Letter # 8 April 13, 1943

Apr. 13, 1943
6:00 P.M.
Darling Wife;
I received your first letter on 6 o'clock mail call Monday eve and it sure was good to hear from you and know that everything is going O.K. with you. As for what Hazel said of you, here it is verbatim. "Velma is doing fine in the Diner & she seems to like it very well." That seems like a very good recommendation to me. I was glad to get Tom's address, I had already written to May for it and also to K. Kirk's wife but I have since found Kenny. I saw him for a few minutes Sunday night but we have so little time that we don't get a chance to more than say Hello. I guess I wrote in the previous letter that I have seen Elder, Cole, Lance, Good, and Wacker. The only one I have not seen is Henry Bernhardt. If you happen to hear his address let me know. Kenny is in the 49th armored infantry and is way to hell and gone on the other side of camp.
You might send the Gazette on to me if you want. In regard to Reader's Digest, I don't think it would be very practical because I would have no time to read it anyhow. So far I have had to scratch like hell to even get any letters written, so don't expect more than 2 or three a week, however, I will do the best I can. Also as well as I like to hear from you don't write so much. It will be work. just when you have time. You are sweet.
As for the circulator on the furnace don't worry about it. The reason it was running was because the temperature upstairs was below 50 degrees. That little wheel on the top of the thermostat, that thing above the radio upstairs, should be set to the lowest temperature mark on it and then it will not run until the temperature in the room drops below that point, however, if it gives you trouble go down in the basement and take out the fuse. I think it is the middle one in the right row in the right hand fuse box. as per drawing.

A drawing of the basement fuse board follows. This passage made me laugh out loud as I copied it. My Dad built our house just 2 years before he was drafted. He knew every square inch of it. He even dug and poured the foundation himself. Mother was not very good with mechanical things to the point of turning up her nose in fear and horror at having to fix or adjust or repair anything. Now, she finds herself living in a house by herself that she must maintain for the man she loves!
I think the indicated one is it. You can test it by moving the thermostat upstairs that I mentioned before, to a higher degree until you hear the pump circulator start. Leave it run and go down and unscrew the fuse, if it stops leave the fuse out. If it doesn't put it back in and unscrew another until it stops and leave that one out, put all other back in.
Well it happened again, I thought I was going to get this letter off on Tuesday night but we were called out at 6:30 for military formation at the bowl and a little entertainment there afterward. Scat Powell, maybe you have heard of him, he is a famous scat singer, has been sent to our regiment and he sang several songs and then led the bowl in a few songs. You should almost have heard him way up there. There were two full regiments of soldiers singing at once and even the moon shook.
I am writing this during noon hour Wed. I was just out for mail call and got you. You know you look pretty darn good to me, almost gorgeous, maybe I appreciate you more. I'll show you sometime when I see you again.
We have been continuing our studies and drilling. We are getting so we look something like those pictures of army parades you see. I'll be a full fledged drill master when I get out of the army. You should see us at retreat. Two full regiments participate in retreat and due to the lack of regular parade grounds we assemble on the road about 12 men wide and stretch as far as you can see in either direction.
The last day or so I have been receiving instructions on the Colt 45 Cal. revolver. You know the kind the cowboys used to use. Tomorrow I am supposed to go to the rifle range and really shoot the carbine for score and Friday I am supposed to have my first crack at army truck driving. It looks like some of the drudgery is over and we will begin to do some of the actual stuff which will be a lot more interesting.
Monday evening I had a crack at digging fox holes and boy is this La. clay sticky. It cuts easy enough with a shovel but then try to get it off. See where my time for writing on Monday and Tuesday went. This business of lights out at 9:30 kind of cramps my style. I am not used to going to bed at that hour but I haven't had any trouble sleeping until 5:30.The old man is taking it very well, in fact better than a lot of the young ones. but I'm usually tired enough to sleep when the time comes. The soreness is most all gone and the old stomach has straightened up quite a bit. I don't know if I am loosing any weight or not. There isn't a scale anywhere around that I know of.
7:30 wed. evening
I guess maybe I will now have time to finish this letter. I was just over to the Dispensary for another shot. That is four since I have been in the army. Then I had to go to headquarters and sign the payroll, more government red tape, and then I got a haircut and after I finish this letter I have a little sewing to do.
Today was the first cool day since I have been here and it was cool. I had a coat on all day and even then when we were sitting around on the ground in classes I was uncomfortably cool. It must have snowed some place north and the wind was from there.
I have been very lucky on the K.P. detail and haven't had a crack at it yet. They have been giving enough extra K.P. to fellows they have caught doing something wrong or not doing it at all that they haven't had to pull a regular detail. As long as I can keep ahead of the Lieutenants maybe I will miss that chore for a while. But, as I said before don't get excited if I miss writing some of the time. [You are nice]
I got two more letters from you on this evenings mail call that you had written Sat & Sunday or rather one from you and a combination from you and the gang.
I am glad to hear that you are having a good time along with all the work and are apparently getting along so well at the Diner and at home. Keep it up old girl and I will think, if you keep on loosing weight, that I have a brand new wife when I come home again, but I think I will love you in most any condition you will be in. I kind of miss you, you devil.
You spoke about your letters not being interesting. Don't you believe it. They are to me. I like to know how things are at our home.
I wrote cards to some of the gang and will write them letters as I get a chance. In the meantime say hello to them for me. Keep on having all the good time you can and don't get too damn good with that bow and arrow or I will have to work too hard to catch up with you.
Here is a shoulder patch insignia for our division. You can wear it if you wish. It is worn on the left sleeve about 1" down from the shoulder seam.
We now have a new batch of cooks so we are eating from dishes again and we also have a baker and he turns out some very good cake and pie so the food is getting better yet. Tonight while eating I looked at the window screen and there was the biggest spider I ever saw looking me in the eye. We finished eating and went out and killed him. It was a trantula, I guess that is the way to spell it, He was nearly half the size of the palm of my hand, some critter.
Well I guess I will have to stop and do my work. Will write as soon as I can again. I love you lots honey and wish I could be with you.
Love
Norm
P.S. Here is a rough map of the location
Love
I cannot have a camera and there is no place on the post to have one taken and as we cannot leave camp for a least 6 weeks I guess you will just have to wait to see how I look in uniform. I sure am getting suntanned and I think I look very good.
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