Spitball Army

[V-mail addressed to Ralph N., Richmond, California.  Return addressed to E.R.G., C.M. 3/C, 55th Battalion, Company D, Platoon 4, c/o FPO San Francisco, California. Envelope postmarked 21 September 1943 at 11:30 p.m.]

Sept. 12 – 43.

Dear Ralph –

Your V-mail of Aug. 25, arrived last night so will drop a few lines in answer.  So Dee Burke is in the shipyards too, huh?  Boy what a surprise but don’t jump too much if you even see Lucas in there as a flanger’s helper.  Ha, ha.  Tell Dee, the next time you see him that the Gov’t can use him in seeing that us guys get a decent fit in shoes.  He fixed my feet once.  Remember?  It’s Sunday afternoon over here and we have the P.M. off.  Another fellow and I hiked up into the hills and jungles, took a few pictures, and then found some long vines hanging from the tops of the trees.  Boy what fun we had.  You should have seen us swinging to and fro like a bunch of apes or like Tarzan.  I’m sorry I can’t send you any pictures from over here, the censor says “no,” you know.  Can’t even get ‘em developed here now.  Latest news is that in about a month we finish our job here and then head back to our old headquarters in Australia.  I guess the gold braid thinks we can stand some rest and relaxation.  Perhaps be there a month or so and then onto a new job in another area.  Sure be nice to get back amongst white folks once again.  A place where you can get beer, ice cream, milk shakes and buy a meal for a change.  Be nice to see a white gal again too.  Hope we have a long voyage before our next job.  Well Ralph, write again soon, huh?

So long now
Bud.