12/1/44 Italy
Angel:
Come esta? [“How are you?”] Bella?
Hey! Two years is too damn long for us to be apart. But, Toots, we are well over the hump. That may be scant consolation, but it means something.
I had a shock this afternoon. I found out that the people I do business with in Service Command are a bunch of so & sos.* A certain “civilian” Lt. Col. tied up a whole installation of new equipment for a combat squadron waiting for a letter of authorization. I guess I must have told him off because I found the whole office laughing like hell when I hung up. Our poor homely WAC must take an awful beating. Dave (Waymond A. Davis) says my language is rougher than his father-in-law’s (who is a cowboy from Texas).
My living expenses are high here, but the price is worth it. I never appreciated a bathroom and tub until I went without same for 2 years. Well, I really started appreciating it on my first six months of maneuvers.
This goofy gold pencil you sent me has suddenly decided to work like a charm.
So you’re satisfied with Chuck’s gal friend. I hope he has more sense about same than I had at his age. I still can’t imagine him grown. Hell, Snooks, we’re getting old! Of course, you can’t tell it by the way either of us look or act.
A kid named Keyes, in my upper class at Randolph, is here now. He is also a major—for the same reason I am. Last night I found out he was at N.C. College [North Central College]** in Naperville from about 35-39. Who did we know who was there then?
I’m glad you’re fixing up the most important room in the house first. How’s the ceiling? Shall I bring home some paintings for same?
Time for supper—More later.
Had supper with Keyes and he came up for a bore-ass, having just left. He was stationed in Bone when I was at Souk el Arba, and flew escort for us several times. Small world, isn’t it. Gosh, Africa seems years away.
Did you get the letters I wrote when I was flying across? Were you able to figure out where I was? I remember describing the little red native houses on the rugged green mountains of Trinidad. Someday I’ll show you all that.
My shower at Belem was another experience I wrote about. The water stopped just after I’d soaped all over, so I went out in the rain to wash it off.
Well, Honey, heaven help the natives when I get home and start telling my “Gulliver’s Travels” stories. I’ll snow ‘em under.
It’s time for bed. I’m OD tomorrow—that’s how far I am from the war.
All my love, kitten, Cy
I’m glad you like Kay, she’s a good kid. What do you think of Huntoon’s family now you’ve seen them?
The enclosures might be interesting. The song is quite popular.
*See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Service_Command,_Mediterranean_Theater_of_Operations;
**See: https://www.northcentralcollege.edu/college/our-history-our-future
12/1/44 #2 Italy
Angel:
e What a war. Here I sit, at 11:30 P.M. and can’t get to sleep. Dave is leaving in a couple of days which makes me acting chief of section. I won my first major argument today. A-3 has agreed to sacrifice a little on today’s bombing so we may gain on tomorrow’s. On the planes, I get valuable data on the new types. It is the first time the tactical groups have seen the light. If they don’t counter-attack successfully I’m in! Of course, I may get my head chopped off, but, god dammit, I’ll put this thing called engineering on a paying basis yet. So far, everyone has been overjoyed to find anyone willing to make a decision. Of course, if I make a mistake, to quote Wild Bill the Bard, “the evil that men do lives after them. The good is oft interred with their bones.”
My study program has bogged down now that I have my books. They’re good references but by the time I finish a day’s work, I don’t feel much like studying. After nearly a year with nothing to do, I find I haven’t time for a day off—not for over a month.
Look in my books and send:
APPLIED MECANICS—CHAMBERS (green book)
STRENGTH OF MATERIALS—POORMAN (dark blue)
They represent the two courses I knew the least about and now need the most. I need them badly. If they are different sizes, wrap them separately as my Sokolnikoff was beat up when I got it.
It is sometimes hard to take, but although I’m far behind what I would be in rank had I not insisted on getting overseas and into combat, I have found in the past week visiting combat groups that I don’t have to sit on the outside looking in. I have much more experience than the average group officer and they are inclined to listen to me without giving me the old fish-eye.
Well Toughy, it all boils down to one thing. I love you and am going to make a success of Army life so there. As one lad put it in a show I saw, “Come over here and lay down. I want to talk to you. Now there just one thing I want to get into you!”
Cy
P.S. 12/2/44 Boss has gone. I’m it—Sure is lonesome—wish you were here. C.B.