[Note: Letter is typed in all capitals throughout]
IN REPLY
REFER TO:
U. S. S. PRAIRIE
28 AUGUST 1945
DEAREST FAMILY,
AS YET HAVING RECEIVED NO COMMUNIQUE FROM THE KAMISKWABIKA OUTPOST, BUT EXPECTING ONE IN THE NEXT DAY OR SO, I HAVE DECIDED TO ORIGINATE ONE MYSELF AND AT THE SAME TIME APOLOGIZE FOR NOT HAVING DONE SO SOONER.
REALIZING THAT YOU FOLKS TRAVELED LIGHT THIS YEAR, AS IN THE PAST, I HAVE TRIED TO PICTURE THE TRIP UP AND ALL THE LITTLE EVENTS THAT OCCURE ON THE WAY. FIRST OFF ALL, I SAW THE CAR LOADED TO THE GILLS WITH THE PASSENGERS SITTING EITHER ON IT OR IN SOME VACANT SPOT WHICH WAS UNCANNILY OVERLOOKED WHEN PACKING. AND THEN THE BOAT TRIP ACROSS THE LIKE. THE RIDE THROUGH ONTARIO WITH THE NECESSARY GAS STATION STOPS - EVEN FOR GAS, AND THE EVENINGS DRIVING ALONG LOOKING FOR SOME 'CLEAN SPOT' TO STAY FOR THE NIGHT. IT SURE IS FUN JUST TRYING TO IMAGINE AND PLAN THE TRIP AND RECALL THE FORMER EXPEDITIONS. I FEEL NOW THAT IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO GO ALONG NEXT YEAR- AND FOR ONCE I DONT THINK THAT IS WISHFUL THINKING. IF NOT, IT IS PEREQUISTE THAT THE ENTIRE FAMILY- REINFORCED BY LATELY ACQUIRED HUSBANDS, AND OF COURSE THE REGULAR STANDBYS, ATTEND TO SEEING THAT TIME FOR THE TRIP IS MADE AVAILABLE. I CAN THINK OF NO BETTER PLACE TO HOLD A REUNION THAN AT ISLE 672 KAMISKWABIKA POST, TEMAGAMI.
NATURALLY YOU FOLKS HAVE PROBABLY BEEN SHARING THE EXCITEMENT RIGHT ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD OVER RECENT EVENTS. TODAY THE FLEET MOVED INTO TOKYO BAY- AT LEAST A TERRIFYING PART OF IT, AND REPORTS HAVE IT THAT THE SURRENDER WILL BE SIGNED IN THE COMING WEEK. OH HOW GLAD I AM THIS WAR IS OVER. I CERTAINLY DIDN'T DO MUCH FIGHTING- IN FACT NEVER SAW A JAP- EXCEPT FOR A COUPLE KIDS WE HAD ON BOARD FROM SAIPAN FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS WAY BACK- BUT I'VE DONE SO MUCH SITTING AROUND ATOLLS- ONE IN PARTICULAR, THAT I'VE PROMISED MYSELF NEVER TO TALK OF THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH PACIFIC ONCE I GET AWAY FROM IT. YES, I'M HEADING INLAND- AND STAYING THERE.
THE NAVY RELEASED A POINT FOR DISCHARGE PROGRAM LAST WEEK, BUT IT WAS A VERY POOR ONE. IT ALLOWED FORTY FOUR POINTS FOR DISCHARGE- WITH NO ACCOUNTING FOR OVERSEAS DUTY AND A MAN LESS THAN THIRTY FIVE AND SINGLE HAD NO CHANCE OF EVEN STARTING TO FIGURE THINGS UP. I HAVE 22 POINTS - JUST HALF THE REQUIRED AMOUNT AND FIGURE THAT IT WILL TAKE ANOTHER TWO YEARS TO (AND A WIFE) TO GET THE NEEDED 22 POINTS- AND IF NO WIFE THREE YEARS. BUT TODAY, WE GOT WORD THAT THE NAVY PLANS TO GET RID OF ALL BUT 500,000 MEN IN A YEAR- PLUS MAKING ALLOWANCE FOR OVERSEAS DUTY IN FIGURING DISCHARGES. SO NOW, EACH OF US HAS RENEWED HOPES, AND ARE TRYING
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