16 JUNE 1945
U S S PRAIRIE
SUNDAY-MONDAY
DEAREST FAMILY,
HM. I JUST SWUNG A HARD DEAL WITH ONE OF THE BOYS HERE IN THE SHACK. I HAVE A COUPLE HOURS BEFORE MY MID-WATCH VIGIL IN WHICH I CAN WRITE SOME LETTERS-BUT I COULD NOT GET STARTED DECENTLY ON ACCOUNT OF MY UNCOOPERATIVE MILL (TYPEWRITER). IT ONLY PRINTED HALF OF THE LETTER-CHARACTER OR WHAT EVER IT IS THAT WHEN A LOT OF SPELLS A WORD. AND I DIDN'T THINK THAT MY LOVING FAMILY WOULD ENJOY HALF A LETTER.- SO I SNARLED AT THIS HAPLESS STRIKER (I'M THIRD CLASS) AND FORCED HIM TO SURRENDER HIS NICE SHINY TYPEWRITER. GRRRRR-
FROM THE LOOKS OF THIS PAPER, IT PROBABLY APPEARS AS IF I WERE WRITING A SCROLL- AND I FEEL EXACTLY AS IF I WERE. BUT IT IS THE ONLY PAPER AVAILABLE THAT WONT COST ME A SMALL FORTUNE IN STAMPS. MY PERSONAL STATIONERY IS PRETTY- HAVING A PICTURE OF THE SHIP AS A TOP-HEAD. BUT IT WEIGHS A TON AND IF ONE WISHES TO GET A LOAD OFF HIS CHEST AND USE TWO SHEETS- HE PAYS FOR IT.
I GOT A LETTER RETURNED FROM MY PAL THE CENSOR. IT WAS A NICE LETTER TOO, BUT I WENT ONE PARAGRAPH TOO FAR SO HE REJECTED IT. I HAD HOPED TO SURPRISE YOU WITH TWO LETTER IN TWO DAYS-THE 12 AND 13 OF JUNE- BUT NO SOAP. I STILL DONT SEE WHY HE JUST DIDN'T DELETE THE UNDESIRABLE PASSAGE AND SEND THE REST HOME.
TODAY I GOT A LETTER FROM DAD, AND VEEN- AND OF COURSE THE ONE HE TURNED. I ENJOYED THE PICTURES OF CANADA. THE ONE WAS TAKEN THE DAY AUNT MYRTLE FELL ON THE ROCKS AND HURT HER BACK. THAT STILL DIDN'T KEEP THE OLD GIRL DOWN, THOUGH. I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS ALSO THE YEAR THAT BARBARA WRIGHT AND AUNT LEA VISITED US FOR A WHILE. RIGHT?
SAY, IT SURE WILL BE SWELL IF YOU FOLKS CAN GET HOLD OF A CAMERA FOR THE TRIP UP. TOO BAD I HAD MY OTHER ONE STOLEN AT KISKI. IT WAS A DANDY CAMERA- I GOT SOME SWELL PICTURES WITH IT. SOMEWHERE AT HOME -I COULDN'T TELL NOW, OF COURSE AFTER TWO YEARS, I HAVE A BOX FULL OF NEGATIVES AND PICTURES. SOME OF THEM ARE OF CANADA THAT I DONT BELIEVE YOU'VE EVER SEEN. ONE SHOT IN PARTICULAR OF THE SUNSET- TAKEN ON THE ROCK BEYOND THE KITCHEN FACING THE MAINLAND AND CATTLE ISLAND. I DEVELOPED THE FILM AT SCHOOL AND GAVE THE PRINT TO A PAL WHO KEPT ASKING ME FOR IT. I NEVER PRINTED ANY MORE- GOT TOO BUSY WITH THE BAND AT THE TIME. I HAVE LOTS OF NEGATIVES LIKE THAT. I TRIED MY BEST TO GET GOOD SHOTS WITH THOSE CHEAP CAMERAS. AFTER THE WAR I'M GOING TO INVEST IN SOME CAMERA EQUIPMENT. I SPEND A LOT OF TIME DREAMING OF THE SHOTS- MOVIES-STILLS THAT I COULD GET OF TEMAG WITH A LITTLE BETTER CAMERA.
