Letter transcription:

2/4/43

Dear Mother,
Just after noon day chow and will write while relaxing from work and heat – we have been having some blistering hot sticky days but today it seems the breeze is beginning to become a little more noticeable. So much for the weather – The usual topic.
Last night’s show was on the sad order. One written or played of one of Jack London’s stories. It was the first night I went to the show without a wind breaker, always before the breeze was so cool but last night it just stayed hot. Although I did need sheet blanket and spread before morning.
We have been watching the moon

[page 2] and according to the calendar sent by you the moon raises about the same time here as there. Don’t know how it does it what with skipping a day at the international date line and everything but it does. We never checked to the exact minute but it can’t be far off.
We have procured another doz. eggs and will have a fry again when it cools off a little. It’s just to hot to bother and of course eating isn’t so much fun when it’s hot.
I’ve been getting gipped by the locals for some of their home made goods. I’m buying a few things now and then to send home. We have a corpsman

[page 3] here who claims to have cousins here. They may be – The same name etc. and it seems one branch of the family came here from Canada while the other bunch went to the U.S.A. – from Canada – Anyway he brought some native handiwork to sell and as I said I got gipped and knew it all the time. So if you get gipped with eyes open it isn’t so bad – paid one dollar for a handkerchief and $2.15 for a pot holder – or knitting bag or what have you. I’ll send them home when I have an accumulation. And you can agree with me very fully. Those will be your valentine present but they will be very late because I’ll probably not even get them sent by then. I’m just telling you that so you will know I haven’t forgotten. Will finish after the P.M. mail –

[page 4] The mail was no good. The show better. It was the Strange Case of Dr. Rx sort of a weird story but never the less intertaining. Saw Helen Kline’s husband again. We here in ships co. have received seats and he came a little late and I had him as my guest. He works at a different place but eats and sleeps here. I also saw another Dr. from Indianapolis, Ind. Today. He graduated a year before I did but we didn’t remember each other only we knew lots of boys in common. He was in Art’s class (Art Barnett).

Well, I’m all run down for I’ve written to Uncle W. and Dave so
Solong Love
Daddy

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