Postmarked September 30, 1943

Sept 30, 1943

Dear Folks,

Got your letter and was glad to hear from you. About renewing the newspaper subscriptions, I think it would be better to wait, as I will only be here a couple of more weeks, and it would be better to wait until I get my new address.

By the way, you never told me whether Ralph got the sneakers O.K. THey should have arrived long ago.

The weather here, after being cold enough for peacoats for a few days, has warmed up considerably. I guess its just Indian summer and probably won't last long.

Last night we had instruments and fire-fighting equipment and the nite before we had physics and mechanical drawing , in which we made free hand irometric sketches. We don't have to do as much studying as we did the first weeks of steam but we are pretty busy still.

Love to all,

Paul

Postmarked September 27, 1943

Sept. 27, 1943

Dear Folks,

Got your letter Saturday just before going out on liberty and didn't have a chance to answer until now. the tickets and reservations arrived O.K. Saturday morning and that part is all set. As for me fasting the day I am home, well, when it comes to choosing between my appetite and my religion, religion hasn't got much of a chance.

A new bunch just moved in from Sampson N.Y. and we are having a lot of fun with them. they don't think much of this idea of living out of sea bags since they had lockers at Sampson. The course for machinist's mates has been shortened from 16 to 8 weeks but that won't affect us any.

As far as delayed orders, we can keeping hoping, but it is very unlikely. Most of the machinist's mates graduating are being sent to the Pacific Coast, so we will have to make the most of that day I am home, as it will be a long time before I get another leave.

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

Love,

Paul

Postmarked September 24, 1943

Sept. 25, 1943

Dear Folks,

Well, I go the pies O.K. and they sure were good. The crust crumbled a little around the edges, but it was sure good anyway.

We are taking steam engineering now, and they sure are throwing it at us. In the last 4 days I've take more notes than I did in a term in High School. We've had, so far, boilers, feed water, heat insulation, valves & piping, physics, fuel systems and blowers, and there's a lot more to come.

The evening the chief who was instructing us showed us the notebook he kept when he went thru service school 27 years ago. The drawings we so good that they looked like they were out of a book and pasted in instead of drawn. A couple were so good I had to feel the paper before I could believe they were not pasted in.

I like the steam engineering but they sure are cramming a lot into four weeks. I guess they just expect us to learn the basic principles here, and the details will come when get aboard ship.

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

Love to all,

Paul

Postmarked September 21, 1943

Sept 20, 1943

Dear Folks,

Sorry that I haven't written in a few days, but my call Sunday ought to help make up for it.

Saturday we saw Great lakes lose too Purdue 23-13. It was a good game though, one that you would pay plenty for tickets on the outside. It was just like a college game, with Wave cheerleaders, no less!

Last nite at the happy hour, I wish Ralph was there. One fellow did imitations of radio personalities, and his impression of Gabriel Heatter was really good. He was practically bawling all over himself and I'm sure Ralph would have gotten a big kick out of it.

Tomorrow we are going to call up the Pennsylvania R.R. in Chicago and find out about reservations on the "Trail Blazer." If possible we will make out reservations right then and their, but I don't know whether we have to pay for the tickets in advance or not.

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

Love,

Paul

Postmarked September 16, 1943

Sept. 15, 1943

Dear Folks,

Got your package yesterday and was glad to get those cookies. How about an apple pie in the next one? I think it you packed it well it would arrive O.K. I also got Ralph's letter this A.M. and I was glad to hear he is so enthusiastic about going back to school. Well, I guess Dotty is glad to get back to school, anyhow. As for those sneakers, I will get them tomorrow for sure.

As far as getting home is concerned, the chance for delayed orders is pretty slim, so I will have to try and make it on my 66 [hour liberty]. We are going to get reservations on the Trail Blazer which leaves Chicago at 3:15 and gets into Penn station at 9:30 Sat. morning. We are supposed to be back at 9:30 Monday morning, but from what I've seen and heard, they don't do anything if you are a few hours late coming back.

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

Love to all,

Paul

Postmarked September 13, 1943

Dear Folks,

Just got back from another swell time in Milwaukee. We went to a party given by the girls from Allis-Chalmers. In addition to a dance there was a pretty good floor show, a free supper, and all the beer you could drink, so all in al it was a pretty good liberty.

The weather today is really miserable, cold and wet, raining off and on. Good weather to stay in. I guess the kids will be starting school today won't they. I'll bet Ralph is just too happy for words. I guess Dotty will be glad to get back, tho.

I glad you liked the picture. I think it was pretty good. It cost 44c and the frame was 75c which isn't too bad. I was a little worried about the glass breaking but I guess I had it packed pretty good.

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

Love to all

Paul

Postmarked September 10, 1943

Sept. 10, 1943

Dear Folks,

haven't heard from you in a few days now and am beginning to wonder if some of the mail was on one of those trains that was wrecked.

Fall is really here now. We are in blues and we really need those blankets. We were woke a 4:00 A.M. this morning for a fire drill, and bit it was cold. I like this kind of weather, tho it seems to pep you up.

Got a letter from Henry a couple of days ago. He is back on active duty and is waiting to be shipped.  I got the package O.K. and I must say that the section enjoyed the cake very much. I didn't get a chance to by the sneakers for Ralph yet but I will get them next week.

A lot of fellows graduating have gotten ten days delayed orders. I will keep my eyes and ears open the next few weeks, and if chances for delayed orders seem pretty good I made not come home on my 66 hour liberty, as that would only give me a few hours home and it wouldn't be worth it if I could get home for a few days a week later. There are still a lot of ifs, buts, and maybes, tho, so we will just have to sit tight and hope things work out right.

Love to all,

Paul

Postmarked September 3, 1943

Sept. 2, 1943

Dear Folks,

Well, the pictures are finally ready and you will probably get it within a few days. I think they are not bad.

I got  letter from Henry the other day, and he is back at his station so he must be O.K. I also heard from George, he sent me some money he borrowed while he was here and it came in pretty handy as I was pretty near broke.

there isn't much to tell and its about time to fall out, so I will close with,

Love to all,

Paul