November 9, 1943

11-9-43

Dear A.P.

I got your letter that was written Nov 3.  I guess it takes a long time for mail to come and go all this distance and some of the things you write bring back memories rather than present day happenings.

I am able to write this letter chiefly because today I am the Fire Guard.  The F.G. is the hardest working white man on the base.  He is on a 24 hour shift and has the whole barracks as his responsibility.  He keeps it clean, salvages waste paper, keeps butt cans clean, shines brass, empties waste barrels, and has all kinds of duties the purpose of which are to keep the place looking as well as possible at all times and helping the others clean up so no one will get giggs.  It's a rough job and very little rest comes till after 2000.  The big catch is that you miss classes which are impossible to make up.  However most of the squadron is on detail and today was a repeat of yesterday.

We have Battle Ship Identification, Elementary Math, Ballistics, Military Courtesy, and Code.  The code is the big catch and even though we get an hour a day most every one has trouble with this class. We try to learn 4 new letters a day; after this it is just a period of speed up until you can take 10 words a minute.  We have a few who have code before and can take 25 words, which is very fast for most anyone.  They take the letters by the length of the sounds on a whole rather than the little individual sounds as you learn them.  These fellows help us out somewhat.  One of the Sgts. that teaches can take 40 words a minute and they say that at that speed it is just a continuous series of sound.  I will never attain that speed.

My money is beginning to pile up.  I don't know just what to do with it all.  I could buy War Bonds but can never get to the office where they sell them.  Is there any suggestions you can offer for my present situation?  I can always spend it when I get out but it will be just wasted, but you don't have to worry about me wasting my money.  It comes too hard.

I don't know what to do about the watch.  I really need one but can't get one unless I am lucky.  Then I don't know anything about watches so I am a little cautious about spending $25 or more.  

The army has a funny way of paying.  They give you $57 and then take back 10 or 12 for different expenses you have acquired along the way.  Each month we get $2.50 taken out for grass seed and other misc.  You get credit for $.15 a day but they take that back for use of the mess hall equipment.  You can't complain because no one seems to know anything about what goes on higher up.  As each pay check is made out somewhere else no one can tell what goes on.  you have to take it unless you are short $20 or more.

Well I have got to get about my duties. So

With love

Austin.