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 25 December 1944 at 9 p.m.]

Dec. 15, 1944.

Dear Ralph –

I have 2 V-mails of yours to answer, so here goes.  Don’t know how we got overlapping.  In answer to some of your questions, I’m afraid I won’t be of much help.  In the Merchant Marine your pay varies.  Increases by leaps and bounds the closer you get to the front.  Over here they make right around $300 a month.  A good deal if there ever was one.  I don’t know much about the A.T.S., guess it runs along the same lines.  No, I’ve never stopped at Tahiti, nor anywhere near there, so I have no idea what it’s like.  No doubt it’s a very nice place though.  We’re still here on the same spot and don’t seem to have definite intentions of leaving too soon.  I do sorta expect to see you in at least three months anyway.  Hope so at least!  It seems this darned war will last a couple more years so I really expect to be coming out this way again soon after we have our leave in the States.  Oh well, I’d like to see some more of this world as long as Uncle Sam pays for the tickets.  Providing of course, that it’s round trip!  Say “Hello!” to your mother and don’t celebrate too much over the holidays.

So long –
Bud.