Letter # 98 September 25, 1943

Sept 25, 1943
Hello sweetheart;
I did very well at mail call again today. One from the nicest person I know, one from Hazel & Mom & one from Vi, so now I have something to keep me out of mischief for a little while answering them. The hell of it is I've about run out of anything to say, so don't be surprised if this wanders all over.
After I read my letters I laid down for a short nap. Gus is still flat on his back and sleeping for all he's worth. He would be a good match for you. Always wants to sleep. I've gotten pretty good at it, but still can't keep up to him.
I got dressed and went down to the bookstore to buy a technical manual on the hydromatic transmission. I thought it might come in very handy some day after I've forgotten half of what I learned here in school, and have a repair job on one of them. It only cost 35 cents so I can't go far wrong. Then I went to the P.X. and bought a Yank. After I finish my lettes I'll do a little reading.
I haven't heard anything from Marg as yet, so I imagine she couldn't get off today.
We had quite a time with "Torchy" today. I said I imagined she would be tempermental and she sure is. We thought we only had a few small adjustments to make today and she would be all set to go. Well she fooled us and we had to work like hell to get her ready to move at all. Angie and i were adjusting the syncronizing rods to the two engines & transmissions and found that one of the control arms to the valve body on the transmission was bent and had to be changed. That was a hell of a job. Lay flat on my back under the old bitch and try to get enough hands up through a hole big enough for one. Well after swearing and sweating for about two hours I finally got the valve body out and then the army doesn't have a new part to repair it with. So we went to work to try and straighten the bent shaft. We got that done and then I swore for another hour or so to put it back on. We finally got her running at noon. We swept & scrubbed the shop and then climbed abord and moved the old dear about a half mile to the sheds where we will work all next week. The sheds are just what the name implies, long shed open on one side with gravel floor. We will continue