Oct. 28, 1943
Dear Folks,
I suppose your surprised that I'm writing from Great Lakes, but I'm still here , and probably will be here till next week. I'm in the "lost battalion" as we call it, composed of guys like me who lost their sections. It's pretty nice here tho, as we sleep as late as we want, go to chow when we feel like it, and don't do any work whatsoever. Boy am I getting spoiled. I got up at 9:30 this morning.
So Stanley has left eh? Well, that's the way it is with Navy taking all the good men. Seriously, tho, he'll probably make a darn good soldier once he gets used to it. Brains count just as much as brawn if not more.
Glad to here that Ralph has done so well in school. I hope he keeps it up. It probably doesn't mean much to him now, but it will later on.
That's about al, so I will close with
Love to all,
Paul
Monday, October 29, 1973
Friday, October 26, 1973
Postmarked October 26, 1943
Oct. 25, 1943
Dear Folks,
Well, they finally let me out of the hospital, and I am now in transfer unit. Since I missed my graduation, they gave me my diploma, which I am sending along to preserve with the rest of my documents. My final average was 92.05%, which is a little better than my high school average.
I didn't make a rating, none of our section did, but I believed I explained how the breaks worked there. I am rated as a machinist striker, which means that, under Bureau of Personnel rules, a striker must be used for the work in which they are trained. So at least I know I won't be a deck swab when I get aboard ship. I'll probably be shipping out in a day or two, so don't write until you get my next adress. If they tell us where's we're going, I'll call you up and let you know, if its not against regulations, which I think it is. If I don't call from here, I'll call as soon as I reach my next station, or, who knows I may drop in in person, but that is mostly wishful thinking.
Have to close now, so
Love to all,
Paul
Dear Folks,
Well, they finally let me out of the hospital, and I am now in transfer unit. Since I missed my graduation, they gave me my diploma, which I am sending along to preserve with the rest of my documents. My final average was 92.05%, which is a little better than my high school average.
I didn't make a rating, none of our section did, but I believed I explained how the breaks worked there. I am rated as a machinist striker, which means that, under Bureau of Personnel rules, a striker must be used for the work in which they are trained. So at least I know I won't be a deck swab when I get aboard ship. I'll probably be shipping out in a day or two, so don't write until you get my next adress. If they tell us where's we're going, I'll call you up and let you know, if its not against regulations, which I think it is. If I don't call from here, I'll call as soon as I reach my next station, or, who knows I may drop in in person, but that is mostly wishful thinking.
Have to close now, so
Love to all,
Paul
Monday, October 22, 1973
Postmarked October 22, 1943
Oct. 21, 1943
Dear Folks,
Well, I'm still in the hospital, for it seems that they have gotten ny records mixed up and I probably won't get out till next week. My section shipped out today, but I don't know where they went. I sure wish I was with them.]
I got a Christmas Package from Republic today, I guess they take it seriously about doing Christmas shopping early.
I got a letter from Aunt Jennie giving Hank's adress. It is c/o Postmaster, San Francisco so you know what that means.
It sure gets monotonous doing nothing all day I hope to get sent back to duty soon. Nothing more to write so I will close with,
Love to all,
Paul
Dear Folks,
Well, I'm still in the hospital, for it seems that they have gotten ny records mixed up and I probably won't get out till next week. My section shipped out today, but I don't know where they went. I sure wish I was with them.]
I got a Christmas Package from Republic today, I guess they take it seriously about doing Christmas shopping early.
I got a letter from Aunt Jennie giving Hank's adress. It is c/o Postmaster, San Francisco so you know what that means.
It sure gets monotonous doing nothing all day I hope to get sent back to duty soon. Nothing more to write so I will close with,
Love to all,
Paul
Friday, October 19, 1973
Postmarked October 19, 1943
Oct. 18, 1943
Dear Folks
Believe it or not I am in the hospital again. Here's how it happened. Friday afternoon I had a bellyache so I went to sick bay. They thought I might have appendicitis, so they sent me to the hospital to check up. As soon as the doctors looked at me they saw there was nothing wrong with me. I thought that they'd send me back to duty, but its a lot easier to get in a Naval Hospital than to get out. I missed out on my graduation this morning and I guess I will be sent to another section whenever they decide to let me out. I will probably graduate next Monday,
There is nothing the matter with me, I have been up and around since Saturday, and I an getting pretty bored just sitting around. I'm sorry that I lost my section as they were a swell bunch of fellows, but we would be separated anyway so I guess it doesn't make much difference.
