Dear Folks:

I’ve been pounding this machine like a cub journalist at a Democratic convention but now that things are quiet possibly I can use it for my own ends.

Well contrary to my expectations we are still here in Fort Lewis, but sitting on pins waiting for the day to leave.  I didn’t think we would be here this long but we are and possibly we may be here for another week, but it surely won’t be long before we leave for ‘Frisco.  By the way we have been advised to give our new address, so here it is, but it isn’t to be used until we change our station and I’ll let you know when we do:

Pvt. H G Moss 37086474
Btry. C 222 FA Bn.
APO 1288 % Postmaster
San Francisco, California

Got your telegram with the money and I really do appreciate it because I know what it means to you.  Also got your airmail letter today.  I hope you will feel free to use the money that I have allotted if you need it very bad.  Someday soon now you should also be getting the bonds.  As soon as we are overseas we are given a 20% increase in pay so I will have enough cash to get along on.  Also if anything should happen to me the government makes a gratuity payment of six months wages which would amount to about three hundred sixty dollars.  Things are still humming around here like an aircraft plane getting ready to leave and schedules have been made out for training on the boat so it can’t be far off.  Yesterday I mailed my sleeping bag home and also rolled up in it is my sweatshirt, OD sweater and civilian shoes.  Better give the bag to Dan for his long gone birthday—it would come in handy to use on all night camping trips and the like.  It needs cleaning and there are a couple of small holes in it on the inside that can be easily mended.

Suppose you both had a little blue spell after the telephone call and I wasn’t any different.  I guess the telephone is the next best thing to a furlough but I still didn’t say what I wanted to and like I wanted to.  Mom you acted very bravely and you held the tears to a minimum.

The girl (Mattie) I have been going with on and off on the Post gave me a nice diary and a small book to use for memories and that sort of thing.  She’s a swell gal but nothing to arouse my more tender instincts.  She hated to see me leave though.

There isn’t much else to write about.  I’m going to do a little laundry tonight so that all of it will always be clean then take a shower and hit the hay.  About the glasses you mentioned—the government furnishes one pair of GI’s free of cost so that with my own I will have two pair.  Also I am issued a pair of gas mask glasses.  Got a letter from Katie yesterday and I answered it right away.  Should also write a letter to Grandma although she hasn’t answered my last one.  Took more shots today.  They are getting to be like a cup of coffee for breakfast.  You may not hear from me for sometime after we leave Fort Lewis, because I understand all of our mail is held up until after we arrive at our destination so don’t think it is my neglect.  Also we are supposed to leave a couple of postcards in Frisco that will be mailed you when the convoy arrives.

I’m going to hate to go because it will mean such a long way from home and for as long as I’ve been away it will seem all the farther, but then we’ll just have to do what you said and hope for a quick end to it all.

Well goodbye for another letter.  Minatare would look like Shangri-la in springtime right now even if maybe it is just a whistle stop.  Don’t worry about me, that’s what the government is doing, and I’ll yet be making you pick up my scattered clothes.

Love,