[Decorative letterhead showing USS Prairie ship in center with cartoon sailors saying "Hi-Doc" and "Hi Mary!" on either side, labeled "THE MIGHTY 'P'"]
25 DEC.
9 DECEMBER 1944
SATURDAY
U.S.S. PRAIRIE
DEAREST MARY,
I'VE BEEN LOOKING ALL OVER THE SHIP FOR SOME OF THE STATIONERY WITH THE PICTURE OF THE MIGHT 'P' AND THEN HAPPENED TO RUN ACROSS SOME IN THE RADIO SHACK THIS MORNING.
YOUR CHRISTMAS PACKAGE ARRIVED SOME TIME AGO AND IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. WE OPENED IT (WE, IS THE MID-WATCH) ON WATCH ONE VERY DARK NIGHT AND FEASTED ON THE SWELL FRUIT CAKE AND NUTS NATURALLY IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP PACKAGES ON SHIP-BOARD WHERE SPACE IS LIMITED SO INSTEAD OF WAITING UNTILL CHRISTMAS EACH PACKAGE IS GENERALLY OPENED WITHIN A FEW MINUTES AFTER IT REACHES ITS RIGHTFUL OWNER. FOR WEEKS NOW PACKAGES HAVE BEEN ARRIVING DAILY AND SINCE MOST CONTAIN FOOD OUR SWEET TOOTH HAS BECOME QUITE PACIFIED. MOTHER SENT ME A NICE PACKAGE WITH SEVERAL MAGAZINES, CANDY A FEW USEFUL ARTICLES FOR SHAVING AND A HEAD SCARF SHE MUST HAVE KNITTED AT THE WAR RELIEF. IT CAUSED QUITE A LAUGH, THE SCARF, ARRIVING IN CLIMATE LIKE THIS. VEEN, SENT ME A REAL NICE BOX WITH COOKIES, AND MORE CANDY. HER BOX ARRIVED IN PERFECT CONDITION. THE XMAS CARD SHE ENCLOSED WAS A BEAUTY.
I'VE DOING QUITE A BIT MORE TRUMPET PLAYING RECENTLY. I HAVE EVEN NOTICED A SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IN MY TONE AND LIP STRENGTH. NATURALLY I STILL SOUND LIKE TO SCRAPING TIN CANS BUT THIS TIME THERE'S A BIT INSULATED ON THE SIDE I HAVE BEEN TRYING MY HAND AT A LITTLE HARMONY. THERE ARE SOME SWELL MUSIC BOOKS IN THE BAND LOCKER AND I USE THEM OFTEN.
DAD, BY SENDING ME THE READERS DIGEST, TIME, LIFE HAS REALLY MADE ME QUITE A IMPORTANT FIGURE IN THE LITERARY WORLD. IN FACT, WITH ALL THE BOOKS, MAGAZINES I'VE BEEN GETTIN ONE MIGHT TRUTHFULLY CALL AN AMATURE BOOK STORE. BETTER A LENDING LIBRARY.
MAYBE YOU KNOW THAT ON THE RECENT ANNIVERSARYS, AND BIRTHDAYS GREETINGS THAT MY LETTERS ARRIVED RIGHT ON THE PROPER DATE EACH TIME TO EACH MEMBER OF THE FAMILY. THAT, MY DEAR SISTER MAKES ME VERY PROUD CONSIDERING THE SITUATIONS WHICH ARRIVED.
PLEASE PARDON THE TYPING AND MISSING WORDS, THE RIBBON IS KNOCKED UP IN MY LINE OF VIEW AND I CAN'T TELL WHETHER THE WORDS ARE GETTING DOWN RIGHT. ANY WAY THIS MILL COULD BE MY GRANDMOTHER WITH PLENTY OF YEARS TO SPARE AT THAT.
MY RELIEF JUST WALKED IN (4-8 MORNING WATCH) AND I'M GOING TO TAKE MY SATURDAY BATH NOW.
Lots of Love
Bud