Aug. 25, 1945

Aug. 25, 1945

Sweetheart,

Wanta hear my tale of woe?  Well ma’am yesterday morning I got up at six and began to get everything ready.  Pretty well straightened up by eight so I started to process I had to check out of every different bunch of the field ( officers mess, flight surgeon, dentist, Air Corps supplies, personal affairs, library, etc. etc. )   You take a clearance sheet with you and each one of these places has to sign it to show you didn’t have anything of theirs or owe them anything.  Must have walked ten miles getting to each of these places.  Finished up at noon and went to lunch at the club.  In the middle of the soup I was called over the loud speaker.  The Captain wanted me immediately.  I finished my lunch and went to his office.  Be ready to go at 1330.  That gave me an hour to shower and shave and pick up my suitcases and be at Operations.  I got there at 1430 due to no truck.  They had a stripped down b-25 waiting.  It’s a four hundred mile trip and would have taken 24 hours by train and bus and covered wagon.  We took off at 1500.  WE took our time getting here.  We landed at 1610.  400 miles in 69 minutes?  That’s about the fastest I’ve ever traveled.  Even with the police chasing me for throwing tomatoes.  So from 0600 to 1610 it was really rush rush rush.  I crawled out of the plane and looked about.  I shuddered!  First time I ever saw an open air morgue.  There was no one anywhere.  For an hour and a half I sat on my suit case and waited.  Finally a truck came out and I asked him. To take me to base headquarters.  The only ones there were the O.D. and they didn’t know what to do with me so I went to transit B.O.Q. and got a fifty cent room.  I got a little settled and then called “Staff”.They told me to report to “personal” at 0800 Monday.  After rushing my extremities off I get to sit around for 36 hours.  That is the Army.  Went over to the officers club to dig up some info.  I found out that the gang I was supposed to join had left Friday for Clovis.  Great!  Now I haven’t the slightest idea what’s gonna happen.  Probably find out tomorrow. 

     This field is spread out like Boca.  Tar paper barracks too.  Yesterday afternoon it was so hot in Tucson but when we got here last night it got real cold.  Two blankets worth.  I slept like a log.  Got up at seven, had some bacon and eggs, had to pay dining to get my thermos bottle filled with coffee and now am writing to a very beautiful young lady. 

     Just outside the field to the west is a desert.  Not just a second class one, but a real, live, genuine desert.  I noticed it from the plane.  First it was smooth white sand - it looked like glass- it seemed to be playing with the sun shining on it.  Then it began to ripple a bit.  Then the ripples got big and tumbleweed and cactus appeared.  Finally the clear sand disappeared and it was all tumbleweed and cactus.  Then came the field.  You’d have liked to have seen it.  It was very different.  That town is fifteen miles east of the field.  I’m going there this afternoon.  It won’t be much but I couldn’t rest if somebody had ever asked me if I had been to Alsmagordo and I said no.  It’s a matter of pride. 

     Now look here darling , I know you don’t like to plan and figure ahead too much but to me it’s fun.  So hear me out, Woman!  Got this thing figured down pat.  I figure our honeymoon will cost about 12.50 a day.  Some days less, some more, but we’ll have to average 12.50.  That’s for 180 days.  A new car will cost 1000$ and I still owe 860$. Wish I had an adding machine.  Well let’s see now.

      Ok the target is 4110.00.  Ya know if ya sort of glance at that quick it looks a little big.  Now lets knock it down.  I’ll pay 120$ this m month  - that leaves 3990$.   If I go overseas I’ll get 300$ mustering out pay - leaves 3690$.  If I go over I can save 200$ a month - say for one year (just a guess).  That’s 2400$. - leaves 1290$.  Pop gave Johnny and Lee 250$ for wedding presents - leaves 1040$.  See it’s only 1040$ now.  Ought to be able to save 190$ in nickels dimes and pennies so - 850$.   All we gotta do is dig up 850$.  That should be easy.  (How I don’t know).  Honey, this is all if’s and maybe’s but I get a kick out of it.  It’s like a puzzle and we’ve got to try and solve it.  Maybe I’m bats - I owe 860$ and I’m figuring how to get 3200$ besides that.  It’s insane, but maybe the only way we can do it is to be insane.  We’re gonna do it so let’s plot some more.  Here’s what you can do in the mean time.  Dig up a quart thermos bottle ( very important), a traveling iron, a navajo (or apache) blanket, may have to sleep in the car sometime, Road maps of the 48 states (I don’t know why, we’ll get lost anyway).   All the slacks, shorts, sweaters, etc. you’ll need.    Also a warm jacket.  A small radio, the kind you can use on batteries too!  A leather pillow.  Suitcases for you.  Two tennis rackets.  A flash light.  An alarm clock.  Put everybody’s address in a little black book.  Then burn it!   Have the cameras in working order.  Plenty of films.  A boy scout compass.  And towels and stuff like that there.  Wow, what a hope chest!  I wonder if our parents could have us put away for things like this?  Whoops — a flask!  Also - a spanish American dictionary.  You’ll probably have a lot of ideas and think of things so sound off.  Let’s start rotating as of now.

     There now I’ve had my say.  You do some talking now.  What do you think.  If you don’t like the idea sound off.  Would you rather do it some other way?  Rather not plan anything at all?  Rather take a train or plane?  Rather go to one or two places and stay there?  Well? 

      Gee honey, let’s get everything all settled so I can day dream about it all.  I feel good just talking about it.  Gotta run over to the P. X. And dig up some soap.

      As soon as I hear any news I’ll let you know. 

Bye for now darling

I love you and miss you

Ray

X.  <—a kiss