[Note: Letter is typed in all capitals throughout]
IN REPLY
REFER TO:
U. S. S. PRAIRIE (AD-15)
17 SEPTEMBER 1945
DEAREST FAMILY,
HEAVENS! WILL NOT THIS LOVELY SHIP EVER MOVE? FOR THE PAST MONTH EVERYBODY HAS BEEN EXPECTING TO GET UNDERWAY, EITHER FOR HOME OR JUST ANYPLACE, BUT DO WE? NEVER. ON WE STAY JUST TUGGING THE SAME ANCHOR AS WE HAVE FOR THE PAST YEAR. NEVERTHELESS, WE AREN'T GIVING UP HOPE- IT'S BOUND TO COME. OH, SPEED THE HAPPY DAY.
THE CLOSEST FRIEND I HAVE MET IN THE NAVY IS A PITTSBURGH LAD. HE IS ATTACHED TO THE FLAG ABOARD THE PRAIRIE. WE TEASE EACH OTHER REGULARLY - HIM TO ME ABOUT KISKI- WHICH HE CALLS THE PANTY WAIST SCHOOL, I TO HIM ABOUT PITTSBURGH WHICH I INSULT REGULARLY ABOUT THE SMOKE. THE OTHER DAY, WE ASKED THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER IF HE HAD HEARD OF KISKI AND HE SAID YES AND IT WAS A VERY FINE SCHOOL- ALSO THAT OUR SHIPS NAVIGATOR WAS A GRADUATE. WELL, WHEN I HEARD THAT I HEADED FOR THE NAVIGATORS BRIDGE IN A CLOUD OF SMOKE. I FOUND HIM THERE AND FOR THE NEXT HOUR WE RE-HASHED ALL ABOUT THE OLD PLACE. HE HASN'T BEEN BACK TO SCHOOL SINCE HE GRADUATED IN '37 AND NATURALLY I HAD PLENTY TO TELL HIM- IF I COULD GET A WORD IN EDGEWISE WHILE HE SEEMED TO LIVE HIS PREP SCHOOL DAYS OVER AGAIN. I TOLD HIM THE SCHOOL WAS NON-PROFIT NOW, AND ABOUT THE NEW KISKI PLAN OF STUDIES. I HAVE ALL MY ALUMNI MAGAZINES FROM AUGUST '43 ON AND GAVE THEM TO HIM TO READ. I NOTICED THAT HE WAS AMONG THOSE LOST ADDRESSES LISTED EVERY NOW AND THEN AND AM GIVING MYSELF CREDIT FOR
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HAVING DISCOVERED HIM. I'M GOING TO WRITE THE SCHOOL AND INFORM THEM TOO. I'M SURE THEY'LL BE GLAD TO HEAR WHERE HE IS. DAVID R. LANGFITT IS HIS NAME- LT. LANGFITT TO ME.
I WON'T BORE YOU WITH OUR CONVERSATION FOR IT WOULDN'T INTEREST YOU OF THE PLACES WE KNOW. BUT IT PROVED TO ME THAT KISKI CHANGES LITTLE WITH THE YEARS- THAT ALL THE BOYS SEEM TO REMEMBER THE SAME FAVORITE SPOTS, SOME CHANGING A LITTLE FROM YEAR TO YEAR, BUT ON THE WHOLE EVERYTHING WAS FAMILIAR TO EACH OF US- UNLIKE A HIGH SCHOOL WHERE IN TEN YEARS CHANGES MAKE THE PLACE UNRECOGNIZEABLE. HE RECALLED MR. HUND, JIMMY MARKS-WHO WAS A STUDENT THEN HIMSELF, POP ARNOLD, AND OTHER TEACHERS WHO I ALSO KNEW. BUT HE REMEMBERED MARCIA DAUB AS A BABY- SHE WAS NO BABY WHEN I WAS THERE- ROOF! - AND RECALLS HER OLDER SISTER MARY LYNN FOR WHOM HE WENT ROOF! TOO.
