22 Jun June 22, 1944

Camp Blanding Florida,
6/22/44, 10 P.m. Thursday.

Dear Alice and Ronnie,

The big day has come - tomorrow we graduate and Wednesday, June 28th
I leave for home.  I get 14 days altogether. Leave here sometime Wed.
and hope to arrive in Chicago sometime late Thurs. although that’s
purely guesswork on my part as I will take a troop train, at least part
of the way home.  We have to leave here on a troop train, but they didn’t
tell us how far we go on it.  May go only to Cincinnati, or maybe
Pittsburgh.  From there I go on my own.  May go all the way to Chicago
on troop train.  All I know definitely is that I leave next Wed.

I am one of the few leaving in first batch, why, no one knows.
All we know is they say we all are leaving except a few class C men.
I report to Army Mead, My. July 12th.  From that date on, we don’t know
a thing.  However, we were told that we could either be shipped across
from there or to some other camp in USA.  All those going in the first
batch are pre-Pearl Harbor Fathers.  That may or may not mean something.
Again, we don’t know.  Anyhow, I am very glad the suspense is over,
and I will be home with you again very soon even though it is only for
a few days.

well we had our party tonight - rather, we are having our party, it is
still going pretty strong.  I left because I had some things that had to
be done, including writing this letter.  I tried calling you, but no luck.
Will try sometime early in the morning if I can manage to get up a little
earlier.  Don’t know how you’ll like being awakened at 4 a.m., but it will
just give you an idea of what I have been doing a lot of the last few months.

The party was or is a success, but still not as good as the one we had in
<? broovac>.  I only drank two beers and six cans colas this time. The
gang are all in a very good mood, but all pretty stiff, sore, and very tired.
We really had a hard day yesterday. Starting at 4 a.m. and ended at 10 p.m.
And we were on the go physically all day.  I am plenty tired <? yet>

myself. We started out with a 300-yard run and four-mile speed march.
And during day, did a bayonet and hand grenade course, guerrilla exercises,
zig zag obstacle course, push-ups, compass course, and etc..  Today,
thank God, we had eight hours of sleepy classes.  Saturday noon, we are
finished for good here.

Well my dears, since I am pretty tired and since I hope to talk to you on
the phone in next few hours, will close now and save up every thing for
about one week from now.

Certainly hope your fall hasn’t proved serious in any way and you are
completely over your aches and pains.  And what did the doctor say?

Bye now and I love you both lots and lots.
Daddy.