July 2, 1943

(I never saw this place!  I don't think that anyone has ever seen it.  It's pretty anyway)

July 2, 1943

Dear Mother,

I suppose that the weather is a good subject to start a letter with.  We see by the papers that you have had some hot sunny days.  out here it has taken quite a change.  Monday we had a shower just as we were returning from the camouflage school.  It soaked everything including us right to the skin.  We were miserable for a while but it was hot enough so that we dried off soon.  However the rain was the start of a cold spell.  It cooled off and the evening was very pleasurable.  we actually slept cold that night and have used two blankets each night since.  The days have been cool and the heat is no longer the major grip (sic) of the day.  Today it heated up quite a lot and tomorrow promises to be a hot day.  This cold weather can't last long.  

We have to have rain around here as we get a lot of dust.  If you stop after marching the dust just rises and chokes.  You have to stay on the pavement to keep away from the dust.  The rain will wet the dust down and wash it into the hollows.  In many p laces this was gets to be several feet thick and is definitely not the thing to walk through.  If you do you have a real job to get it off especially if you let it dry.

This place is a test of home training.  Many of the fellows were brought up so badly that they return to the state of {coarse? coose} men whenever they can.  Manners in the mess hall are terrible and the huts would be so cluttered that you couldn't rake all the junk out if you relaxed the rules on neatness.  I am now sitting beside a fellow who was a very good boy when at home.   His mother had a lot to say about when he went out and how long he went and who he went out with.  He went to B.C. {Boston College} for a semester but didn't learn to much about the world. Anyway now he don't know when to come home when he gets a pass.  He also has 3 girl friends all ready and may get another tonight. Coming in late nights and try to stay awake day times is not my idea of fun.

Today we didn't do too much but still had to put in the time to get it as credit as a training day.  We got Tetnus shots last night.  They really hit you in the arm.  They make the arm numb right off but this can be worked off by pumping the arm.  Often it goes away you don't have any trouble with it.  we don't get exercises the next day no matter what kind of shots you have.  We just sat all day and sang songs or had lectures on different things.  One was defense against a tank, which was very interesting.  We were told the best way to knock out a tank with a standard rifle.  We also had dry firing on the range.  This consisted of lining up  the rifle on the target and having someone check your sighting.  Not very interesting.  We didn't have any hard work so you might call it an easy day.

We have now completed 18 training days.  In 2 more weeks or 10 more training days we will be put on a shipping which means we are subject to shipment to college.  If everything goes well we maybe out in 2 1/2 weeks.  Most of the fellows will be glad to get out of here.

Mail is coming along pretty good.  I get mail that is two or three days on the way but never much longer.  Some of the kids send everything airmail and it takes 2 days and six cents.  I could afford to but I don't think I need to.  Just how long it takes to get my letter home I don't know.

What did Mary get for a graduation present?  I would like to send her something.

I have forgotten to tell you that I got paid.  I got $.50.  That right 50 cents.  That was some paycheck.  I don't know just what it was for other than that it was for car fare to Boston that first day.  All the fellows got paid but some got as much as $2.00.

Well I must sign off now,

With Love

Austin

P.S. What errors in grammar spelling etc. do you find in my letters?