I erled my rifle today

Mon. 11 Dec. ‘44

 

Dear folks,

Another day, another $2.64. I make 20% more pay now for overseas service. This won’t be so long tonight. Some of the things I said last time, I can’t say so I lined them out. The censor may clip them. The day goes faster now as I’m getting accustomed to it all. I got a good night’s sleep last night and either I was hungrier or the food was better because it tasted pretty good. I guess I can tell you what it was O.K. – bread, butter, jelly, oatmeal & potatoes. After eating they gave each one of us a little kit prepared by the Red Cross. They are quite nice. I got the little bag which when empty can be used for toilet articles, and inside it were some envelopes, a tablet, pencil, comb, razor blades (double edge unfortunately), life savers, shoe laces, soap, soap dish, a book and a pkg. of Chesterfields which I gave to one of the boys. I spent most of the morning on deck. I hope we keep on having good weather. It was really swell out today. The motion of the boat doesn’t seem to bother me any more for which I’m thankful. This afternoon we got a chance to see a show. It was on old one: “Coney Island” with Betty Grable & George Montgomery. When I saw it the first time conditions were much different. I saw it over a year ago at the good old U-Ark. theater in Fayetteville and the theater didn’t rock a bit. Today we were up a bit high and the higher, the more you rock. Anyway I still enjoyed it.

I got ambitious and erled my rifle today. It was about time too as rust was beginning to form. They inspected it this afternoon and it was O.K. We got our provisions from the P.X. this afternoon. They cut our ration every day but I have a little store of food I’m slowly building up, just in case. Supper tonight wasn’t bad – potatoes, carrots, bread, butter, and rice pudding. Tomorrow I’m on a mop detail to help clean the place after each meal.

I won’t answer your other letter tonight as it’s nearly bed time. I was up on deck awhile ago with one of my boys. I’ve picked up a new buddy or I should say he picked me up. I’ll tell you about him sometime. I’s swell out tonight, lots of stars and it’s good to get up for fresh air. Some of the fellows were singing Xmas carols. It makes me homesick as the dickens but I still like them better than any other music.

Well I’ll call this quits for tonight and start preparing for bed. So for tonight,

All my love,

Arlington