TRANSCRIPT
DATED 3-7-44
Dear mom,
The ceiling is low (500 ft) and coming down and it is raining pretty hard here today so I’m going to stay in and write letters this afternoon. It’s also turning cold here in Ga. but I’ll be leaving soon for some place state colder than this I imagine.
Some more of the boys were send in from Florence, S.C. today and put on the same shipping order as me so I’ll have to stay here till they get their clothing check and all their overseas equipment issued to them and as yet there’s no order on that. They will probably get them ready tomorrow and we will leave this week end. The last bunch that left here went to Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn N.Y. and from there the guys usually go to England.
As yet my pilot hasn’t returned from his furlough and he was supposed to be back the same day as me. I hope they don’t find out he’s not back because if they don’t [sic] I’ll have to go back to Florence, S.C. and get assigned to another pilot. One of the other guys said they were somewhere in N.C. with 2 flat tires yesterday & he was on his way back to camp. I sure hope he gets here in time.
I recd. a telegram from one of my old girls in N. Carolina who was on her way home & was going to stop by Florence to see me and I was home on furlough from here when this came. Ha! Ha! I guess I should have stayed in Florence a few days longer. I also recd. a telegram from Lee today telling me to call her today or tomorrow. She is getting along fine as can be expected and hopes to be back over to the nurses Residence in a few days. If I get another furlough before I leave I’m going to see her no matter what it costs me. I wish I could get a 10 day furlough from New York.
I washed my clothes out today that I got dirty on the train ride back and boy were they black as coal. I washed my sun tan shirt and am going to take it in town tomorrow and get it pressed. The only things dirty I have now is my hanks. (?) & I’m going to wash them tonight or in the morning. I’m afraid to send anything to the laundry because I might ship out before it gets back to me. I should have brought it home with me.
Have you recd. the $50 check yet. I hope they don’t get it all mixed up and forget to send it for 3 or 4 months. I guess you’d better give aunt the first one. I owe her for the ring $45 and $50 from last time and dad can have the rest of them.
I haven’t heard anything about the packages you & aunt sent me so guess they went back home. I hope the camera & overcoat came back.
Is sis going to get her a job this year (join the Waves, or teach school again). I hope she makes up her mind soon. She seemed rather undecided when I was home. I wouldn’t have anything in the world ever happen to her and I hate to see her do anything she would regret because I think she’s the most wonderful sister any guy could ever dream of having and if she joined some branch of service and didn’t like it I’d feel like I was to blame for it so be sure & don’t let her join unless she really has her heart into it and makes up her mind to like it whether she wants to or not. That’s the only thing I’ve found that got me through the army & kept me having fun all the time. I made up my mind to like it and even though it’s sometimes hard to do I have managed so far. All it takes is willpower.
Well it’s almost time for supper so I’ll close for now. Write real soon.
Your loving son,
Earl D.