Dec 5, 1943
Darling:
First, I'll answer your questions and comments on items of special interest in your letters.
[Two lines censored] Fremont or Lincoln would do very nicely, but I still have a hard time falling in love with Des Moines.
You needn't send me airmail stamps since our mail is going by the fastest route anyway. Yes, your V-Mail is photographed and should be in ink or typed, although the one letter from Rob arrived in its original pencil form, just as she mailed it.
Incidentally you needn't send all your letters V-Mail. I enjoy the longer letters of course and think they arrive about as quickly as V-Mail.
You wondered if I had singed the safe arrival card in blank form. Yes, and I am surprised they didn't fill in our destination, though there must be some good reason for it.
Before I forget, I'm delighted with the star book and certainly I had had sense enough to buy one in the States. Here the stars seem unusually clear and I'll be glad to brush up on them.
Robbie and Jon certainly do beautifully in their letters to me, which I enjoy very greatly. I see Rob is progressing out of the printing stage and am extremely proud of her promotion to Third Grade. I know she'll be much happier with enough studies to keep occupied.
Her school chairmanship of radio is important and between you and her and Mother Chris and Dad (always remembering all of Grandpa's positions), the Christensen-Hammond combination must have a corner on war on civic work in Fremonth.
I do wish you'd explain, in one sentence how you find time to read even Reader's Digest along with your Red Cross, Brownie, AAVW, PTA, bond-selling, canteen and Sunday School activities. But maybe Robbie keeps your posted with her Bathroom Scholarship (B.S.)
I also received the miniature copy of Time and would like a subscription. Of course Reader's Digest would be a great help too.
[Approx 1 page censored]
On the newspaper front, I was sorry to hear of Frank William's death and that of (apparently - the clipping was incomplete) Harry Dobbins.
I was surprised Jim Morrison had left Des Moines. I sent Christmas Cards to him, Frank Clark, MacDonald, Gartner, Alma, Dobson, mom, you, Uncle Harry, Uncle Ray, Uncle Lon and Aunt Maud, Betty and ELmer and Margaret Welton and sadly lacked the other addresses, including the current one for Bill and Harriet.
Glad to hear of Jim Russel's new job and F. Everly's discomfiture, MacDonald's enlistment, etc. A copy of The Spirit confirmed most of the information relayed by you and Dobson.
I was surprised and pleased at the expectations of Frances and Raymond.
It's easy to picture John in his commando helmet (the boys in England call British beauties Commandoes!) and would love the hear him sing even one bar of "Deep in the Heart of Texas." And I would love to inspect personally the new brown suit which you must decorate so curvaceously. Ah -- me!
The photographs Jean took at the canteen were all swell and I'm carrying them with me to punctuate conversations. Incidentally, I was amused to read a request for 1-A film after I had requested both camera and film from you. It will be a shame to miss a photographic record of these Oriental nights but can't be helped I guess.
I was amused when I was interviewed at my present camp by a classification sergeant. When he learned I was from the QM School's Class IV he grinned and said, "I was graduated from Class I."
When we drove out of Shenango the last face I saw from the rear of the truck on the way to the station was Shayer, the Californian with whom I spent my last Shenango weekend. And as we drove into our present camp, halfway around the world, I looked out of the truck and saw Shayer grinning at me! He and several others from QM school had left Shenango a month after we did. What a life!
All my love,
S.
Believe me, I've never seen a sunset, moonrise or falling star without thinking of US. And there'll come a day! Watch out!
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