Letter # 75 September 1, 1943

Sept 1, 1943
Hello Tootsie Wuggles;
Here it is the first of Sept again honey and another day has gone past. It won't be long and maybe I'll be seeing and living with you again. This time I'll be able to sleep with you every night. Oh.Boy! Here we go again. I just can't seem to forget it honey. Those three weeks will always stay in my memory as one of the best times in my life. I love you honey.
I got your Monday eve card this noon. Glad you had an uneventful trip home and it seems like you made fair time. I'll let you like all the soldiers and truck drivers and etc. as long as you don't forget one certain tall, bald, skinny, soldier who loves you a lot.
School is going along smoothly and is very interesting this week. It's also a lot harder. Some of the boys are having quite a lot of trouble with it. So far I'm getting along O.K. I guess. I'll know more about it after the final tests on Saturday.
Today we had the first really good road march we've had here at Fort Knox. About 8 miles in a little less than two hours. Not fast or hard in comparison to basic but good exercise. We went out over the basic training area where Ernie and Redinger took their basic. Redinger's first name is Gustav but he says he is German. Someone has a good imagination. All the way along the road they had old wrecked jeeps, trucks, and tanks scattered here and there, with straw dummy crew laying around as though they had been killed in battle. Helmets painted with the German Swastika or the Jap rising sun and liberally spattered with red paint. Every so far there would be a big sign reading, "War is a killing game" or "Kill or be killed" or others along the same line. Even had dummies strung up in trees as though they had been hanged. Just another way of creating the proper psychological effect in the boy's minds. A new angle to me.
We passed several groups of fellows in basic training and I couldn't help but think how much nicer it would have been to take my basic up here. They have their classes outside under groves of trees where they have constant shade and instead of sitting around on the ground they have regular rows of seats built like bleachers. They wear no leggings and I didn't see a gas mask. We also went past the firing ranges. They were very much the same as the ones at Polk. We also passed a couple platoons of men playing at war. They were advancing against each other, fully armed, but shooting blanks. Looked like fun. I was tempted to break ranks and join them.
From what I can see of this place it sure would be a swell place for Mickey to take his basic. I hope he gets some decent place anyhow.
It hasn't been quite so hot the last few days. Hottest was today 91 and there was a nice breeze so it felt good. It is just starting to rain but doesn't look like it will do much.
Well honey I guess I'm about run down so I'll quit until next time.
I think you're the nicest, sweetest wife a man could ever have and I love you more and more all the time. Bye honey, here's one of those long distance squeezes. Night sweetheart.
Your hubby.
Norm.