June 28, 1943

Dear Folks,
  Here I am at my new home. As I told you before it is at 36 1st St in downtown Troy. What  a mad house RPI was this morning. It's no easy job to move 600 men with all their gear but I was surprised that it was done so smoothly and timely.
  There are 62 cadets in this particular house and we are definitely overcrowded. In my room there are eleven others besides myself. I have the same fellows with me, with a few more added. When we ran for our beds this morning it reminded me of the '49 gold rush. Cadets ran all over the place within 10 seconds and yelled "this is my bunk" whn they found a place suitable. A few of the boys including myself) sort of ganged up on the rest and had hustled our bunks before we even reached the house. There is more than one way to skin a cat (Dirty rats aren't we).
  We are off from 1600 to 2130 today so I went out and ordered my whites. Boy are the sharp. Won't  my mammy be proud when her two sons go marching down to church on Sunday and her husband "the Colonel" walking beside her.
   I received a letter from Mary , my dearest sister,k and Jerry "Oliver" today. Bobby sent me a letter today and told me he was to be married while he was home on furlough. What's the story?
  They have a Coca Cola machine in our house. So far today the boys have drank ten cases.
  Say is it hot down in New York? It's terrific up here. They issued us heavy kaki shirs which must be worn with collar buttoned. I am sweating away a ton.
  Do you, mother, I haven't been able to catch you home for the past three phone calls. My mammy seems to be stepping out lately. More power to you.
   Mat seems to have become a regular working lady. It's swell as long as you like the work and the pay.
  Say mother, is that son of yours laying around the house for the summer. He has the life but.... wait until the Army gets him. They'll make a man of him "It says here"
  Pappy, this place is right around the corner from the Troy Savings Bank. Maybe that will give you an idea of the section I am in. All these houses remind me of Greenwich Village. The are high stoop "mansions" old shutters and high ceilings. Yes sir, the Ritz has nothing on us cadets.
  It sounds as if we are in for a beautiful thunderstorm. Maybe this will be the end of the heat wave- I hope.
  Perhaps I better close now I want to shave before those wild men come in.
                                                              Your loving son,
                                                                           Jim
P.S. Are the Giants really still in the league?