Transcription of Document FFDoc-0007.pdf

Thurs, 3/18/43 12:10 P.M. Camp Croft

Dear Mom,

I'm getting this letter off just before noon chow call. So before I forget, I want to tell you of some more things I can use. In addition to those mentioned in the letter I wrote yesterday, I can use that Apron kit that Collon gave me, some wood-soled sandals (I think I mentioned them in yesterday's letter), some moleskin for the tender spots on my feet, and 2 white cannon towels. I guess you could throw in some long brown shoelaces, too, and in the top right hand drawer of my dresser, you'll find 2 containers for pencil leads. One is empty; the other isn't. So send the leads along too.

And see if you can send that O.D. shirt along too. (size 14½) I suppose it wouldn't hurt either, if you included The Forty Days of Musa Dagh, which Joe Oussani gave me. I might have a little time to do some reading. I guess that's all I'll need for the present. So take the cost out of my $20.

This morning we rolled out at 6:15 for chow at 6:45. Bacon & eggs, German fried pots., bread, cereal, milk, coffee and peanut butter.

Just got back from noon chow & some drill & then a lecture on orientation & venereal diseases. S'now 2:40 P.M. Gad, but the chow here is good! For dinner we had lamb chops, pork chops, mashed white potatoes & sweet potatoes, creamed carrots, fried onions, soup, bread, butter & jam, and damn good coffee. Compared to Upton, the chow here is heavenly.

This morning we had close order drill & then about an hour of gas mask drill in the barracks. The gas masks are issued to us, and you should ssee how we look in them. You can't even recognize your best friend. Next week we get a tryout on real gas.

We haven't been reclassified yet, and probably won't for a while. There is a possibility that I may be assigned to infantry after all. But, even so, it will probably be good news to me. For I'm beginning to like it fine here. Now I can understand why Joe was so anxious tog et back to camp when he was home on a furlough. No foolin', we're assigned to the best company in the best, or at least one of the best, battallion down here. We have a damn fine reputation to uphold, and after only a half-day of close order drill our non-coms are strutting around like roosters, they're so damn proud of our marching ability. I hope we can do as well in the future as we are doing now. Right now I'm in barracks on a short break,  or period of free time, as they call it. But since we may be called out at any time, I'll sign off now in preparation. I'll write soon again, whenever I get a chance. S'long for a while, and chins up!

Love, as ever, Frank