June 29, 1944

Dear Mother , Dad, and Grandpa,

               I just returned from the Service Club! There isn’t a thing up there, but it’s just the idea of getting away from the monotony of the company area for a couple of hours.

               For the past 2 days the weather has been delightful here – sunny but cool. Tonight there have been showers off and on. It is still cool so it should be pleasant sleeping tonight.  I wish it would stay this way but that’s too much to hope in La.

               Last night I saw “The Adventures of Mark Twain” with Fredric March. It is a marvelous biography. Don’t miss it when it comes to Dayton.

               We were in the field from 9 A.M. Tuesday until 10 A.M. Wed. It wasn’t very long but still it was long enough. We didn’t take any Signal Corps equipment along, i.e., radios, direction finders, etc. It was an air-ground test. We had several “air-raids” and had to dive into our 2-man on one occasion.

“Enemy” planes sprayed the area with tear gas and we had to don the gas masks.

               It got pretty cool slepp sleeping in the tent. The ground gets very damp. We’re going out again on a Signal Corps problem for 3 days next week and I’m going to take 2 blankets. This time I only took one and I put it on the ground. The sergeant from Lebanon Ohio I was telling you about caught an armadillo or “ant-eater” while we were on bivouac and brought it back to camp. He keeps it in a box under the barracks. Each of us was issued a bottle of chigger lotion. It’s made by the [undecipherable] manufacturers of “Skol,” the sun tan lotion. I also bought another bottle of lotion. I did get a few mosquito bites, however.

               Yesterday most of us were on stove cleaning details all day. That’s the worst feature of going out in the field—cleaning the mess equipment when you come back.

               Was Bob Green sent alone or in a group? I wonder why he was transferred.

               This coming Monday I will have been in the Army 6 months. I’m getting to be a veteran (it says here). Hope my furlough comes up soon. I can’t tell when I will get it, though. Dad, I’m glad you’re [undecipherable] purchased a furlough bag. I didn’t get it yet. It will probably come tomorrow.

               Surprised to hear about Capt. Cohn’s promotion. I suppose no one will be able to talk to him now.

               I heard from Harry Zeiger and Thelma Kohnop[?] today. Thelma writes that

 

Harlan Sacks is taking some kind of course at Yale and if he passes will come out a 2^nd Lt. She is working in the sales tax dept. in the courthouse. She seems to be all thrilled about Miami and especially about her being elected president of the sorority. All of the A Ε Φ’s with the exception of 3 are going to live on the 3^rd floor of Bishop Hall next year. That’s where I was. Remember?

               I took the box of gum drops and summer candy Aunt Fannie sent out with me on bivouac. You’d be surprised how starved we get out there.

               I wonder if Marilyn Hash will ever get anywhere with her singing. She’s studying in Chicago, I believe. What about Margy Miller? How’s her career coming along?

               I’m taking code on the typewriter now. We don’t have much code now. They claim it is too hot to stay inside.

The war outlook is very bright. It looks like the European phase is fast approaching the breaking point.

               Dewey’s[1] acceptance speech was the most stupid and nauseating speech I’ve heard in years. What a putrid combination –Dewey and Bricker.[2] Wish I was old enough to vote this fall.

               Well, I’ll write more over the weekend. Write all the news from home.

 

                                                            Lov  Lovingly,

                                                                           Jerome, Jr.

 

P.S. Mother, thanks for the stamps. I thought I told you I rec’d. them but I guess I didn’t.