U.S.S. PRAIRIE
31 OCTOBER 1945
DEAREST FAMILY,
TODAY I RECEIVED MOMS LETTER OF THE 21ST, DADS OF THE SAME DATE, AND TWO FROM VEEN. NOT BAD FOR ONE DAYS WORK.
I'LL TRY AND RETURN THOSE WELCOME FAVORS AS BEST I CAN NOW.
DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY I WAS OVER ON THE BEACH AGAIN. THIS TIME FOR A RECREATION PARTY. MOST OF THE MEN WENT OVER FOR THE FREE BEER INVOLVED, BUT I AND A COUPLE OF MY BUDDIES WENT TO GET OUR:FIRST TASTE OF EXCERSISE IN 18 MONTHS. E PLAYED FOOTBALL, BASEBALL, AND RAN AND DID MORE THAN I GUESS WAS FIT FOR US,:CAUSE TODAY WE'RE A SORRY LOOKING BUNCH OF SAILORS. I HAVE A SLIGHT COLD, AND EVERY TIME I COUCH,A TERRIFIC PAIN RUNS ACROSS MY STOMACH- BUT FOR ALL THAT, I APPRECIATE THE PAIN, BECAUSE IT PROVES I COULD STAND A LITTLE MORE EXERCISE. NO KIDDING, MY RIGHT ARM IS WEAK. I THREW THAT BASEBALL AND FOOTBALL SO MUCH I'M AFRAID I LEFT PARTS OF MY ARM OVER THERE. JUST CALL ME CRAMP. YOU OUGHT TO SEE HOW THE JAPS ADMIRE THE AMERICANS BALL PLAYING. THEY:
SIT AND GAWK AT EVERY BETTER THAN AVERAGE PLAY- OF COURSE, IT DOES LOOK GOOD FOR AFTER SO MANY MONTHS SHIPBOARD CONFINEMENT JUST BENDING OVER IS SUCH AN EFFORT THAT IT LOOKS SENSATIONAL. I WAS GLAD TO KNOW THAT I HADNT LOST MY BATTING EYE. IT ALWAYS GIVES ME A THRILL TO KNOCK ONE INTO WAY INTO THE OUTFIELD; OVER THE BOYS HEADS, THEN ON THE NEXT TIME TO THE PLATE, WATCH 'EM SCATTER. UNFORTUNATELY, FOR EVERY BALL I'D HIT, I'D STRIKE OUT ONE TOO. GRR.
WELL, I MISSED ANOTHER OF DORAS BIRTHDAYS. THAT MAKES FOUR IN FIVE YEARS. SHE'S HAD A LOT OF FUN AND BEEN A LOT OF PLACES IN HER FIRST DECADE, AT THE RATE SHE GOES, SHE'LL BE SOME GALS! OF THE WORLD BY THE TIME SHE IS OF A BREAKING AGE. I LOOKED ALL OVER THE PLACE FOR A SUITABLE SOUVENIER FOR HER, BUT EVERYTHING IS CHEAP JUNK, AND COSTS TIFFANY PRICES. SEND HER TO WOOLWORTHS AND SHE CAN GET ANYTHING THERE AS GOOD AS IF NOT BETTER THAN I CAN HERE. ANYWAY, ENLISTED MEN ARE RESTRICTED TO CERTAIN AREAS, WHERE ALL THE GOODS ARE ALREADY SOLD, AND HAVE NO OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL INLAND WHERE PRICES ARE CHEAP AND MERCHANDISE GENUINE BECAUSE THE JAPS HAVEN'T LEARNED OF THE TERRIFIC DEMAND FOR SOUVENIERS. HOWEVER, OUR
EXEC IS MAKING AN EFFORT TO GET A RIFLE FOR EVERY MEMBER OF THE CREW, ALTHOUGH AT PRESENT HE SEEMS TO BE RUNNING INTO CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY. I HAVE A FEW OTHER ITEMS, BUT NOTHING OUTSTANDING. MY NEXT LIBERTY I'M GOING TO MAKE MORE CONCENTRATED EFFORTS TO LOCATE SOME FINER GOODS- BUT AS I SAID BEFORE- IT'LL BE HARD. ONE OF THE MUSICIANS BOUGHT A JAPANESE FLAG FOR 641 YEN AND TWO PACKS OF CAMELS. WHAT ALL HANDS WANT MOST OF ALL IS A JAPANESE KIMONO, BUT THE JAPS ARE WISE AND ARE SELLING THEM IN DISGUISE AND GETTING TERRIBLY HIGH PRICES FOR THEM. THE NAVY IS UNFORTUNATE IN THIS RESPECT; FOR UNLIKE SOLDIERS, THEY MUST HANG AROUND COASTAL TOWNS, AND WAIT EIGHT OR NINE DAYS BETWEEN LIBERTIES. EXCEPT:OFFICERS. OF COURSE.
