Me: In this letter Dad talks about taking care so as to not get malaria. Well he did and was very sick for a while. Up until the day he died, so many years later, he could not give blood because he had had malaria as a young man.
Laverne: Dad is in India in this letter. Sleeping in a tent. The photo is of him still on a ship. Is that a camera in his hand? When we lived In Japan, many years later, I remember taking photos and developing them with Dad in the base photo lab. Is it any wonder that his creative talents, and mom’s with her sewing and quilt making, that many of their children and grandchildren have followed in their foot steps?
3 August 1944
Thursday eve
India
Dearest,
I’ve got the urge to write you, but I just can’t seem to find anything to say. I have so much to talk about yet when I sit down to write you my mind seems to be a total blank.
I haven’t been very busy today, but as soon as I try reading a book or write a letter some body comes in with some work he wants done immediately if not sooner.
I am writing you this letter while on the bed and underneath a mosquito net. It is very stuffy underneath the net, but if I did not sleep under the net I would be subject to the bite of a mosquito and maybe malaria.
I really had a lot of trouble to get to work today. On account of the big rain the other night all routes to our place of work were underwater. When we did land a truck to take us, there was always the chance of it stalling so we would l have to get out and wade through the water. Our truck stalled once today and so I had to get out and walk.
It is getting dark now so I pulled out my flashlight so I could keep on writing to you. We have no electric lithgt in our tents. As I sit here and write this letter there are guys outside reinforcing their tents cause some of the tents fell down the previous night. I’ll wait till mine falls before I reinforce it. Mine looks pretty solid, anyway.
Most all the minor dirty jobs are being done by the Natives. All we have to do is carry out our regular duties and not worry about K.P. etc.
I pay a guy $2 a month to do my laundry. It does not matter how much clothes I give him. The price is always the same. This way I’ll be able to put on a clean suit of clothes on every other day.
I sure am glad in one way that they shipped me over seas. For by shipping me overseas I replaced a fellow that has served overseas for more than 2 years. You should see how happy he was when he found out I was replacing him. And that now he was able to go home again. Now if they send enough guys like me overseas your brother, my brother will be able to come home sooner. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t cherish this idea of being away from you, I miss you so and I so do long to be with you again. I’m only happy that because of replacements like me and some other guys coming here, gives you a chance maybe to see W.R. a lot sooner. (You should be glad you don’t have to put up with me for a couple of years.)
Well babe, I guess I’ll close for tonight. I have no more news and I’m getting tired so I could sleep. I want to sleep so I could dream of you.
With all my love,
Ray
P.S. I do love you. I’m pretty darn sure. Are you? I’m kissing you good night honey. Did you get it?
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