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 10 August 1944 at 9 a.m.]

July 22 – 44.

Hello Ralph –

First I want to thank you for the nice big pile of Fore & Aft magazines you sent me.  Been a long time since I saw those and I do enjoy looking through them.  My boss here is an old hand from Yard #2 and he [pours] through them after I’m through.  He has recognized a lot of old-timers there.  Still going strong over here and hoping to see the States sometime this year.  Our conditions are improving a lot too.  Food is much better now and yesterday we had our first free issue of U.S. canned beer.  Boy, did that hit the spot!  I’m almost sure that Harry is up here within a few miles of us.  Probably won’t run into him though.  Had the day off yesterday, it was my birthday, so I took a nice boat ride and got some interesting pictures.  Say, am I getting old, 33 now! [Birth date: 21 July 1911]  The darned flies are sticky tonight, guess we might have rain tomorrow which is normal about every 3 days.  Well Ralph, write again and say “hello” to your mother.

So long now
Bud.