[USS PRAIRIE ship illustration at top of page]
U. S. S. PRAIRIE 12 JUNE 1945
TUESDAY
DEAREST FAMILY,
I DONT KNOW HOW SUCCESSFUL THIS LETTER IS GOING TO BE FOR I CANT SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON IT. BUT REALIZING THAT I HAVE NOT WRITTEN FOR SOME TIME, THIS WILL HAVE TO SERVE AS A HASTY ASSURANCE TO YOU THAT I'M FINE, HEALTHY ETC...
FIRSTLY, I WANT YOU, MOTHER, IN PARTICULAR TO STOP WORRYING. DONT EVER WORRY ABOUT THE PRAIRIE OR ME EVER GETTING INTO A DANGEROUS SPOT. EVEN THEN I WOULD HAVE PROTECTION. BUT AS IT IS, I LOCATED IN A FINE SPOT- LIFE MAGAZINE UPHOLDS THAT STATEMENT. SO DOES RALPH SANGER.
MARTHA FETZERS BOY FRIENDS SHIP WAS ALONGSIDE FOR A FEW DAYS. BUT WE (HER 'BUD') AND I DIDN'T GET TO TALK TO EACH OTHER. IT WAS A PERFECT SET UP-TOO. FOR LAST TIME HE CAME ABOUT FIVE MILES TO SEE ME AND PROBABLY FIGURED THAT WALKING ACROSS THE GANGPLANK WASN'T ENOUGH TROUBLE. IT WASN'T MY PLACE TO GO SEE HIM- FRATERNIZING, YOU KNOW.
VEEN SENT ME A FINE- RATHER SWELL LARGE PICTURE OF HERSELF. BOY, HAS SHE CHANGED SINCE MARCH 22 1941! WHEN MOM AND EVERYBODY SAID SHE WAS SO LOVELY. I STILL PICTURED HER IN THAT SHORT HAIR WHICH FROM THE FIRST I DIDN'T LIKE- BUT THIS PICTURE CERTAINLY UPHOLDS ANYONES STATEMENT THAT SHE IS A LOVELY GIRL- AND THE LONG HAIR DOES IT. WHEN I PASSED THAT PICTURE AROUND, THE OHS AND AHS WERE PLENTY COMPLIMENTARY AND ENCOURAGING. SWOON.
VEEN ASKED ME TO TELL HER ABOUT HER CAKE SHE SENT- AND I'M STILL FIGURING A DELICATE WAY TO TELL HER IT CAME KAPUT-RUINED-WITH A BAD CASE OF GANGRENE OR MOLD OR PENICILLAN OR WHICHEVER SUITS THE CASE BEST.
THIS AFTERNOON THE SHIPS BAND - WITH A FEW ADDED MEN FROM A SHIP IN THE HARBOR THAT COULD SUPPLY THE XXXXXXSAX MEN WE LACK, PLAYED FOR A COUPLE HOURS AND YOURS TRULY GOT TO SIT IN ON A FEW NUMBERS. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE BAND HAD PLAYED AS A BODY OR I AT ALL FOR CLOSE TO SIX MONTHS. IT SURE SEEMED NICE TO PLAY AGAIN. OH, I'M NOT TOTALLY THROUGH WITH MY HORN-I USE ONE OF THE NAVY INSTRUMENTS OCCASSIONALLY- JUST TO REMEMBER WHAT IT FEELS LIKE. I THINK I'LL GET A TRUMPET COME V-J DAY AND SIX MONTHS THEREAFTER.(THAT'S OPTIMISM). I THINK A SLIGHTLY LARGER MOUTHPIECE WOULD HELP FOR ME TOO. MY CORNET ISN'T THROUGH-EXCEPT OUT HERE. IT COULD EASILY BE REPAIRED IN THE STATES- BUT EVEN THE PRAIRIE HAS TO HAVE ITS LIMITATIONS AND REPAIRING INSTRUMENTS IS ONE OF THEM. HM, I'D BETTER SIGN OFF- IT COSTS TWELVE CENTS TO SEND TWO SHEETS OF THIS PAPER- I ONLY HAVE ONE STAMP HERE.
LOTS OF LOVE,
Bud