Spitball Army

[Written to Alice in Acton, Indiana.  Return addressed: Richard, Ward 43, U.S.N.H., St. Albans, L.I., N.Y.  Postmarked at Jamaica, N.Y., on 4 Apr 1946 at 1:30 P.M.]

April 5 [sic], 1946

Hello Sweetheart,

     As I told you in yesterday’s letter, I was going to check on the survey.  Well, I did.  The report on my chest x-Ray was back and I am O.K. as far as it is concerned.  But they hadn’t typed my survey up yet.  I’m rushing them all I can.  Maybe I can get the papers down to the record office today.  Once they get down there, there isn’t much I can do but wait until they get them all fixed up.  I can’t rush them any.

     I had a visitor yesterday afternoon.  Do you know who it was?  Mrs. C—-.  She certainly surprised me.  You told me over the phone last Sunday night that they were up here, didn’t you?  Anyway, I had forgotten all about it and she really surprised me.

     Well Sweetheart, you should get my BIG letter today.  Would it be all right, under the circumstances, if I came home this month in stead of waiting till the 2nd-6th of May?  You suggested those dates in your letter but I just don’t think I’ll be able to wait around here until then.  The heck with it – I’m coming home as soon as I can.  Do you still want to know what the score is on the convelescent furloughs?

     With Uncle Art and your mother both sending me Post Cards, I have more than I’ll write in a year.  So I’m going to start sending back a few in each letter.  Don’t misinterpret that.  I still want letters from you – not Post Cards.  I should write them but I’m waiting to hear from you and find out if you are going to tell everybody about my getting out in April in stead of September.  I received a long letter from Uncle Art and he asked me a million questions that I can’t answer until you tell what information you are going to let out.  The last card I wrote him, I told him that the rest of the stitches were coming out that day and that then it would just be a matter of time.  Here’s what he wrote back – – – “Now this card says it was wrote the 19th.  And I think it is my time for another card and don’t forget to explain this (I am supposed to get the rest of the stitches taken out today (that would be the 19th) Then it will just be a matter of time.)  What do you mean by a (matter of time) Would it be such a thing that you may come home soon.  No I don’t think there is no such good lulck.  Because we are of the opinion that you can’t come home before September.  Now listen I know it is hard

[Here, the letter ends.]

This newspaper cartoon was included with the letter: