13 FEBRUARY 1945
U S S PRAIRIE
DEAREST MOM, AUNT GERTRUDE AND DORA-
MOM, YOUR LETTER FROM FLORIDAY ARRIVED THIS AFTERNOON AND FROM THE SOUNDS OF THINGS I GUESS EVERYTHING IS GOING TO TURN OUT ALL RIGHT. NATURALLY I'VE KNOW THAT AUNTIE GERTIE CANT BE ILL AND THAT SHE'LL BE UP AND ABOUT IN A SHORT TIME SO YOU ALL CAN HAVE A SWELL TIME. I WAS SO GLAD TO HEAR DORA WAS GOING TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL. IT SEEMS THAT EVER SINCE I WENT TO GOOD OLD KISKI I HAVE HAD A SORT OF FONDNESS FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS. SHE WILL BENEFIT BY IT I KNOW.
A LETTER RROM MARY ALSO ARRIVED THIS AFTERNOON. SHE ENCLOSED CLIPPINGS OF VIRGINIA WRIGHTS WEDDING. IT MUST HAVE BEEN A REAL FANCY AFFAIR. THE CLIPPINGS STARTED OUT TELLING THAT IT WAS A SIMPLE WEDDING, KEEPING WITH WAR TIME RESTRICTIONS BUT THEN WENT ON TO DESCRIBE QUITE AN ELABORATE THING. EVERY ONE WAS DRESSED IN WHITE WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS. EVEN THE CAKE WITH THE LITTLE MAN AND WOMAN ON TOP. INGEEDENTALLY THE WRIGHTS CHRISTMAS CARD ARRIVED LAST WEEK AND NOW I'VE FINALLY GOT THEIR ADDRESS. BARBARA WROTE LAST FALL BUT GAVE ME NO RETHRN ADDRESS SO I NEVER ANSWERED HER LETTER.
DAD KEEPS TELLING ME THAT HE HASN'T HAD ANY MAIL FROM ME FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS. I'M CERTAIN THAT I HAVE WRITTEN TO SOME MEMBER OF THE FAMILY AT LEAST TWICE A WEEK EVER SINCE NEW YEARS. I DIDNT WRITE LAST WEEK- TO ANY BODY, THOUGH.
HARRIET ANN CAN BE PROUD THAT HER CHECKER BOARD IS CONTRIBUTING SO FAVORABLY TO THE MORALE OF THE USS PRAIRIE RADIO GANG. TODAY (CURRENTLY I MEAN) CHECKERS IS THE ALL-OUT FAVORITE FOR THE MEN IN LEISURE TIME. I LEAVE THE BOARD IN THE SHACK WHERE ANYBODY CAN GET IT AT ANY TIME - IT HAS BEEN LIKE THIS FOR WEEKS AND NOBODY HAS ABUSED THE PRIVILEGE YET. ITS FUNNY THAT IF SOMEONE APPRECIATES BOMETHING HE'LL SEE TO IT THAT COME HELL OR HIGH WATER HIS PRIVILEGE REMAINS. ONCE IN A WHILE IT ISN'T SAFE TO LEAVE ANYTHING WHERE ROVING HANDS CAN ACCESS TO IT. IN MY SPECIAL TOURNAMENT WITH MY TEXAN CHUM I AM STILL WAY IN HIS DUST, BUT EVEN THOUGH AM STEADILY LOSING PERCENTAGE AMD IMPROVING OVER MY RECORD A MONTH AGO. I COULD CERTAINLY USE A FEW OF DADS POINTERS. THIS TEXAN IS HOT!
AHEM, IN THE FUTURE IT IS DESIRED THAT WHEN U WRITE ME THAT THE LITTLE (RM3/C) BE PLACED AT THE END OF MY MONIKER AFTER ALL, I WORKED 16 MONTHS TO GET IT AND FEEL THAT WHEN YOU CONTINUE TO USE S1/C RM THAT I AM BEING ARCHLY SLIGHTED.
WELL, MOMA AND AUNTIE GERTIE AND PUNK, I FEEL SWELL AND HERE'S HOPING ALL OF YOU DO TOO.
LOTS OF LOVE,
Buddy