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 15 November 1944 at 2:30 p.m.]

Nov. 7, 1944.

Dear Ralph –

Election Day once again!  How are you doing?  Still the old radical Red or are you a die hard Republican?  Too much red-tape from over here so I skipped voting this time.  Thanks for all the cheerful news about post war jobs for us veterans!  From what we read and hear, it just didn’t appear to look that way.  Hope you’re right.  As for me, don’t over-estimate my abilities.  You see, I’ve forgotten almost all I knew and really haven’t learned a thing in the past 2 years that will help me in the future.  Wait till you hear how things are done in this outfit.  We’ll all have to start from scratch again, as far as knowledge is concerned.  Plenty of time for that when the time arrives though.  I might even consider to go abroad with some big construction company.  Ought to be plenty of foreign building going on.  Still here at the same place but I do sorta expect to see you soon after the first of the year.  Hope my wishes come true!  I’m fit as a fiddle and hope this finds you and your mother the same.  Write again soon and keep your fingers crossed for good luck.

So long for now.
Bud.