TRANSCRIPT
V-MAIL DATED 4-20-44
Dear mom,
I just wrote Lee a letter so decided to drop you a few lines while I’m at it.
I’m still somewhere in Northern Ireland and I’m still feeling tip top condition.
I’m still doing the same thing I was in the States.
It’s about 11 P.M. but it’s still daylight here. I bet you wouldn’t like that would you?
Is sister through teaching for the year. From the sound of her letter she is going to college again and teach again next year. I thought she didn’t like teaching anymore.
Have you received the two allotment checks and the war bond yet? If they don’t come be sure & let me know. I only get about $20 this month but will get three months flying pay next month which will be $17 bucks. It doesn’t take much here so I’ll send you most of it. Don’t send me any until I ask for it. You can use it for what ever you need.
I’m out of space again so will close for now. Hope to hear from you soon.
your loving son,
Earl L [*]
[*] Beginning in his letter to his mother from 4-18-44, Earl alters his middle initial (actually “D.”) at the end of his letters to various other initials. This is because Earl is attempting to use his middle initial to gradually spell out where he is stationed so that his family knows where he is – something that would usually be censored in such letters. This is the same method that Earl talks about in his letter to his mother on 3-28-44. Earl eventually spells out “Belfast,” as in Belfast, Northern Ireland.