August 8, 1943

Dear Mom, Pop, Jerry, Mary & Mat,

  Here it is Sunday morning. I just came back from church and breakfast. I am the only one in the room so I thought this would be a swell time to write.
  This s about the best time of the week because it it the only time I can rest. I am sitting in the window sill trying to write legible while the radio is playing a series of Harry James records. No one around to talk to, no one to watch for throwing pillows at me. Now they are playing "Merry-go-around Polka". Who the heck ever heard of that? If you ask me all these polka's are the same. I can't tell the difference.
  So Ray McWilliams came home. Boy- he certainly traveled a bit in such a short time. The Ramblers are roaming the four corners of the world now days. Nothing too good for them.
  I never see the papers up here and honestly I didn't know how the Dodgers were making out. One of the fellows just told me that they are down to fourth place but..... I also heard that the Giants had just paid the rest of their yearly rent for the cellar position.
  My dear father must be a sight ripping around Woodhaven on his bicycle. Getting young in your days, right Pop?
  You know I have just the hike for you to keep you in time. Every morning we march to school, a distance of from the house to Victory Field. The tough part is climbing the 283 steps. I am a dead duck every morning when I get to school.
   Walter Babu from Brooklyn Prep came up here as a cadet last week. Maybe you remember he was the big husky blonde hair boy that visited me while I was in Kings County. He was out in Notre Dame for a year and a half before they called him.
  I guess Mary showed you that look "they say" they give you at the Dime. Did you read my letter? The Dime sends a copy to each man in the service so naturally yours truly received one. I showed the fellows my letter and most of them went into hysterics. It sounded good, though didn't it?
  Mary- I think I know who Miss Tweedy means about Bud and Parker meeting down in Tennessee. Bud Storrs and Warren Parker are both in the Army Air Corp (Booooo.) They were working with me down in the Dime.
  So you don't have to take any more guff from "Flash". Tough, Mary you won't have any reason to complain anymore.
  They have just reported on the radio that the Normandie has been raised 19 degrees. That's quite a piece of engineering that they are doing.
  How are you making out with your German friends, Mom? Still knocking them dead.
  What a relief in is to have the final tests over with.
   My friend Vinny Candia hasn't been doing hasn't been doing too well and most of the fellows thing that he is on his way home.
  I just received a notice from the Navy Department that after September 1, 1943, I cannot leave the Navy. If anyone wishes to leave before then they must do it before the dead-line. The way some of the fellows are talking they might try to transfer to the Army Air Corp. They have an idea that it might be a little easier. Not for me, I am sticking this out to the end. This is the service with all the gravy.
  Two of the boys just came back from Oenata " City of the Hills". Did you every hear of that place? Boy do we kid them about that place. They had to come back early to do to classes at 2:00pm (1400) . Tough, mighty tough.
  Seeing that I have quite a few letter to write I had better close.
                                                              Your loving son, brother,nephew,
                                                                                                      Jim

August 7, 1943

Dear Mom, Pop, Mat, Jerry and Mary,
   Did you think I had forgotten you. Not in the least. I guess I will have to give you the same old line. " I haven't had a chance". No kidding this is the first letter I have written in a week.
  Well I took my final tests today and I believe I passed them all. What a grind, I really have been cracking the books but now the gravy. We will not have anything to do for the next three weeks or when ever we get shipped out. It certainly is a relief to know I have gone this far without too much trouble.
  A new battalion of cadets came in this week and eighty-five of them were from Texas and the surrounding states. I was talking to some of them the other day. They told me to grab at the chance to go to Texas for C.A.A.W.T.S. ( my next station). Plenty of time to yourself and always beautiful weather. The way they described it, Texas seemed to be a "Paradise".
  Nothing new on whether we are to get a leave. Everything seems to be so uncertain that it has me in a fog. Most of the fellows are making plans for a leave so I hope we aren't disappointed.
  Vin Candia and myself are the only ones staying at the house, in my room, over the weekend. I am too tired to make the trip home. You know, it's one rush after another.
  Received quite a few letters from home this week. Can't remember them off-hand but thanks to everyone.
  I will close now and try to get off a long letter tomorrow.
                                                                           Your Navy man,
                                                                                             Jim