March 18 and 21, 1943. Two letters from Dad to home. He opens with his hopes that “papa’s jaw will heal up right so it won’t bother him anymore and the same goes for mama.”
As far as his training, “I am going to take my last test tomorrow morning for the 1st half of the 2 month course and we will start on another 4 weeks. I would much more prefer looking at radio tubes but I will pass this course as I told you in a former letter. I talked to the Chaplain…last night in regard to my getting into Radio and he advised me that I could best wait to get assigned to an air base …and then come across with my desires to the right fellow.”
He tells his sister that he received the pictures of his niece. “She looks very nice. I like all the pictures of her and she does look beautiful. He also says that he just saw The Great Mrs. Holliday with Deanna Durbin. He also mentions that he heard from his friend Anne McCann as well as the choir.
Poster art for The Amazing Mrs. Holliday starring Deanna Durbin
As far as Army life, “Yesterday I had K.P. I believe it was the last time. We never have any exercise here. What a life! But I’m not counting my chickens before they hatch. Of all the places this is the easiest one I’ve been in. No drilling, just eat, sleep, study and fall out for retreat. At reveille in the morning we just stand by our beds in the barracks! I doubt whether I will have life that easy unless I should become an officer.”
Weather wise, “Two days ago we had about a 3” snowfall and it was quite windy. By now the snow has practically disappeared and the weather is again good.”
To pass the time when not in class, “I taught [Joe] Damusis to play chess. He plays alright and it kills time when we are idle. It is better than getting stewed or occupy[ing] your mind with dirt. A fellow around here…told me he played chess with professionals after he had won three games. I gave him a terrific time anyway and made him move his chessmen carefully anyhow.”
In other entertainment news, “There was a colored show free at our camp last night. Hattie McDaniel of the movies was there and three colored tap dancing men who will appear in a new Eddie Cantor picture. It was strictly boogie-woogie.”
Hattie MacDaniel in a 1941 photograph. She is best known to modern audiences for playing the role of Mammy in 1939’s Gone with the Wind. The Academy Award that she won for that role made her the first ever African American to win an Oscar. Image credit: Wikipedia
He reflects, “We are starting to feel old around this place as the…new fellows come in and the oldsters get shipped. You meet friends and part with them. That’s the Army for you. I can hardly wait to get assigned so I can try my hand at seeing how I can get into radio.”
In the P.S. he writes, “As regards Stanley: I hope he does manage somehow to get to Albany because he deserves to if anybody else does. He sure has seen enough of our country that he probably wishes he were back home. As for me, I cannot look to a furlough till I get out of this place.”