Letter # 107 October 4, 1943

Oct 4, 1943
My drinking wife;
Hello sweetheart. How do you like my new stationery? It's charity furnished. Each payday the C.O. has a collection plate set out at the pay table and he uses the proceeds for such things as stationery things for the day room and etc. I had donated $.50 so I thought I was entitled to a few sheets of paper. I was just too scotch to buy another box. I would only use a few sheets and it would probably get spoiled in my barracks bags.
Well darling, we got to the field today and if today was any indication it's a good prep training before we go back to our outfits, after 9 weeks of vacation. The work isn't very hard but there is a lot of walking around up hills & down, getting tools & equipment from the tool trucks to wherever our tank happens to be.
We spent all morning running our tank into holes and dry creek beds, getting her stuck and then figuring how to get her back out again. We finally got her in one she couldn't get out of, so we had to get a medium tank to pull her out. Almost didn't get her out then. We had run her head on into a dry creek bed about 6' deep and she was standing almost straight up on her nose. She was really stuck.
We spent all afternoon taking both tracks off and then getting them back on again. It's some job to manhandle 16 tons of scrap iron, and get her back onto the tracks. Took us about 3 hrs and we spent the rest of the time, checking her over.
Boy it sure is a dusty job. It hasn't rained here for a week or more and it doesn't take long for these babies to stir up a hell of a dust storm. We all looked like we had been dusting.
I finally succeeded in getting some film yesterday. They only sell one roll to a customer but I went back 4 times, before I got too ashamed of myself. I took the camera to the field today and I took a few pictures. I'll get some more as the opportunity presents itself. The instructors don't care but, have to watch out for brass hats.
Got two letters from you today. One especially nice one. Honey you are becoming quite proficient at writing love letters. Keep it up honey, and I'll have plenty of evidence to hold you for a long time.
Now I'll make a few comments on your letters.
My, my, honey, such language for a school teacher. Sounds like you though. That half case of beer sounds good to me. We can have a beer together at home, if you don't drink it all before I get there.
I'm sorry I didn't give the boys any of the cake, but it tasted so good and they were all in the next barracks, so Gus and I ate it all.
I will try to call on Thurs and if I don't get through I'll try again Friday. Our times are the same now so I will try to make it around 8 P.M. Probably be about the most convenient time.
I don't think anything will happen to the furlough any more, but I still don't know anything more about what day I will get away.
I'll furnish all the incentive you need to get in the mood again. I've really got myself all worked up, like you were the last time. I love you sweetheart. You say I haven't got you fooled even a little bit. That's swell, but I still think I have, because I'm really not as nice as you say. As long as I've got a good hold on you, I don't care how I did it. I'd almost be willing to use blackmail, if I couldn't do it any other way.
When I said you were hard to get close to I didn't really mean about the first kiss. You know what I meant, you old devil. I'll admit I was slow on that kiss but I was afraid of you, and you didn't give me too much encouragement.
I feel the same way about letters. I have a hell of a time trying to say anywhere near what I want to. I'm cheating you on these last few, but hell sweetheart, I can't write when I'm so near to being able to talk to you again.
Just think only 5 more days of school and then if they will only turn us loose, I'll be able to look at you and love you at close quarters again for a while. Gosh it hardly seems possible. Just too good to be true. I love you Chubbins, and I'm going to show you how much in just a few more days.
Well night honey, it won't be long but it sure will be hard. I mean hard to wait those few days.
your lover
Norm.