We surely have been catching the rain here lately. I would say more than our share. Oh: well we can use it an that trench coat you sent me really does the job. I don’t know what I would do without it.
Got another letter from Beaulah and Sam they surely are swell people. Then I got a letter my ex boss had written me dated 5 Aug 42. It surely has been traveling all over the world but I finally got it.
My pups are coming along just fine. I’ll try and get a picture taken of them and send you one.
Still the same here, work, eat, sweat and sleep when you can find a few odd moments.
Surely would love to see all of you. It seems ages since I have been with all of you.
The war has been rather dull the past few weeks but I look for all hell to break loose before long. Just like a football game, the one side feeling out the other.
You should see the sweat rolling off of me. I now take 2 salt tablets per day and that doesn’t seem to help much.
Hope this finds all of you feeling ok. I am feeling fine. Give my regards to all.
At long and alas we received some mail. Not a great deal but at least we hear from the mainland.
Was glad you got the pictures. I also thought they were very good. Mother, the mustache has been shaven off so you needn’t worry about it. All I can tell you about the pictures is that they were taken by a combat correspondent.
I will try and drop Mr. Galbaugh and Mrs. Keister and Mrs. Hayes a little note. I wrote the Nevius’s the other day. Golly: with my work and all it keeps me busy and I have to get a little rest now and then.
Maybe you think I don’t wish you had some of this heat I am going through. Never have I ever seen anything like it and I hope I never will again.
Surely did receive some swell pictures of the kids and also one of Libby and Robert. Mrs. Dickson sent me the holder with a snapshot of the entire family and the kids sent me the larger pictures. My Anne is growing and Mary. Bobby looks about the same to me. Full of the old nick.
We are still getting plenty of rain. Every day it rains and it doesn’t seem to let up.
Surely will have plenty to tell all of you if I ever get home. Am hoping this war will end soon but I don’t see how.
Thanks for the stamps. I am feeling ok and I hope that this letter will find all of you the same.
Well today I received three letters from you. They were dated Nov 19, 26 and Jan 3, 1943. It’s hard to judge the mail situation where I am located. It is rather spasmodic. For awhile the letters run in sequence and then they get all mixed up. Well I don’t care how mixed they get as long as I receive them.
I know that I wrote Leota thanking her but many things happen on the ocean so I am going to drop her a line again this evening after I write to you.
Oh: yes I also got a letter from Robert. I thought he had forgotten his brother. It was the first in over a month. But, I know he is busy and he tells me he hasn’t been feeling so well.
Don’t worry about me as I am feeling fine and in your prayers ask God that I may have the courage to carry out my duties as I have had thus far. It really is a painstaking job I have but I know that God is with me and my men.
Hope that you get the other pictures I sent to you ok. They are very good and depict our life very well.
My dog and her ten pups are coming along fine and they really are swell pups. But, of course my men and all the rest on the atoll are spoiling them.
I sent you a letter making the bank account a joint bank account. If you don’t get it let me know and I will send you another one.
Thanks for the stamps you sent me. I can always use them.
Wish I could have been with you when Myrtle, Roberts, and Mrs. Dickson were over.
Not much news but a line to say hello and to tell you how grand I think you are to write to me as often as you do.
Must close now and get a few hours sleep. Hope the cocanut fleas and other insects are not as bad as they were last evening. I still can’t sleep under a mosquito net as I am always getting tangled up in it.
Enclosed please find another fifteen dollars for the 2nd Nat’l. I wrote the check out yesterday but I have been so busy since then that I just now have found time to mail it and it now is 7:10 pm. I suppose you are all in bed and fast asleep back home.
Got a letter from Hazel Sorenson Efaw and one from Mary today and I surely was glad to hear from both of them. Sort of looked for mail from some of you. Oh! Well I can expect it the next time we have mail call.
Not much news since I last wrote to you. All I can say is that I am ok and most of my men are the same.
My dog and the pups are getting along just fine. We have ten of them romping around under our feet from early morn to late at night.
Believe it or not I am so tired I am going to bed until 11 pm when I must get up and make an inspection. Hope this finds you ok.
Received your letter of December 28th this morning. Twelve days that isn’t so awful slow considering the war and it going on in the Pacific where I am located.
Also, I got a letter from Leota and a very nice letter from Anne which I will have to answer today.
Thanks for sending the flowers to the Browns and Leota also mentioned about you calling Christmas morning and it meant a great deal to her and her mother.
Sorry to hear of Rev Barnes death. He seemed like a very nice old gentleman.
So you have been having quite a bit of rain. Well, no fooling you have never seen it rain until you have gotten hit by it in the tropics. That trench coat is marvelous and it surely does shed the water.
Glad that the Adams sent you a card it was very thoughtful of them. They are expecting another increase before long.
Mother, you are correct a chaplain means a great deal to both the officers and men. Men that is Christian men always turn to God for comfort when they face danger or even death on the battlefield.
Sent you some snaps the other day. Hope they reach you ok. But, I am just afraid as no mail has left for quite a spell. You can probably figure out why but all my gang are ok and so am I.
Radio saved ten of her pups and they are getting as fast as butter balls. Have six males and four females left. Out of the ten three white, three black and four brindle. They surely are getting a great deal of attention.
Will close for this time. I do hope that this finds all of you ok. I also hope & pray that this war will soon end. However, I am not being to skeptical as I know what we are up against.
Write whenever you have time as I am always glad to hear from home.
I am enclosing some snap shots of which I will be able to tell you plenty about when I return. Watch them carefully as I won’t be able to get anymore. I really think they are swell.
Well, New Years was just another day here and I might add that it also was a very lonely one for me and the men. Perhaps, next year we can all be with the ones we love. At least I hope so.
I am going to register this letter as I want to be sure that the pictures get to you.
Hope all of you had a swell Christmas and I know you would with the children. Believe me I surely do miss them and all of you.
My dog is getting along fine. She saved ten of her thirteen pups and they are all full of the old nick.
I see I started this letter on the wrong side. Hope you will pardon me. I have so darn much on my mind lately that at times I wonder how I get anything accomplished.
It surely has been hot and rainy here lately. I am convinced that these places were never meant to be inhabitated by a white man. Until we disarm the Axis they will have to be.
Dad how much gas are you allowed per week? How about tires, food and etc.?
So far I haven’t seen anybody that I know. Seems rather funny.
What a day it will be when I again can set down to a table with really home cooked food, a table cloth, people to talk with and then a nice comfortable chair to sit in and a nice easy bed to sleep in. That will be the day.
I must start to figure out my income tax before long. The 5% victory tax deducted from salaries we won’t have to pay. I think it is fair because Lord knows we go through enough for victory even to the sacrificing of our lives.
Lately I have had trouble sleeping when I have had the opportunity. I believe it is the climate. Also, I have lost 15 lbs in the last month—heave knows that won’t hurt me any.
Did I tell you that my platoon bought me a Marine Corps ring for Christmas with a small diamond in it. Heaven knows where they got it but they did. It surely did made me feel swell. I do have a grand group of men and I am proud of all of them, they have showed their colors and showed them well.
Received also a cablegram from my ex boss and gang for Christmas. Just got it today. Although, it was a little late it surely did make me feel good. I’m telling you that mail and hearing from home is what keeps all of us going.
I must close as I have a great deal of work to do. Don’t forget I love and miss all of you.
