Letter #13: December 26, 1943

Dec. 26, 1943

Darling:

You will note my new, presumably permanent address:  "Hqs + Hqs Co, S.O.S, USAF, @ B.Im APO 885, c/o PM, New York, NY"

So, a year to the day from my actual induction, I have at last settled down.

I'm in a beautiful city of straight streets, cleanliness, and lovely cool climate (at least at this season.)  Our barracks are like college dormitories, with every convenience.

For Christmas Dinner we had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, peas, pumpkin, asparagus, celery, cranberries, cookies, chocolate cake, fruit cake, mints, candy and apple pie.  We had our choice of tomato juice or grapefruit juice.  I mention these things to illustrate the fact that compared to some of our previous locations we have reached a very swell place.  Some of the original QM school boys are still together, including Bush and Clark, whom Uncle Roy and Aunt Fanny met in Riverside, and I have already found good companions.

By the way, small souvenirs are on the way for you, Rob and John, Dad, Bee and Jimmie.  They are the best I could find in a brief, hurried shopping spree on a Sunday.  Later I hope to do better and remember others.    Yesterday I saw Joe E. Brown and Harry Bemis in person, but Christmas wasn't Christmas without snow and the fun of watching the kids open their presents and -- yours.  (My presents for the kids may fit by the time they arrive -- or maybe they're too small now.

All my love, S