Sept 15, 1943 – Alex’s first long letter “You ought to see me in my uniform”

This is the letter that Sylvia was responding to in the last letter I posted from her.

Look at the beautiful flourish on Sylvia’s name on the envelope!

Alex has just arrived at his camp and gotten settled in. He states so bluntly, “In our company we have around hundred and twenty fellows. They are the average, in everything also in intelligence.” But talks about two new pals of his and has a fairly optimistic outlook through the whole letter. “I miss both of you very much but I am happy to be here. The training their [sic] giving us will not harm me and also it is good to have had the record of having served your country. ” It’s interesting that he says it’s good to have a record of serving, rather than it is good to have served. Although he was just in training and he was sounding almost boy-ish and eager in this optimistic letter, he was already thinking about life after the war.

Wednesday

Sept 15, 1943

Dearest,

I am starting this letter I don’t know when it will be finished. The first night in the bunk was swell, I was so exhausted taht I fell asleep like a log, I woke up just a few minutes before wake up time which was fine so I didn’t get shocked when they pulled everybody’s leg to wake up. Just had breakfast which consisted of orange, two slices of bread and butter, farina, bacon and beans cake and coffee, not so bad, eh? You have gotten my first letter by this time, if you remember yesterday we really had it tough, when they day was over I didn’t know whether was coming or going and was so exhausted they worked us hard it won’t be that bad today. 

The gave us our clothing this is what we got, or perhaps it is too long to write all in detail but at any rate it is at a cost of $114 dollars, they gave us 2 pairs of shoes, a pair f snickers [sic] for the jim [sic]. You ought to see me in my uniform you will get a big kick out of it when I come home. Getting on that subject let me tell you that either we will get eight weeks of training and 9 days furlough or 12 weeks with 14 days furlough the later one would bring us to Christmas for furlough of course it is not up to us to choose. 

In our company we have around hundred and twenty fellows they are the average, in everything also in intelligence, I’ve met to [sic] fine boys in the train 

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Both are in my company, Martin and Gil, fairly intelligent and Gil plays chess which we will play in the future if we can get somewhere a set. Don’t send any now! I won’t know what to do with it because my locker is all jammed in with junk. We can’t smoke except when the officer in common allows you, and even then at a certain restricted spot called the smoking circle there are benches to sit down.  Cigarets here are 12c a pack aboard ship they say it is six. There are assembly halls where they give movies of course I have not seen any as yet. 

The Chief officer Mr McCane is a fine fellow, and all the men in all other companies tell us we are lucky to have him. He sounds rather stern but at the same time he is very willing to explain everything or to show how to do things I am glad therefore to work under him. Yesterday he told us in a little speech what the navy is, and how to behave and I shall do my best to conform, which doesn’t seem to me so hard. 

Well, how are you getting along? Do you miss me? Of course I should not have asked and little cookie? I miss both of you very much but I am happy to be here the training their [sic] giving us will not harm me and also it is good to have had the record of having served your country. 

This letter I don’t know know when will go out because we don’t have any one designated as the mailman as yet. Yesterday I mailed that letter but 

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Was only my ignorance of rules that saved me because I wasn’t supposed to leave my barrack. So I don’t know when will it be mailed. 

The camp is beautiful is located on Lake Geneva and it is huge, our own company’s location is on the east side of the lake but a mile from it. It is so big that I’ve rode from the reception room to our barracks for 10 minutes on a truck. There is no leaving the camp till the time of the furlough so us !! [?] wowwee!!! Aren’t you happy? There are of course some waves, but we don’t see them. 

Well, lovey, this is all for today in a few minutes we will have to line up. 

Millions of kisses and love to you and to the baby,

Alex

Give my love to my mom and sisters, to your mom and sister imc;es amd aunts Anette (?) and all! 

I’ll write again my love and give you some more of my impressions –

-A