AFTER A N EXTENDED LAY-OFF ON MY TRUMPET, I'VE STARTED TOOTING A BIT DAILY. USING A NAVY HORN, I TRY TO GET A FEW MINUTES IN NOW AND THEN. OCCASSIONALLY I DROP BY THE QUARTER-DECK AND PLAY A CALL OR SO WHILE SHOOTING THE BREEZE WITH THE GUY ON BUGLE WATCH. I HAVE A LITTLE UNION CARD- MADE ON THE BACK OF A MATCH COVER, QUALIFYING ME FOR MOVIE CALL (OFFICERS AT THAT) EACH NIGHT. ONE OF MY CLOSE BUDDIES IN THE BAND FIXED ME UP WITH IT. I'M SOON GRADUATING INTO MOTOR LAUNCH CALLS. AH THRILL-
YES, I NOTICED THE IMPROVEMENT THE INDIANS HAVE MADE LATELY. I NEW THEY COULDN'T STAY IN LAST PLACE INDEFINATELY- NOT WITH THE ATHLETICS IN THE SAME LEAGUE. THIS MUST REALLY BE A QUEER SEASON- WHAT WITH EVEN ONE ARMED PLAYERS, I GUESS SOME FANS DON'T NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE ANYWAY. I MEAN, I'VE HEARD SOME BEAUTIFUL EPITAPHS FLUNG AT OUR INDIANS ABOUT THEIR ABILITY AND USE OF CERTAIN PARTS OF THE ANOTOMY USED IN BASEBALL WHICH SOME PLAYER MAY SEEM TO LACK ON OCCASSIONS. THOSE WERE EVEN IN THE A-1 DAYS. NOW DAYS IF A FAN WANTS TO KNOW IF A MAN HAS ONLY GOT ONE ARM - HE'S PROBABLY RIGHT.
AFTER A MONTH OF NOTHING BUT BUM MOVIES- WE OF THE PRAIRIE HAVE BEEN HONORED WITH QUITE A BUNCH OF GOOD ONES THE LAST FEW DAYS. THUNDERHEAD-SON OF FLICKA WAS A NICE PICTURE WITH PLENTY OF BEAUTIFUL SCENERY. LAST NIGHT WE HAD 'KEYS OF THE KINGDOM'. I DIDN'T -OR RATHER COULDN'T SEEM TO GET THE SAME KICK OUT OF IT AS I DID THE BOOK. I HAD WAITED A LONG TIME TO SEE IT TOO. MOVIES ARE RESTRICTED SO, AND AFTER READING THE BOOK ONE WAITS FOR CERTAIN EVENTS TO HAPPEN THAT ARE SKIPPED OR CHANGED. TONIGHT- WE HAD 'ROYAL SCANDAL' WITH TALULAH BANKHEAD. KIND OF CORNY BUT PROVIDED A FEW LAUGHS NOW AND THEN.
I'LL WRITE TO AUNT MIN SOON- VERY SOON AND THANK HER FOR THE BONE. IN FACT, I'LL MAKE IT MY NEXT LETTER- I'LL EVEN USE THE EXPENSIVE PAPER. (DONT THINK ME SCOTCH- CAUSE I AM-)
WELL, POP, IS THIS MOVING INTO MR. ALLYN'S OFFICE SORT OF AN ADVANCEMENT? IF SO CONGRATULATIONS. IT WONT BE THE SAME LOOKING FOR MR. YENNE NOT IN HIS REGULAR LITTLE NOOK- WITH THE BIG WINDOWS LOOKING OVER BUSY EUCLID AVENUE. MAYBE MR. ALLYN'S OFFICE HAS BIGGER WINDOWS-THOUGH.
OH, HELLO ETHEL. I ALMOST FORGOT- AND I CANT DO THAT. HAVE A NICE TIME. GET PLENTY OF REST. I CAN BET THAT THE FOLKS ARE COAXING YOU INTO SOME OF THAT DELICIOUS FRIED CHICKEN AND CHEESE SANDWICHES. ETHEL AND GOOD COOKING ARE ONE AND THE SAME WORD TO EVER HUNGRY YENNE'S
WELL, CHUMS, THIS IS IT. GOT TO TURN TO- ON A SEVEN HOUR MID. OH HUM! SEVEN HOURS FROM NOW, I'LL BE A REALLY SOGGY FAGGED OUT MAN. WHAT A THOUGHT!
LOTS OF LOVE,
Bud