Letter # 42 June 12, 1943

June 12, 1943
Sat. Eve. 8 P.M.
Hi my darling wife;
I guess I will finally have time to write a letter or so this weekend, but to be safe I'll start with you and if I don't have time to write the others, they'll just have to wait. I have ten beside yours that I should answer. I'll try but I may wear out before I finish. You're sweet and will probably keep most of them posted and say hello for me. I'm sorry I can't seem to match you letter for letter but I'll try to write good long ones to make up for the few in number. If you wait for mine like I wait for yours a long letter is a poor substitute for the number. I guess you understand and will forgive me. You're so nice you would say you did anyhow. Someday I'll be where I won't have to write letters to say "I love you" I won't even have to say it to let you know. I'll be able to show you.
In your letter the other day you said it had been 9 weeks since I have been away and it seemed years. That goes double but you better count your weeks. It'll be 11 weeks Monday and I have been in this camp 10 weeks last night. Boy a lot can happen in that many weeks. I didn't think the army would change me much but it has in two ways at least that I know of now. The minor way is physically. As I've told you I am streamlined again and feeling swell and in really good condition as you probably tell from what I tell you we do.
The shorts I bought in lake Charles were 36. I just guessed at how much my waist had shrunk and guessed wrong. I could wear 34 now, so say goodbye to the pudge you used to know. We now have a scale here in camp and according to that I haven't lost as much as I thought. It weighs me at 187 so I've only lost about 10 lbs. I sure am glad I didn't have all that I had last summer at this time. These boys that were real heavy have taken a beating. Some have lost up to 40 lbs. Those that were underweight have gained, in some cases as much as 20 lbs. So you see it works both ways. That is one reason I feel sorry for Mick. If he gets in as tough an outfit as this it'll be hard on him until he gets worn down to shape.
The major way it has changed me I think you can guess from what I have said in other letters. I never realized while I had you how much you meant to me. I loved you and I think appreciated you quite a little but not nearly as much as I do now. I just didn't know how much you had become a part of my life. I hope I never forget either. We will have a swell time together when I come home again. I love you honey and miss you a lot. I almost wish I had put on a Navy uniform so I could be home on a 9 day leave as the others are. Oh well, guess I can wait until I do get one and we still have it to look forward to. Believe me I am looking forward to it more than I have ever looked forward to anything.
If we aren't transferred they may start giving furloughs after the 1st of August. Don't build your hopes on that because nothing is certain in the army. Whenever it does happen I won't loose any time taking off for home, you can bet.
Well honey I have made one step on the ladder to success in the army. After inspection which we passed O.K. we were all called out and the Co. Commander presented 10 of us with acting corporal stripes, and believe it or not I was one of them. All that means at present is that he thinks we are the most likely ones to become non-commissioned officers and our work will be watched rather carefully for the next few weeks and after the next mo. or more we will probably get a P.F.C. rating and after that go up as fast as we deserve.
Rahill is the only one I have introduced to you that got the stripes. For the present it means that we will have duties we haven't had before. Charge of quarters, regimental guard duty and others that have formally been done by the N.C.O.'s. If I don't fuck up, as the army expression is, do something wrong, I will someday have a rating. In this outfit no ratings are given until after 13 weeks and very seldom then. Usually 4-5 mo.
The mechanics school is still very interesting and fun. Friday we stayed in school all day. They gave us a truck first thing and said to tear it apart and put it together again so it would run. Mark Stansbury and I worked together and our truck was second out of 40 to be running again. We had the engine out and all apart. It was fun and boy did the day go fast.
Carl and Wayne have been running themselves ragged this week, trying to get to town in time to see their wives for an hour or so each evening. I guess the girls haven't decided for sure if they will stay or not. I'd think it would be lonesome for them.
Wed. & Thurs. nights we were on bivouac again and had a new experience. About 9 P.M. they started us off on a compass course. They had placed 8 stakes out in the woods and gave us the compass readings on each. We were to follow the compass for
1 1/2 miles south by east and be accurate enough to find a stake with a tin can on top of it. If we found it there would be a compass course there to follow to the next stake. If we didn't find them we would probably be lost in the woods for the night. There were 14 groups of 5 men each sent out. It was a dark stormy night and hard to see 10 feet in front and we were not allowed any lights. The compass has a luminous face. I wasn't at all sure I had any faith in that compass either. We took off counting our paces to judge how far we had gone and when we thought we had covered our 1 1/2 miles we hadn't found our stake so we spread out and hunted. I was much pleased to find it. We were only off about 50 yards. We had about the same luck on the rest and got back to camp about 1 A.M. We had covered about 10 miles through woods, over swamps, up hill and down, falling over logs, and into holes, and were plenty tired, but I now have faith in a compass. I had no idea where camp was by the time we had gone a couple miles. This country looks very much the same all over and would be easy to get lost even in the daylight.
Our group was 3rd in and the cooks had coffee and doughnuts for us. They sure were welcome. Some of the boys didn't get in until 4 A.M.but no one got lost so our instructors must have taught us something.
It's getting late so I guess I'll go to bed and write some more tomorrow. I had a very nice dream about you the other night. Maybe I can duplicate it tonight. Night Tootsie Wuggles. I love you.
Good morning honey. I had a good night's sleep, a good breakfast, and only a couple hours work today. Feeling swell.
I had a funny little incident occur the other day. I got a letter from Harold, opened it and began reading. I blinked my eyes and read it again and it still said the same. It was snowing and the roads were slippery. I thought to myself, " What the hell?" and then looked at the postmark. It was mailed April 15 and had just gotten here. He had addressed it to the 86th A.R. and it took some time to straighten out.
I got a note to appear at the Post Office and sign for the broken glasses. You will probably be called in to collect one of these days. It's sweet of you to go to all of that trouble. Buy yourself a new hat with the money or something.
Got a letter from Bob last eve. I guess he must have had quite a wound. He doesn't say just what it was, but says his wrist is still stiff. He also says he is glad the Co. is paying the bill. It cost over $300.00. He is back to work but he doesn't seem to be very satisfied. Would like to get out of there. He also says he has another deferment until October.
I'm glad you're all settled on your teaching job, certificate, contract, and all. I think you will like it better than you did before. You know now what other kinds of work are like. No job is any picnic. I think you are best qualified for a teacher. Look at all you taught me. I am much more satisfied to have you there. I don't think it will be nearly so hard on you. Give the Diner a couple weeks notice and quit for a nice vacation whenever you want to. You've earned it and have money enough to afford it. Just think of all the sleep you can get with no job and no husband to bother you.
I had a letter from Steve saying he had been transfered and liked the new spot very much. He also repeats. If we need anything at all to let him know. Guess the army is softening him up also.
I bet Harold and Phyllis are busy, but as I always said I didn't think John was too much help.
The card you sent is O.K. but I haven't done anything like that yet although at times I'm thinking of you enough to do it.
I don't know what the trouble with Harold's ice cream freezer is. If he wants and you aren't using it let him have ours.
Keep up the good times you are having with the kids and don't worry about me. I'm doing O.K. Well honey I guess I'm about run down for this time. I'm going to write a couple more letters and then do my work, get cleaned up and maybe go to the service club for a couple beers or something.
You're the sweetest little wife a man ever had. Take care of yourself and don't work too hard. I'm loving you all the time and will be coming home some day to tell you and show you in person. By now honey.
your loving soldier
Norm.