Love to all,
Paul
Dear Folks
Believe it or not I am in the hospital again. Here's how it happened. Friday afternoon I had a bellyache so I went to sick bay. They thought I might have appendicitis, so they sent me to the hospital to check up. As soon as the doctors looked at me they saw there was nothing wrong with me. I thought that they'd send me back to duty, but its a lot easier to get in a Naval Hospital than to get out. I missed out on my graduation this morning and I guess I will be sent to another section whenever they decide to let me out. I will probably graduate next Monday,
There is nothing the matter with me, I have been up and around since Saturday, and I an getting pretty bored just sitting around. I'm sorry that I lost my section as they were a swell bunch of fellows, but we would be separated anyway so I guess it doesn't make much difference.
Love to all,
Paul
Sunday, October 14, 1973
Postmarked October 14, 1943
Oct. 14,1943
Dear Folks,
Sorry I didn't write sooner, but we are pretty busy getting everything straighened out since it is our last week.
The train got into Chicago at 9:55AM, and although we grabbed a taxi to the North Shore Line Station, we just missed the 10 o'clock train and had to wait till 1100. We didn't get back till noon, but we haven't heard anything about it yet and I don't think we will.
This afternoon we are moving over to Transfer Unit, so we are all pretty busy getting our gear in order. We will graduate Monday and probably leave about Wednesday or Thursday. None of us know where, but, boy, you ought to hear the rumors flying around!
That's about all, so I will close with,
Love to all,
Paul
Dear Folks,
Sorry I didn't write sooner, but we are pretty busy getting everything straighened out since it is our last week.
The train got into Chicago at 9:55AM, and although we grabbed a taxi to the North Shore Line Station, we just missed the 10 o'clock train and had to wait till 1100. We didn't get back till noon, but we haven't heard anything about it yet and I don't think we will.
This afternoon we are moving over to Transfer Unit, so we are all pretty busy getting our gear in order. We will graduate Monday and probably leave about Wednesday or Thursday. None of us know where, but, boy, you ought to hear the rumors flying around!
That's about all, so I will close with,
Love to all,
Paul
Saturday, October 6, 1973
Postmarked October 6, 1943
Oct. 5, 1943
Dear Folks,
Got Dad's and Ralph's letters yesterday. So Stan is about to be caught in the draft, eh? I'll have to kid him some when I'm home. We got paid the morning and I drew twenty bucks, so I don't have an financial worries, since I already have my ticket. Last nite we had slide valves and reciprocating engines and made a drawing of a four cylinder triple expansion engine of a battleship. Tonight we have mechanical drawing and physics.
I am writing this while listening to the first game of the series. We have a few St. Louis boys here as well as New Yorkers, so the feelings run pretty high.
This will be the last letter I write this week, as I will be home a couple of days after you get this. Ralph says that Vickie is getting smaller instead of bigger. I wonder if that little mutt will recognize me.
That's about al, so until I see you all, I will close with,
Love to all,
Paul
Dear Folks,
Got Dad's and Ralph's letters yesterday. So Stan is about to be caught in the draft, eh? I'll have to kid him some when I'm home. We got paid the morning and I drew twenty bucks, so I don't have an financial worries, since I already have my ticket. Last nite we had slide valves and reciprocating engines and made a drawing of a four cylinder triple expansion engine of a battleship. Tonight we have mechanical drawing and physics.
I am writing this while listening to the first game of the series. We have a few St. Louis boys here as well as New Yorkers, so the feelings run pretty high.
This will be the last letter I write this week, as I will be home a couple of days after you get this. Ralph says that Vickie is getting smaller instead of bigger. I wonder if that little mutt will recognize me.
That's about al, so until I see you all, I will close with,
Love to all,
Paul
