8-25-1944

Dearest Mother, Dad, Shirlee, and Rhoda;
I just came back from Treasure Island after spending all day with Don. I helped him lash his gear (tie it up) and all in all we did a good job. He is now in what they call the “Bull Pen” –It is nothing more than a lot of barracks set aside for the men who are leaving the Isle.
Don surely looks swell, and that is the straight dope. He is also about the best fellow you could ever hope to see. He has plenty of brains and uses them a lot, too. I am surely proud of him, as I know you are.
I only wish I could go with him where he is going. I am sure, from what we know, that he is getting a good assignment. Of course, we won’t know what it is until he gets there and finds out himself. They don’t tell them anything—just where they are going and then they can’t tell anyone that. However, I know, so I will tell you when I get home. I would tell you now but it isn’t good to put restricted stuff like that in letters. It might endanger too many fellows.
I will be home Monday evening. I know you are anxious to get your “long lost” son home but I feel that Don needs someone of us here at this time. He doesn’t actually need me by any means—I only meant that it might lighten his load a little more if I were here. So I know you want me to stay as long as possible with him. I will still have a wonderful leave in Salt Lake so everything is turning out just perfect. I will have 23 days at home so that will be swell-won’t it.
Don is with a swell bunch of fellows—I met most of his close pals and they are good guys. He will have a lot of fun with them as he has done in the past. They are all petty officers so they get along fine. Most of his friends that left before are at the same station he is going to so the “old gang” will all be together again.
The fellows, as you could expect, are a little anxious and expectant but they are already planning their trip home—as Don is. He wants us to figure out a business to start in when He & I get home (which won’t be long) and we will make a success of it. He has some good ideas so I think it should work.
There are surely many great advantages for a fellow who is going overseas. Under President Roosevelt’s plan those men will be released right soon after the war is over, whereas, the one’s who don’t get over will form the Army & Navy of occupation—I would much rather get it over with now & not have to do it when the war is won. I am sure that every thing happens for the best and that Don will gain a tremendous amount of education, experience, and superiority over others by this new assignment.
Well, I had better sign off for now and go wash up. I will see Don again tomorrow so will write more then. We are fine & hope you are. We are really getting swell weather here which is a blessing. I hope you are all O.K. and I will see you at the station Monday night.
Best of love;
Bill