U. S. S. PRAIRIE
TOKYO BAY, JAPAN
25 NOVEMBER 1945
DEAREST FAMILY,
BOY, DO I FEEL GUILTY FOR NOT HAVING WRITTEN TO YOU FOR SO LONG, BUT SO MANY THINGS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING LATELY THAT MY TIME RUNS OUT BEFORE I CAN MANAGE TO HARNESS A FEW MOMENTS FOR LETTERS.
I CAN WELL IMAGINE HOW MY PROUD HOOSIER PARENTS FEEL TONIGHT NOW THAT I.U. WON THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP. I LISTENED TO THE GAME THIS AFTERNOON VIA SHORT WAVE, AND WAS REALLY ROOTIN FOR THE HOOSIER BOYS TO CRUSH THE PURDUE LADS. I'LL BET MARY IS ALL EXCITED TOO. SHE IS CERTAINLY HAVING A CRANK UP YEAR AT SCHOOL. WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO SEE INDIANA TAKE ON A FEW OF THE OTHER HEAVY TEAMS THIS SEASON, AND NOTICE THE RESULTS. I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF IU COULD HANDLE NOTREDAME- AND THAT'S GOING SOME. OLD BO MCMILLAN WILL BE A GOD NOW- ALL STUDENTS WILL HAVE TO BOW DOWN THREE TIMES AND SAY 'ALAH, BLESSED SAHIB' WHENEVER HE PASSES.
MY CHRISTMAS PACKAGES HAVE BEGUN TO ARRIVE NOW. I WISH YOU FOLKS WOULDN'T BOTHER TO SEND THEM. I LOVE TO RECEIVE THEM BUT HAVE NO PLACE FOR THEM. I LOVE YOUR LETTER JUST AS MUCH, AND CAN CARRY THEM IN MY POCKET. MY LOCKER IS OVER LOADED WITH SOUVENIRS, FROM RIFLE TO FANS, AND FOR ALL I KNOW WHE SHIP MIGHT START FOR HOME SOON. IT'S A TICKLISH SITUATION, THAT IS, THE SHIP RATING SO HIGH ON THE RETURN LIST AND ALL. VEEN SENT ME A WONDERFUL BOX, AND TIDIS ARRIVED TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THEM CHRISTMAS; BUT THE RULE IS TO OPEN THEM RIGHT AWAY TO SAVE SPACE. TO OPEN A CHRISTMAS PRESENT A MONTH EARLY ISN'T SO HOT, CAUSE BY THE TIME XMAS COMES EVERTHING IS EITHER READ, OR ALREADY ET UP. OH WOE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEND SOME OF MY JUNK HOME, BUT THE POST OFFICE SAYS IT WILL TAKE FROM 2 TO SIX MONTHS TO GET OUT OF THIS AREA DUE TO THE RUSH, AND I HAVE HOPES OF BEING HOME BY THAT TIME. -- HOPES, HOPES, HOPES, - WELL THEY'RE NICE THINGS TO HAVE.
IT'S TOO BAD THAT RAY ASHMAN AND DAVID STUDEBAKER ARE BEING HELD UP BY TRANSPORTATION. THAT'S WHERE I HAVE THE ADVANTAGE- I LIVE ON MY TRANSPORTATION- A BIT CROWDED, BUT WHEN IT COMES TIME TO GO HOME, I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HOW TO GET THERE. IF RAY IS AT SHANGHAI, HE'LL HAVE QUITE A WAIT, CAUSE THAT IS DOMINATED BY THE BRITISH- ALTHOUGH I NOTICE A FEW MESSAGES ADDRESSED TO APAS (TRANSPORTS) IN THAT AREA EVERY NOW AND THEN. I WISH I COULD TELL HOW SOON DAVID WOULD BE HOME IF I ONLY KNEW WHERE HE WAS-IS. IF HE'S IN
THE SOUTH PACIFIC, IT'LL TAKE A LONG TIME. TRANSPORTATION OUT OF ULITHI WAS TWO MONTHS BEHIND SCHEDULE WHEN THE PRAIRIE LEFT FOR THE BAY IN OCTOBER. AND POINTS BELOW THAT WERE WORSE OFF. THE BEST PLACE TO WAIT FOR NAVY TRANS. IS HERE IN YOKOSUKA, AND GUAM, BUT STILL, WHY SHOULD I WORRY?
GEE. IT SEEMS LIKE THEY ARE SHIPPING CARL FETZER OUT KIND OF FAST LIKE. WASN'T HE GOING TO BE A PILOT OR SOMETHING? GERMANY, HMM, WHEN IS BOB YENNE DUE TO COME HOME?
OH SAY, THE NAVY IS LOWERING THE POINTS TO 36 IN JANUARY, AND SUPPOSED TO GO TWO MORE POINTS A MONTH EVERY MONTH AFTER THAT. IF TRUE, I'L FIGURE ON HAVING THE AMOUNT BY MARCH OR AT LEAST APRIL-- WHICH IS AS OF DECEMBER 1. AND WELL, IT COMES PRETTY CLOSE, COMES APRIL. HAPPY HAPPY THOUGHT. I SURE WOULD LIKE ONE SUMMER BEFOR COLLEGE- TO RECOOPERATE AND TO GET BACK INTO THE GROOVE- AND GET A NEW HORN TOO.
AFTER HAVING READ THIS LETTER OVER, I'VE DECIDED IT IS RATHER CORNY. I MUST REALLY BE GETTING ASIATIC. THE JAP INFLUENCE YOU KNOW.
LOTS OF LOVE,
[Signature: "Bud" in handwriting]
P.S. Say I forgot to mention Thanksgiving - Pretty swell - Will include a menu - Thought you all might like it.
[Handwritten addition appears to trail off]