INCIDENTALLY, BROSE, MY BUDDY, HASN'T BEEN SO HOT ON THAT PANTY WAIST STUFF LATELY- I HAVE TWO FULL LIEUTENANTS ON MY SIDE NOW. HA!
LAST WEEK- FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, WE HAD A PACIFIC TYPHOON TO HELP RELIEVE THE MONOTONY. IT BLEW PRETTY HARD BUT I FEEL OUTCLASSED NOW WHEN I READ OF A HUNDRED FORTY MILE WIND IN FLORIDA- WHICH MAKES ME WONDER IF LOMS HOTEL IS THERE OR IN GEORGIA NOW.
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I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING OUT OF THE NAVY IN THE NEXT YEAR- TO TAKE SECRETARY FORRESTALS WORD SERIOUSLY, BUT WHEN I LOOK TWICE AT MY POINTS - 26 3/4 OF 44- I HAVE MY DOUBTS. AN AWFUL LOT OF MEN ON THE PRAIRIE HAVE THEIR POINTS FOR DISCHARGE, AND IT IS ALREADY APPROACHING THE STAGE WHERE A MAN CANT GET HOME UNLESS HE HAS A RELIEF. THIS SHIP IS BEING HIT HARD BECAUSE OF THE TERRIFIC AMOUNT OF MEN WHO HAVE BEEN ABOARD UPWARDS OF THREE YEARS. THEREFORE MY FUTURE ISN'T TOO BRIGHT, BUT I'M COUNTING ON THE NAVY TO THINK OF SOMETHING- I HOPE.
DID YOU EVER RECEIVE MY LAST MONEY ORDER- IT MSUT HAVE ARRIVED HOME AFTER YOU LEFT FOR CANADA. SO FAR I'VE SENT HOME $750 DOLLARS IN MONEY ORDERS AND HAVE ANOTHER HUNDRED-MAYBE MORE, COMING AFTER NEXT PAYDAY THIS WEEK. PLEASE LET ME KNOW - AS YOU HAVE BEEN DOING FINE, WHEN MONEY ORDERS ARRIVE SO I CAN STRAIGHTEN IT OUT HERE.
THE LOCAL RADIO STATION AT ULITHI ALWAYS HAS A DEVOTIONAL PERIOD AT CLOSING TIME WHEN THE CHAPLAIN TALKS TO THE MEN FOR THE FIVE MINUTES PRECEEDING HARBOR TAPS. I WAS SURPRISED THE OTHER NIGHT WHEN HE STARTED READING OUT OF THE SENTINEL (CHRISTIAN SCIENCE) AND MADE SOME VERY NICE REMARKS ABOUT IT. I WONDER IF HE IS A CHRISTAN SCIENTIST OR JUST USING GOOD LITERATURE. I'VE BEEN WILDCATTING IN MY BIBLE AND SCIENCE AND HEALTH- I MUST HAVE LOST MY CURRENT QUARTERLY SO HAVE JUST BEEN READING HERE AND THERE IN MY SPARE TIME.
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IN CASE YOUR INTERESTED, TIME MAGAZINE FOR AUGUST SIXTH HAD A NICE ARTICLE ON ULITHI. IF YOUR INTERESTED- I REPEAT.
DORA HAS STARTED SCHOOL NOW I GUESS. BOY AM I ANXIOUS TO SEE HOW MUCH SHE HAS GROWN. MAYBE I CAN SOON IF I DON'T GO TO CHINA OR SOMEPLACE JUST AS TERRIBLE.
IT'S WELL PAST MY BEDTIME AND ONE OF THE GUYS IS GIVING ME THAT STARE WHICH SAYS-'OKAY YOU'VE WRITTEN FOUR PAGES- HOW ABOUT LETTING ME IN THERE!' SO I'LL KEEP PEACE IN THE HOUSE BY SIGNING OFF FOR NOW.
LOTS AND LOTS OF LOVE,
BUD
PLEASE FORGIVE THE UNWRITTEN SIGNATURE- BEST INTENTIONS MEANT, BUT NO PEN OR PENCIL TO INTENTION WITH.