Dear Folks:
It’s lunch time now and I feel inclined to write so here goes before one o’clock comes around.
I took some pictures a few days ago that show the camp and thought you would be interested. The tent is our orderly room (1), two and three are general pictures of the camp with our battery in the foreground. In the background is Yakima Valley and beyond that is Mt. Rainier that didn’t show up in the picture. Number four shows our guns, the nearest one being camouflaged with sagebrush, five is our kitchen—looks like a lonely outpost on the desert doesn’t it? The stoves and ranges are in the back of the truck barely visible. Six is me in front of my boudoir and in the background is a truck tarpaulin under which we put our barracks bags and hang our clothes. Seven is our washstand—notice the bleak background. The other picture shows a gun the same as ours, it shows three of the crew of eight.
Well everything else is normal. Something really funny happened yesterday in the field. A slap happy dodo that you find in every outfit was wanting a match for a cigarette very badly and not finding one promised he was going to stop the next person and get the match. Well it was the general himself on a visit so he was the victim. He was a little taken back but obliged with a grin.
So long for now.
Love,
Enclosed in this envelope was another 2 page handwritten letter, signed only “Mother” (Harold’s grandmother, Gram Waid):
Friday PM
My dear children:
It seems so long since I heard from you folks. Jim got Dick’s letter and we all enjoyed it a lot, coming from him. Am glad he got work so quick for know he isn’t happy sitting around. I intended sending his clothes this week but have been pretty busy with my little girl. Her mother isn’t getting along very well. We insisted on her being taken home Wednesday evening. We loved the little thing. Too much for me. One of those little folks that had a way of getting into things. Well Jim’s vacation hasn’t ended yet. He really needed the rest and lighter work. He has some prospect of getting on for the City commencing Monday morning. We expect to hear from Howard Jackson every day to say when he can get off to come and see us. Am making some cookies to send to him tomorrow. Will make some for Harold soon but haven’t heard from him for some time. A letter would sure look good and relieve my mind a lot. I do love him so. I wish things had turned out so you could have come out this summer but we must go on hoping for a meeting later on. Phillip Grave is sorry I forgot your birthday. Will make it good soon. Dick and I talked about it just before he left and I can’t understand how I forgot it. Just to show you how scarce rooms are here. I’ll tell you we rented the garage to two fellows to sleep in. In order to lawfully do it, must offer them use of bath and toilet. They haven’t been in yet. They both stay at North Island and only want garage to sleep in. There isn’t anything to rent on the island and lots of building going on, houses for sale but not to rent. When this is over people will be leaving here like rats. Of course you get all the war news so I can’t add anything to it. To say the least, it’s awful. We have found it hard to get by with so little sugar. They tell us we can use our no. 7 tomorrow. This will save the day for me. Not much baking these days. If one could feel it was necessary, it wouldn’t hurt so. They tell us coffee will be rationed next. June and I have a little canned goods stored away. Am getting some more next week. Russia is in for it. Guess Hitler gets them all doesn’t he. Let’s hope we don’t have him to deal with. Hope the second had business is increasing. Guess Dick told you about my new furniture. It’s at least a little improvement on the old. And we must be thankful for small favors. Junes are all well. She lives very easily of course. Karen is anxiously waiting her little baby brother’s appearance. Mrs. Johnson hasn’t mentioned anything about taking Karen and I hope she doesn’t for I would like to keep her of course. I wonder about Kathleen. How she is and must write her sometime. Seems to go so fast. Maybe it is a good thing. Well think I have told you all the news and will write to Laura tonight. I do get homesick to see you all, but must be patient.
Love,
Mother
Glad Virgil enjoyed his wine.