Spitball Army

[Written to Alice in Frankfort, Indiana. Return addressed: Richard, Plt. 622, R.D.M.C.B., San Diego 41, Calif. Postmarked in San Diego, Calif., on 16 June 1944 at 11 AM.]

June 16, 1944

Hi Sweetheart,

     Before I get started, there are a couple of things I must say.  (1.) I love you.  (2.) How about sending som me some Gem razor blades¹ (single or double) and a cake?  Don’t mix the two up.  You can put them both in the same package, but don’t put the razor blades in the cake.  O.K.??  After all, I’m doing my best to get these letters to you.  And I’m sending as many as I can.

     Well, we will be leaving here before long.  We leave the 25th for the Range².  That’s about 25 miles from here.  I don’t know exactly how long we will be there, but I think it will be 4 weeks.

     We had a big Parade today.  More fun.  It lasted an hour and a half.  There was about 1600 men in it.  I thought it was fun but it was “Greek” to most of the fellows including the instructors.  For me it was easy.  It was just about the same thing I went through every Sunday while I was in Tennessee.  One exception of course, it was on a much larger scale.

     I would have a lot more time to write to you; BUT, we are entertained in the evening.  They have a picture show every night and you have to go.  The entertainment makes me tireder than the training we go through.  We have been to the show 5 times in the past week.  Tonight we have to see “Lost Angel.”  And now I’ll have to go to the show.

     Good-Night Sweetheart
          I’ll be thinking about you to-night, wishing you were with me at the show.
               I love you with all my heart.
                    x x  Pleasant Dreams.
                              ‘Nite Sweetheart.
                                   x x

¹  Pictured below is a Gem razor blades advertisement circa 1944:

²  Rifle and training ranges for the U.S. Marine Corps are located at Camp Pendleton, just north of Oceanside and south of San Clemente on the California coast.