Probably Postmarked June 29 or 30, Envelope Missing

June 29, 1943

1400

Dear Folks,

Well today is the day we start work. We have swimming this afternoon for the physical training and we report to the shop at 1600.

Yesterday we saw Great Lakes beat Camp Grant in baseball 10-2. The team includes many ex big league players such as Johnny Mize. We also saw a happy hour last night, and it was pretty good.

Our barrack are right on the shore of the lake and that makes it pretty cool at nite. The temperature was 95 degrees yesterday afternoon, but still it was cold enough to need blankets at nite.

That is about all for now. I'll write and let you know how the school is, and what we do.

Love to all,

Paul

Postmarked June 28, 1943

June 26, 1941

Dear Folks,

I got your letter today and was glad to here from you. I was pretty busy yesterday, as we had to scrub all our canvas (ditty bags, sea bags, and hammocks) for inspection today. Next week I will have a 32 hour liberty over the fourth of July week-end. We have a bag inspection before every liberty. The clothes don't have to be rolled, but everything must be clean.

We had a lecture today and also got our textbooks. We have a book on shop theory by the Ford Trade School and also the Lathe book by South Bend. I would like a copy of the Machinist's Handbook and also a chain for my dogtag. I tried to get one but they don't have them.

As I told you in my last letter, we start Classes this Monday It's almost "lights out," so I'll close with

Love to all,

Paul

Postmarked June 25, 1943

June 24, 1943

Dear Folks

Well I finally have got to school here at Great Lakes after all. We have night school our shift is from 16:30 to midnite, but we can sleep till 0800 in the morning. We start classes Monday. Here is my adress, and this time its a lulu

Paul H. Kleinman F3c

Sec. M 6-16 Brcks 605 U.S. Service School,

U.S. N.T.S.

Great Lakes, Ill.

In addittion to shop work, we stand watches, have an hour of physical training every day, stand inspections and keep the barracks clean. We get 32 hour liberty every other weekend.

The course is for 16 weeks. The first 12 are spend on machine shop work and the last 45 on steam turbines.

After graduation, we get a 66 hour liberty, which would hardly be enough for me to come home on unless I get delayed orders, in which case I might not have to report for a couple of weeks. However that is all a long way off.

That is all I have time for, so I will close with

Love to all,

Paul

Postmarked June 23, 1943

June 22, 1943

Dear Folks,

Well, it won't be long now. I am on draft and have transferred to the Shipping barracks, which is a sort of outgoing-outgoing unit. I will probably be leaving in ad day or two; as for where, your guess is as good as  mine, and there are schools all over the country.

It was real hot again today, it looks like summer is here to stay. You wouldn't think one place would be so cold in winter and hot in summer.

I can't think of anything to write and nothing happens here to tell about, so I will close with

Love to all,

Paul

Postmarked June 22,1943

June 21, 1943

Dear Folks,

Well, I spent my 35 hour liberty in Milwaukee this weekend and had a pretty good time. I went up with another fellow who had been there before and knew the way around better than I did. We shared a room in the Hotel Pfister, which is one of the best hotels in Milwaukee. We got tickets at the U.S.O., so the room only cost us a buck each. We saw a few shows, and he introduced me to a couple of girls, and all in all it was a pretty good liberty. Milwaukee is a good town for a sailor, the people are freindly and treat us like kings.

I saw George last night. After I got back I went over to boot camp for an hour. I created quite a stir there too compared to those rookies, I am a salty veteran. George seemed pretty happy and he looked well, I'm sure his mother will be be glad to hear this.

Today is really a scorcher, the temperature must be close to 100 degrees. I hung some clothes out to dry, and they were practically dry before I even got thru hanging them up, which gives you an idea how hot it is.

Now that I am off K.P., I am living the life of Rielly. Outside of keeping the barracks clean, and about an hour's exersise in the morning, we don't have a thing to do. I'm afraid this paradise won't last, tho, as I am sure to be drafter out this week, perhaps tomorrow or the next day.

I got your letter and am glad Dad and Ralph had a good day. I'd like to know just what they caught. I also got the pictures and was glad to get them.

That's about all, so I'll close with

Love to all,

Paul

Postmarked June 18, 1943

June 17, 1943

Dear Folks,

Well, I finally got off K.P., and I'm not sorry; ten days of that is enough for anybody I'll miss that toast and orange juice for breakfast. I have gotten spoiled pretty bad, and its going to be hard going back to ordinary chow.

I bought some machinist's mate striker badges to sew on my jumpers, and I am sending one home as a souvenir. I wear it on my left sleeve, about half way between the wrist and elbow.

Friday is payday - I don't know home much I am getting, but it should be about $25 or $30. When I get paid, I am going to buy a raincoat, which will coast $7.50. Their is a tailor shop hear where we can get our clothes cleaned and pressed, but it takes 4 or 5 days to get work done, so I can't take a chance, as I may be leaving any day.

