May 20,1943 1720

Dear Folks,
   Unlike Bobby I will address the leters to mother but they are meant for everyone. I haven't had much time to write home in the past few days. Counting today's mail I have received sixteen letters in the past four days.
  Everything is going alone pretty smoothly but I ache all over. They are giving us a real workout in gym. Don't worry though, in another week I will be a superman. At 1330 this afternoon I received my fourht needle. This one was for typhoid. Nothing happened until two hours afterwards, then......... Is my arm sore. It's disgusting. Some of the fellows didn't even eat supper. Along with their stiff legs, the boys are good candidates for 4F. Did you hear that groan. Someone just tried to take his sweater off. I guess this gripe letter wouldn't be complete if I didn't complain about the bell that so rudely disturbs our sleep at 0545 every morning. What they call that bell, they shouldn't call Hitler. It's a routine now. They curse Hitler, they curse the Navy, they curse the Officer of the Day, they curse everything that has any connection with the ringing of the bell. You only have 1/2 a minute to be out of bed. If you are caught, you receive two demerits (punishment- walk one hour with a gun on y our shoulder for each demerit.) I am in the top bunk and when that bell stops, my eyes are still blurry. I just throw my feet out of the bunk, push off and pray that I land safely.
  Yesterday I received letters from Oliver, Ruth Drayton (the girl I worked with), my own dear mother, Muriel Eichler, Rose Dene (another girl from the bank).
  Today I received letters from Al Laguskaus, Jack Purcell, Bob Ludwig
  From the letters I have received, Bub must have had a good time rollerskating.
  Thanks, Jerry, for the Dodgers scores. I haven't seen a paper or heard a radio since I have been here.
  By the way Bub, how is that softball team of yours making out? Are you still twirling them for the dear old routing dept?
  Thanks for that volume that you sent me mother. It took me fifteen minutes to read it and I imagine you were tping for a couple of hours.
  I don't know exactly how I to get radio but I think the simplest means is to have it sent up here by mail.
  The work hasn't been too bad so far but they do everything on the double up here. From 0700 until 1200 you do not have a minute to yourself.
  Food is still plentiful. Every day I have been up here I drank 2 1/4 quarts of milk. Believe it or not I have lost five pounds though. I am down to 157. Relax, mother, that was all fat I lost.
  I think I had better close now because tjere are still quite a few letters to be written.
                                                                           Your Navy friend,
                                                                                          Jim
P.S. If you have a dictionary that isn't being used, will you please send it to me. Room 22 has eight of the worst spellers up here.