[Note: Letter is typed in all capitals throughout]
IN REPLY
REFER TO:
U.S.S. PRAIRIE (AD-15)
23 SEPTEMBER 1945
DEAREST FAMILY,
NOT MUCH TO WRITE ABOUT TONIGHT, BUT IN ORDER TO KEEP PEACE IN THE FAMILY HERE GOES.
RECEIVED MARYS LETTER (11 SEPTEMBER) YESTERDAY AND THE CLIPPING FROM TIDI THAT WAS INCLUDED. MARY WAS ANXIOUS TO KNOW IF I WAS GETTING OUT SOON. WELL, I'VE MENTIONED IN MY OTHER LETTERS THAT I FIGURED ON ANOTHER YEAR AT LEAST. I DONT HAVE THE POINTS AND MY ONLY HOPE IS THAT THE BIG BOYS DECIDE TO BRING BACK MEN WITH SEA DUTY. EVEN AT THAT I'M STILL JUNIOR, BUT NEXT MONTH I ROUND OUT MY EIGHTEENTH MONTH OF OVERSEAS DUTY SO TO ME THAT LITTLE RAY OF LIGHT MEANS A LOT. THERE'S STILL A LOT OF SCUTTLEBUTT ABOUT THE SHIP AND ITS CHANCES OF GOING HOME, BUT I'M NOT COUNTING ON THAT MUCH FOR THE DOPE I PICK UP AROUND THE SHACK SEEMS TO SUGGEST WE HAVE QUITE A WHILE HERE AT ULITHI YET. WE ARE STATION SHIP OR TENDER, ALSO SENIOR OFFICER, WITH A FLAG ON BOARD WHICH IS A JINX TO ANY SHIP. BUT WITH THE PRAIRIES RECORD OF SERVICE WE SHOULD BE AMONG THE FIRST TO GO HOME UNLESS THEY THINK US TOO VALUABLE AND SEND US ON TO CHINA OR SOME OTHER GOD-FORBIDDEN PLACE.
DID I TELL YOU THAT I LOCATED A KISKI GRADUATE ON BOARD? HE'S SHIPS NAVIGATOR (LIEUTENANT) AND OF THE CLASS OF '37. I WROTE MR. HUND AT KISKI GIVING HIM A LITTLE DOPE ABOUT MYSELF AND INFORMING HIM OF MY DISCOVERY. NOW MONTY CLARK CAN
PAGE TWO U. S. S. PRAIRIE
GET HIS FIVE EXTRA DOLLARS ALUMNI DUES. I GAVE MY LIEUTENANT ALL MY ALUMNI MAGAZINES I HAD SAVED AND AM PRETTY CERTAIN THAT IF HE READ THEM, HE COULDN'T HAVE HELPED BUT HAD SOME PRETTY WONDERFUL MEMORIES BROUGHT BACK. EVEN AS WE TALKED OF KISKI, I COULD SEE HIM LIGHT UP AT THE MENTION OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
LAST WEEK WE LEARNED OVER THE PRESS THAT THE WORLD WAS SUPPOSED TO END -LAST FRIDAY. I GADD IT WAS A MISTAKE 'CAUSE AFTER SPENDING ALL THIS TIME OUT HERE, I'D RATHER IT'D BE PUT OFF FOR A COUPLE YEARS. I WONDER WHERE THESE GUYS DIG UP SUCH DOPE.
YESTERDAY THE PRESS SAID THAT DEWEY HAD INFORMATION SAYING THAT ROOSEVELT WAS IN THE KNOW FIFTEEN DAYS AHEAD OF PEARL HARBOR THAT SOME U. S. POSSESION WAS IN FOR AN ATTACK. I FEEL HONORED WITH DEWEY THAT HE SHOULD GIVE UP THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE LAND THROUGH HIS DESIRE TO SAVE AMERICAN LIVES AND END THE WAR QUICKER. A LOT OF MY FRIENDS, WHO WERE ANXIOUS TO SEE ADMIRAL SHORT, KIMMEL, AND A FEW OF THE OTHERS REALLY BLAMED ARE NOW SEEKING EXCUSE FOR THE ONE MAN WHO MIGHT HAVE AVOIDED NOT THE WAR MAYBE, BUT A TRAGEDY THE SIZE OF PEARL HARBOR. SOME OF THE OFFERS HAVE HAD A COMPLETE CHANGE OF HEART AND SAY FDR SHOULD TAKE HIS SHARE OF THE BLAME- TEX- MY CHECKER FRIEND, WHO GAVE ME MY BEST ARGUMENTS DURING THE CAMPAIGN, IS NOW ONE OF THE EXUBERANT LATTER.
PAGE THREE U. S. S. PRAIRIE
SO DORAS IN FIVE B. GEE WHIZ. WELL, MISS DISNEY AT HORACE MANN WONT HAVE MANY MORE YEARS TO WAIT UNTIL SHE'S SEEN EVERY YENNE CHILD THROUGH JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. SHE MADE THAT PROMISE TO ME WHEN I GRADUATED IN 1939- I WONDER HOW SHE IS HOLDING OUT. I MIGHT SAY THAT DORA BETTER GET SOME DECENT INSTRUMENT IF SHE INTENDS TO PLAY IN THE HORACE MANN BAND OR ORCHESTRA. DORA IS PROGRESSING TOO SLOW IN HER MUSIC. WHY NOT GIVE HER SOMETHING SHE CAN KICK AROUND ON THE SIDE- NOT A FOOTBALL.
I SEE BOB FELLER PITCHED A ONE HITTER THE OTHER DAY. HE'S MY BOY. TODAY I LISTENED TO THE TIGER-BROWNS GAME BY SHORT WAVE. THE TIGERS HAD A SEVEN RUN RALLY IN THE THIRD INNING. I MISSED JACK GRANEY- AND PINKY HUNTER. NO LIFE TO THIS GAME TODAY. NOBODY CAN PRETEND LIKE OLD GRANEY CAN- AND MAKE ONE FEEL AS IF IN THE PRESS BOX.
WELL, ME HEARTYS- TIMES AWASTIN' I'LL WRITE AGIN SOON WHEN THERE'S MORE TO SAY- THAN JUST WASTE THREE PAGES.
ALL MY LOVE,
[Signature: "Bud" in handwriting]