November 17, 1943

Dear Mom, Pop, Jerry, Mary and Mat,
   Here it is - the land of sunshine Beautiful California. Remember Mom how I said we were going to go to California some day. Well I am here now how are you going to get here? Give me time and the Chellis brain should start clicking.
   I arrived here a few hours ago and this hospital is a beautiful place. I am in a wark with about fifteen other cadets. I have been talking to one of them and from what I gather this place is a racket. No study, no work, plenty of sleep and too ??? much liberty. The have moovies in the hospital every night.
   Maybe I had better start from Las Vegsa and explain my wild trip to the hospital. Yesterday morning I was to catch the 0715 pullman. As could be expected, the train was two hours late. When it finally did come in, we were out of our bunks. Two Arabian knights had hired two entire cars.Some crust. We (three other cadets washed out and myself) had to wait another hr for the coach section of the train. We were lucky to get seats on that wreck. Without a doubt, Lincoln must have enjoyed riding in those cars but Chellis wasn't the least bit impressed with the air-conditioning. When we stopped at Albequerque, we took a shot in the dark and asked the ticket agent if there was a possibility of getting a pullman. Lucky us- for eight bucks a piece plus our government train tickets we could get a bedroom and an upper and a lower. Nothing like comfort, so we took them. We took our luggage off the wreck and waited a half hr for the "Chief".Oh what a beautiful train. One of those slick, silver, streamline jobs. One of the other cadets and myself took the bedroom. Boy I was living in style. My mother taught me to be a gentleman so I should live like a gentleman. That wsa real class, our own washbowl, toilet and all the privacy in the world. It was costing us a little more money but it was worth every bit of it.
  We were furnished with meal tickets for a dollar a meal. That helped a little since my meal came to a little over two dollars. Boy-what food. Real class. I didn't know what to do with all the knifes and spoons they threw at me. I guess we were the only servicemen on the train that weren't officers.
   After supper we went back to the lounge car. Boy we were sitting on the top of the world.
   About 2030 we had the porter make up our bunks and then turned in.
   At about 4 o'clock I was awoken by the door slamming against my bunk. I threw it shut and started to turn in again. Then I thought it would be a good idea to see if all my clothes and money were there. After carefully checking my pockers I discovered my orders had disappeared. That put me in a fix. I woke the other fellow and we turned the place up side down. After a fruitless search , we figured our sleep was being neglected so in to our bunks again.
  I woke a couple of hrs later just to see the sun rising over the Rockies. Boy it was beautiful. As the sun rose higher, it's rays painted the rocky slopes into a gorgeous color blended backround. I layed in bed looking out the window, appreciating the beautiful scenery for almost an hour. By that time it was breakfast.
   When we went to the diner I ask the stewart if he found my orders and, low an behold there they were. Luck of Irish.
  What a breakfast I packed away. Those meals are few an far between so I went to make the most of them. This meal only cost me a buck and a half.
   About noon today we arrived in Los Angeles. I don't want to describe the beautiful scenery I ran across this morning. that will come later on in another letter.
   The other three cadets had to catch another train for San Diego so I bid them good bye. Coming down the platform from the train I passed by Anita Louise. She was waiting for her mother who was on the same train as I was on.
    After checking my bags, I went over to the Los Angeles Selection Board where they gave me a routine physical and gave me orders to go to Long beach Naval Hospital. I picked up my baggage again and hopped a street car to Long Beach, then a cab to the hospital. That was my trip. Now I am "only" 3000 miles from home.
   Speaking of home, I have heard that my chances of getting a leave are very bright. They don't even blink an eye when they give thirty days. It would be swell if I could get home for Christmas.
   Before I forget it. I have been inquiring about cameras out here and it is next to impossible to buy one. I would sure love to take some pictures out here. Do  you think you could rush one out here. If you can get films, it would be appreciated. Thanks a million.
                            That's about all for the present.
                                 Your loving son, brother and nephew,
                                                                                           Jim