Letter # 35 May 29, 1943

May 29, 1943
Sat morn.
7 A.M.
Hello Honey,
Here I am down in Lake Charles. We are quartered in 6 man tents with electric lights and concrete floors. The sides are covered with screen and even have a screen door. Good thing too. The mosquitoes are really bad down here. The lake is only about 1/2 mile away. I am sitting in front of the tent waiting for breakfast and writing this. We had a very nice uneventful trip down. Got here about noon. Seems like a long time to cover the distance, but convoys don't move very fast. 22 miles an hour is the pace set at the head of the column. There were some nice stretches of scenery and some not so nice. There are great areas where the forest has been cut off and burned over and there is nothing but an area of burned stumps left. In other places they have replanted the forest and the trees are now 25 or 30 feet tall. There is very little farm land and very few homes or shacks. I did see half a dozen or so fairly nice farm homes and the crops on these looked good. Corn shoulder high and nearly ready to ear out. Also some orchards that I can't name.
The best scenery is along the Calcasieu River. It is a river as large as the Hudson where we crossed it on our honeymoon. Remember honey? It's banks are lined with big live oaks, cypress, and pine and all the trees are covered with Spanish moss. Very beautiful.
Lake Charles is a nice city of about 20,000 people. That is just my guess on population, I don't have any figure. There are some beautiful homes with well kept, shady lawns, some with palm trees just like pictures you see of southern homes.
After 8 weeks in an army camp maybe you think it didn't look good to see civilization again. Seeing other people at home with their wives and families nearly made me homesick. I sure did miss having you with me honey. It just doesn't seem like a vacation without you. You must be an inseperable part of me anymore. I love you honey.
Here I am having my regular Decoration Day trip and you are at home working. As I said before, this army business is harder on you than on me. I'm sorry honey, but I guess it can't be helped.
It's trying to rain just now as you can see from the spots on the paper. We had a shower yesterday also, just enough to settle the dust and cool it off a little. From 105 degrees to 99 degrees. Rather cool don't you think? The funny part is I don't mind the heat nearly as much as at first. I am always dripping sweat and can't keep my clothes dry but it doesn't oppress me like it did.
When I stepped on the scales yesterday I found the reason. I have sweat off all my excess and am nearly back to where I was when we were just becoming lovers. I now weigh 179 lbs. You aren't the only one that is loosing weight. I'll even be able to wear my clothes again. Don't be alarmed. I am feeling swell and as long as I'm in this hot climate I hope I do stay light. It's a lot easier to take the heat.
Leo, Norm Rahill and I stayed together and had a very nice time. Had a few beers and looked the town, and the girls, over in the afternoon. Had supper in town and went to a show. "The Imortal Sargent", very good, and then had another bite to eat and headed back for camp. We walked when we went in and then walked home. It's only about 2 miles to town. It reminded me a lot of Put-in-Bay last year, walking to town and everywhere we want to go. Only one thing missing and that's you. You're a nice thing to have along on a picnic as Louise would say.
As soon as it stops raining Leo and I are going to go swimming if we can rent a suit. I was going to buy one but the cheapest I could find was $3.00 so I didn't buy one. Send me my trunks will you honey? Then if I ever get to another place to swim I'll have my own trunks.
I bought a couple sets of underwear and some socks and the salesgirl tried to get a date with me. I wasn't interested. She was one of the type. I did see a lot of nice looking girls for a change. Now I can see where they have a reason to talk of southern belles. I saw one going down the street ahead of me that gave me a thrill all up and down. From the rear she was the exact picture of you. I even hurried to get a look at her face to make sure. She wasn't as nice from the front, but not so bad either.
Leo and I are the only ones that seem to have any money so we are bankers for the crowd. I loaned Norm $10.00 and two others $5.00 apiece, so even if I get reckless I can't spend all my money. We will have a payday soon and then the boys will be rich for a few days again.
Leo's girlfriend is coming down in a couple weeks and he's chewing his nails off trying to figure what he is going to do with her and when he is going to have time to see her. It's really a problem down here. It's farther to DeRidder than I thought, nearly 28 miles and as she can't drive her own car down because of gas and bus service is so crowded he is afraid he won't be able to see her more than one day. He's about right too.
Well honey, guess we'll go out and look around some more. Wish you were here with me. We'd have fun. I love you more all the time. 'Bye honey. I'll write again.
your hubby,
Norm