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 27 November 1944 at 3:30 p.m.]

Nov. 13 – 44.

Dear Ralph –

Just finished reading a book from the local library so now with nothing to do I’ll answer your letter of the 27th.  I usually see our free movie every night (that is, when a good picture is on), tonight it was Red Skelton so I just stayed away.  This afternoon I helped dock a ship just three weeks out of Pedro.  Small world, isn’t it?  Yet we can’t seem to make connections getting across that way.  Still hoping though!  Yesterday was an anniversary for us fellows from the Bay district.  Two years of active service!  It seems like ten years since that train started east from Oakland.  For the past six months I’ve been hoping for another rating but it seems to be no soap.  They say the battalion is over-rated now so the new rates are coming out few and far-between.  If we do go home I probably won’t make it until we ship out again.  Oh well, that discharge paper is what I want the worst.  Hope everything is O.K. with you and your mother.

So long now.
Bud.