May 7, 1944
Dear Folks:
Received your letter dated 25 April, 1944 and dad the one you mailed to me from Springfield, Illinois.
Mother, I am afraid that you are working too hard on the house cleaning and I think you should slow down a little.
Those floods must really be something. Golly with all the money the government is spending and with all the man power they have it seems to me as if they should be able to control the flood waters a little better. As we marines say is we need more horsepower and less horse sh–.
You know I also have the same feeling that you do that is that the war in the Pacific will be over before the war in Europe and that they will then send us over to Europe. How I do pray each evening that this war will soon be over.
Dad, you tell Bill Smiley hello for me when you see him any of the rest of the gang at the fire house you see.
I don’t see Bozz so often any more. Can’t remember whether it was you or Robert’s that I wrote and told that Bozz was stationed a good piece from where I am.
One of my men received some pop corn from his home. He lives in Decatur, Illinois. They popped it in the galley today and he brought me some. It surely did taste swell. Remember how we used to pop a dish pan full and mother and I would eat practically all of it. Mother, we will relive those days upon my return.
Hope this finds you in the best of health. I am o.k.
All my love,
Your son, Leo
Cap’t. L.J. McLoskey