I called up George last night, and he seems to like it O.K. He has joined the drum and bugle corps, and seems to be getting along fine. I hope to be able to get to see him this Sunday.

That's about all, so I will close with,

Love to all,

Paul

Postmarked June 16, 1943

June 15, 1943

Dear Folks,

I am still on K. P., but I will be getting off in another day or two. The other day they sent out all machinist's mates up to Co. 399, so i am pretty sure to be on the next draft, whenever it leave O. G. U.

The weather here has been pretty warm the last few days, and it looks like summer is here to stay. I didn't get any letter from you today, so I guess there will be two tomorrow.

This weekend I will have a 35 hour liberty from 1300 Saturday to 2200 Sunday, if I am still here.

i wish I could think of something interesting to write but I can't. Besides, it is almost lights out, so I will close with

Love to all,

Paul

Postmarked June 15, 1943

Dear Folks,

I just got back from calling up, and it was good to hear your voices, even though the iine wasn't so good.

There isn't to much to write, as I told you practically everything on the phone. 

In all probability I will be out of here by the end of this week. We are right near the lake here, the mess hall where I work is right on the waterfront. The word "lake" is deceiving, lakes are supposed to be small, but this one is plenty big. You could put the bay in there and lose it.

We sleep in 3 decker bunks over hear and mine is right up on top about ten feet high. To get into bed requires quite a climb. I am getting the papers O. K., the are being forwarded here. I had quite a pile of them waiting for me when I got back.

I guess that is all, so i will close with

Love to all,

Paul

P. S. When you write, be sure to include my middle initial, as there is another Paul Kleinman here, and the only difference is in our middle names.

Postmarked June 12, 1943

June 10, 1973

Dear Folks,

This letter will be a short one for two reasons, one there isn't much to tell, and second, I haven't much time as it is almost lights out. I am still on K. P. as I will be for several days yet. Today, about a dozen Waves came in our mess hall for dinner, which was something out of the ordinary.

The O. G. U.  barracks is like Grand Central Station. There are guys coming in and leaving every day. I am trying to keep everything in order as much as possible so that it will not take me too long to get lashed up when we do get our orders to move. There are rumors of a big machinist's mate draft leaving Monday, but you can't put too much faith in that scuttlebutt that goes around.

That's about all, so i will close with,

Love to all,

Paul

Postmarked June 10, 1943

June 9, 1943

Dear Folks,

Well, I am on K. P. again. I was stuck on it the second day here and I don't know when I'll get off. I will probably be on it about 10 days, unless I am sent to school sooner. However, it is not so bad, since I am in the officer's mess, so we get orange juice, toast and other unheard of delicacies.

I heard from George today, and believe it or not, he is right out here at the Lakes. I got a card from him today, and he seems to like it so far. I will not be able to see him until I get off K. P.

I got some mail today that you wrote before I came home, and also a pile of papers. We don't get our mail delivered here, we have to go and get it ourselves. Please give all the folks my new adress, as I would like to here from them. I will probably not be able to write much as I will not have the time, but I will try to call Sunday nite. That's all for now.

Love to all,

Paul

Postmarked June 8, 1943

June 7, 1943

Dear Folks,

Before I start, here is my new adress,

Paul Kleinman F3c

Co. 403 O.G.U.

U.S.N.I.S.

Great Lakes, Ill.

Well I got in O.K. this morning on time, in spite of the fact that the train was about 20 minutes late, and I took time out for breakfast in Chicago. I am now in an outgoing unit barracks and we do not do a thing here, just lay around the barracks all day. We will have liberty every weekend having Saturday off one week and Sunday the next. I was pretty busy this afternoon getting my bunk in order and my washing done. Naturally I don't know how long I'll be here or where I'll be going after I do leave. It is very cool out here much, cooler than in N.Y. There isn't aything more to write, so I will close with,

Love to all,

Paul

Postmarked July 3, 1943

Dear Folks,

Well, my first week of school. Last night we cut a gear on a milling machine and tonite we are working on shapers. It was the first gear I ever cut and the first time I used a standard index head, but at that I guess I knew more than most of them.

Last week I made an allotment of $12.50 a month for war bonds It will not start till Oct. 1, and by then I will probably be going out to sea and will not have any place to spend my pay anyhow, so I guess I night as well save some of it.

I am going to Milwaukee tomorrow on a 32 hour liberty, from 1600 Saturday to 2400 Sunday. I just got my dress jumper back this morning from the tailor. I had it altered so that it now fits me perfectly. The weather has not been to warm, so I guess I will wear blues, since the uniform is optional on an overnight liberty.

That's about all, so I will close with

Love to all,

Paul