE HAS A FAMILY EVEN THOUGH SCATTERED TO THE FOUR WINDS. THAT IS HELD BY THE SAME LOVING GRASP, JUST AS THOUGH WE WERE TOGETHER ALL THE TIME.
YESTERDAY I HAD A NICE LONG BULL SESSION WITH ONE OF THE BAND MEMBERS. WE EXCHANGED TALK ON BANDS WE PLAYED IN - HIGH SCHOOL. JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING CONCERNED WITH MUSIC. HE IS A LOUSY TRUMPET PLAYER BUT A WONDERFUL ARRANGER- WITH A REMARKABLE KNOWLEDGE OF MUSIC. IN MY SPARE TIME LATELY, I'VE DIGGING UP AS MUCH AS I CAN ON ARRANGING AND HARMONY. TOO, I'VE HAD A LITTLE MORE INDIVIDUAL PRACTISE TIME AND, NOTICE, I HAVE IMPROVED SLIGHTLY. MY TONE IS IMPROVING AND MY LIP IS A BIT STRONGER. THE RESULTS AREN'T TERRIFIC, BUT AFTER TWO YEARS OF NOTHING, THESE RECENT IMPROVEMENTS ARE GRATIFYING.
PLEASE, PARDON THE LOUSY TYPING, I'M BEING KNOCKED AROUND BY THE TRAFFICS.
LOTS OF LOVE
Bud
P.S. Pop, for a man who claims to hunt hunted for a long time your certainly did pretty well. I?? - isn't just hay, you know.
so HE HASN'T DONE THIS FOR YEARS - HEH
[Hand-drawn cartoon showing figures with "3 & STRIKE" and characters labeled "PA", "MR C'S", "MOM"]