OUT OF BOUNDS SIGNS DON'T AFFECT THEM, AND AFTER ONE AREA IS WELL CANVASED BY THE GENTLEMEN, DOWN COMES THE SIGN AND THE EM GET WHATS LEFT- AT THE USUAL PRICES.
AFTER SATURDAYS FOOTBALL GAMES, I.U. IS RIGHT UP AT THE TOP IN BIG TEN STANDINGS. AS MUCH AS I'D LIKE TO SEE I.U. TAKE THE CHAMPIONSHIP, I DON'T THINK SHE'LL MAKE IT. HER TOUGHEST GAMES ARE COMING UP-AND I ALSO FEAR THE OAKEN BUCKET STAYS WITH PURDUE THIS YEAR. I SURE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NAVY VS. IRISH GAME IN CLEVELAND THIS WEEK. OH WOE.
MOM, DEAR, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE PRAIRIE EVER GETTING INTO A STORM. WE SAT OUT THE TYPHOON OF THE ELEVENTH IN A SHELTERED COVE HERE AT TOKYO. WE DID GET THE END OF THE ONE THAT DID SO MUCH DAMAGE AT OKINAWA, AND AS ROUGH AS IT WAS I'D HATE TO HAVE BEEN IN THE REAL BABY- THAT WAS 4 OCT. I CAN APPRECIATE YOUR ANXIETY AT TIMES, BUT IF YOU ONLY KNEW THE P'S REPUTATION FOR STANDING ATILL- YOU'D LAUGHT sic ME INTO THE GRAVE.
SO BILLY BLANKNER NEVER DID GET OUT TO SEA. HE'S LUCKY. I DON'T BEGRUDGE ANYBODY WHO CAN MANAGE TO STAY STATES SIDE BUT IT HURTS A LITTLE INSIDE TO THINK OF IT-
THE PRAIRIE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE PACIFIC FLEET NOW. HEAVENS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS- I GUESS WE AREN'T ASSOCIATED WITH COMSERVRON 10 ANY MORE- JUST ANOTHER FLEET SHIP ON OCCUPATION DUTY. WE'VE ALWAYS GOT A BAD ALONGSIDE-IF POSSIBLE, THEY WOULD MAKE US DRAG ONE ALONG WHILE UNDERWAY. WE, THE CREW, ARE BEGINNING TO WONDER WHAT THE OTHER TENDERS IN THE PACFLEET DO FOR A LIVING. IN 42 MONTHS OF WAR, THE P HAS HAD FORTY OF THEM AT SEA- (AT LEAST OUTSIDE CONTINENTAL LIMITS)
IN MY FREE TIME, I'M STILL TRYING TO DECIDE ON A COLLEGE AND COURSE TO TAKE, BUT THE FINAL DECISION WILL HAVE TO BE MADE AFTER I GET HOME AND SEE HOW THINGS ARE I GUESS. FOR THE FIRST YEAR AT LEAST, I GUESS AN ARTS COURSE WILL BE THE BEST THING. I HOPE I'M OUT OF THE NAVY IN TIME TO SPENDX A WHILE AT HOME DURING THE SUMMER BEFORE TAKING THE BIG XXNE LEAP INTO COLLEGE LIFE, THOUGH.
WELL, THE APPLE CIDER AND POP CORN SEASON IS DUE AT 1134 WEBB. THIS TIME OF YEAR (YES, EVEN AT ULITHI) I BEGIN TO THINK OF THOSE FEASTS- BROWNIE EATING THE NEAR MISSES, POP DOING THE COOKING AND MOM GROWING GRAYER BY THE MINUTE AS WE ALL TORE DOWN THE PLACE. THOSE ARE GRAND MEMORIES- BUT NOT GONE FOREVER. BELEIVE ME, I'M SO GRATEFUL I HAVE THEM TO PASS ON TO KIDS OF MY OWN SOME DAY.
WELL, SACK TIME- GOOD NIGHT.
LOTS OF LOVE,
[Signature: "Bud" in handwriting]