8 MARCH 1945
USS PRAIREIE (MOW! SIGN OF SOMPIN)
GONE ASIATIC
DEAR POP,
I STARTED A LETTER TO YOU ABOUT FOUR DAYS AGO, BUT LOST INTEREST - WHICH NO DOUBT EXPLAINS OR WOULD BE THE MAIN REASON FOR SUCH LACK IN MY STATESIDE GOING MAIL. IN THE LAST MONTH- SINCE JANUARY 28, I HAVE RECEIVED JUST TWO LETTERS- BOTH FROM YOU. IT IS NO FAULT OF ANYBODYS THAT I HAVE HAD NO MAIL, THE SITUATION IS SIMILAR WITH ALL HANDS, BUT WHEN ONE DOESN'T RECEIVE MAIL HE SOON FORGETS ANYTHING TO TALK ABOUT. IT'S THOSE INCOMING LETTERS WHICH INSPIRE THE OUT-GOING. I HAVE MANAGED TO WRITE TO MOTHER FOR HER BIRTHDAY AND ONCE TO VEEN (FOR THAT I SHOULD TAKE COVER- I PROMISED TWICE A WEEK).
LATELY I HAD BECOME VERY WHITE DUE TO LACK OF GETTING IN THE ABUNDANT SUN. SO WITH BRAVE INCENTIVE I WENT FORTH ON THE FLYING BRIDGE THE OTHER DAY FOR AN HOUR- I'M NOW CONVINCED THAT A HALF AN HOUR WOULD HAVE DONE THE TRICK WITH A LOT LESS SORENESS INVOLVED. NOW I'M A BIT LIGHTER THAN MAROON COLOR WITH REAL TINY WATER SORES WHICH LOOK LIKE SWEAT. THEY ARE NOT SERIOUS, BUT JUST FAIR WARNING THAT I'M IN FOR A SWEET CHANGE OF SKIN. WITH ALL THIS TROPIC SUN-ONE WOULD THINK THAT BECOME A HEALTHY BRONZE COLOR WOULD BE NO EFFORT AT ALL. IT ISN'T, BUT ONE JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO WANT TO GET IN THE SUN IF THERE IS A COOL BREEZY SHADY SPOT HANDY. SO, THAT WAS MY CASE.
MAYBE VEEN TOLD YOU THAT I'D SPENT TIME IN THE MARSHALLS NAMELY, MAJURO WHERE I STARTED DUTY ON THE PRAIRIE AND AT ENIWETOK, WHICH YOU HAVE PROBABLY NOTICED IN THE NEWS OCCASIONALLY. OFTEN ENOUGH I HAVE PROBABLY TOLD YOU THE INGLORIOUSNESS OF BEING A TENDER SAILOR. TRUE, WE DON'T GET TO TRAVEL MUCH OR VISIT ALL THE DIFFERENT THEATERS BUT WE ARE STILL OUT HERE PASSING TIME, JUST SITTING IN ONE SPOT FOR MONTHS AT A TIME SERVICING THE FLEET FOR OPERATIONS AND GETTING TO KNOW OUR SURROUNDINGS BY HEART BECAUSE WE SEE SO MUCH OF THEM. EVEN WITH SUCH DIVERSIONS AS BEER PARTIES- WHICH MEAN NOTHING TO NON INDULGERS AND MOVIES THE TIME STILL GOES REMARKABLY FAST BUT UNPLEASANT. EVEN AFTER A YEAR THE NIGHTLY MOVIES BECOME A DRUDGERY, BUT EVERY- ONE STILL GOES CONTENT TO SIT OUT EVEN THE BAD ONES THAN PASS MORE LONELY TIME SITTING ON DECK DREAMING OF HOME. YET I AM SATISFIED WITH MY DUTY- THE PRAIRIE IS A GOOD SHIP EVEN THOUGH THERE IS PLENTY OF BOREDOM DURING OFF HOURS.
HAVENT BEEN PLAYING MUCH CHECKERS LATELY. I CAUGHT ON TO TEX'S PLAN -WHICH NEVER VARIED SO WHEN I BEGAN TO BEAT HIM REGULARLY HE MORE OR LESS DECLINED MY OFFERS UNTILL HE COULD WORK OUT A NEW SYSTEM. - IT'S TAKING HIM A LONG TIME ALMOST THREE WEEKS. MAYBE HE FIGURES HE CAN LOWER MY MORALE BY OVER ANXIOUSNESS TO PLAY. INCEDENTALLY, HARRIET ANNS BOARD IS STILL THE MAIN BATTLEGROUND FOR ALL HANDS. FOR EACH RED MAN LOST A PENNY IS SUBSTITUTED - A NICKLE FOR EACH BLACK MAN- IT WASN'T MY IDEA BUT IT SUITS ME FINE.
TEX ALSO GAVE ME A GEOMETRY-SOLID GEOMETRY BOOK TODAY. IN MY SPARE TIME I CAN REVIEW SOME. BOY- HAD I FORGOTTEN A LOT.
IN MY LATEST ISSUE OF TIME- FEB-26- I SAW WHERE 71% OF AMERICAN LABOR UNION SUPPORTERS SAID THAT THE'D STOP WAR TIME PRODUCTION AS A RESULT OF THEIR DISPUTES. MAYBE U SAW THAT. I WONDER WHAT THOSE BOYS AT TWO THINK. WE HAD A COUPLE CASES IN OUR SICK BAY FOR A COUPLE DAYS-THE HOSPITAL SHIPS WERE ALL FILLED I GUESS. FROM WHAT I HEAR, THEY WERE IN TERRIBLE SHAPE. TO THOSE MARINES ON IWO SUCH AN ATTITUDE COMPRISES NOTHING SHORT OF TREASON- YET THOSE STRIKERS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THREATENING VITAL PRODUCTION TO EARN EXTRA DOLLARS- THAT CAN NEVER BRING BACK SOME FELLOW WHO LOVES LIVING AND MIGHT OF LIVED HAD HE NOT LACKED THE THING A DAYS LOST PRODUCTION WOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM. MY BUDDIES BOILED AND SO DID I WHEN WE READ THAT. THE FIRST THING WE THOUGHT OF WAS THE CONCIENSOUS OBJECTOR WHO WAS SENTENCED TO HANG LATER SENTENCED TO 5 YEARS AND DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE FOR REFUSING TO DRILL- THE ARMY DIDN'T FOOL WITH HIM AND YET THE LABORERS ARE CODDLED - FOR TO ME AND ALL THE OTHERSAN PARRALLEL OFFENSE.
TOO- DID I BURN ABOUT CEASOR PATRILLO- BUT I BETTER NOT GET ON TO THAT MUSIC UNION- I'D LAST FOR HOURS.
WELL, POP, EXCEPT FOR A LIGHT CASE OF SUNBURN I'M FEELING FINE AND STILL KICKING. DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME- I DON'T DO ANY THING TO GET WORRIED ABOUT.
LOTS OF LOVE,
[handwritten signature: Bud]