7-31-1943

(Just about my first anniversary in the Navy)

Dear Dad, Shirl, Mom;
Well How are you today? I am well and I hope you are too. Coon and I just got out of a show and did a little shopping and then came over to the USO to write you a letter. We had an inspection again this morning It went off pretty good.
Mr. and Mrs. Bullough and Bill’s grandmother and girl friend came up to the ship today and I talked to them for quite a while. They didn’t recognize me at first but when I told them who I was why they knew. I guess I look different in a uniform without any hair.—I just met them al again down town here, they were just going to teat so coon & I left , I think we will go to the Ship’s mess tonight instead of spendin’ a dollar.
This doesn’t sound like me I know but I have bought me a new wallet, a skivvey shirt, and a few other things & I’ve only got $20 to last until next Aug. 20 so I’m economizing.
It sure seemed good to see Bulloughs & It made me want to see you all the more. They took some pictures of Bill and Bill & I guess they’ll show ‘em to you if they’re good. The old Mrs. Bullough said that Dad had changed into a bean farmer now. Is that right?
Boy we don’t have time to do anything up here so if some of my dear Friends are griping about me not writing well just tell all the gals that I don’t love ‘em anymore & that should cure that situation. The studying is getting hard but I have done O.K. so far and I’ll try to keep it up but there is always the Fleet. Haha
I’ve really been studying though and I like it so I see no reason why I can’t keep it up.. It’s just starting to rain so maybe we’ll eat down in the big town of Poky anyway. I guess a dollar meal once a week won’t hurt me too much.
Well I guess I’ll close the hatch for now. Hope I see you soon.
With Love
Bill
P.S. got the Cabins—They are “in bounds” for the sailors so we can spend all of our time with you even without a pass. But we’ll get passes for most of the tie. They are right across form the campus.
Bill
Shirlee,
Well are you still practicing hard? I’d send you a buck but I’ll have to wait until next pay time because there are so many little things I have to buy to get started. Be a good gal & I’ll see you in 7 days.

7-29-1943
Dear Don;
Well How is you today!
Hope you are OK.
Boy we really have it nice here in Pocatello. The food is some of the best I have tasted and all of it you want. Arnold Coon and I are on liberty together so we came over to the U.S.O.
This damn city has such narrow decks (ha ha) that only two cars can get on em at one time. There are Indians all over the place with papuses on their backs.
We haven’t been issued uniforms yet but I guess we’ll get em tomorrow.
We are really going to get a good education here. The college is just about all sailors.
We have semi-private rooms and they are nice, but a lot of work to keep ship-shape. Our C.O. is really a swell guy-(he has two side bars (drawing of a star, bar, bar) what is he?
There are a lot of boys here from Chicago & they say that the radio boys these have the best deal of anyone so work hard and I know you’ll pass everything.
Well I guess I’ll sign off for now as Coon & I are going up to the ship. (girl’s dorm)
Be seeing you
Bill

7-29-1943
Dear Don;
Well I should be studying right now but I would rather write to you any time. Anyway I am caught up on my studies for today.
We got some more shots today and my d_mn arm is sore as heck. We also had a good swim class. When we go swimming we really get a work-out. We have to march a half hour each way to get down to the YWCA swimming pool.
It is hot as heck here and we sweat all of our excess weight off, however I have gained about 8 or 10 lbs. Are you gaining in weight on that Chicago food? Do you still have a lot of swimming and physical stuff huh? Hell I thought that was all left behind at “boot camp”. Well I guess I had better study or I’ll get on the shit list.
Best of Luck
Bill
How much sleep do you get there.
Bill Bullough says to tell you Hello