December 25, 1943

Dear Folks,

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas for I did. We went over to a ladies house for Christmas Eve and supper. There were four ladies and me. After dinner some other people came. A guy in his last year of Med. School and his wife and their folks. We didn't get to bed until about 12 o'clock. Well here's is how I got down here. In the first place we had bad weather all week, we flew only one day, so I was surprised when we got off. Well I started out at 6 o'clock on Thursday night. By 8 o'clock I was twenty miles from camp. There weren't any buses or anything so I hitchhiked. Well after I finally got out to the main highway I got a ride in about 20 minutes. They guy made the 100 miles into L.A. over the mountains in 2 and one half hours. Boy, he really drove. Well he put me off at a street car stop so I rode into L.A. and then took the P.E. out to Santa Ana. I got here about 2 AM. It took longer to get from L.A. to here then from camp to L.A. Yesterday I got up early and went downtown with Mae. I got a hair cut and 16 ration points - 8 meat and 8 XXX. Boy that sure is the complicated system I've ever seen. I really pity you poor civilians. I walked up and down the streets looking at all the displays of officers clothes. Shirts are $10, pants are $10, blouses are $50, trench coats are $50, it sounds like all officers are millionaires. Today we are having a chicken dinner and maybe we'll go to Laguna Beach this afternoon to see the ocean. All in all, I'm having a good time and I'm glad I came down.

I only have three more hours of instruments to go. We move about the 7th but as yet we don't know where we're going. I may get two days off for New Years if the weather gets better. Well, happy New Years in your new house. Oh don't tell me you haven't moved yet. I can't imagine you staying in a house after gangsters had been in it. Now if you put your money away like Pa told you you wouldn't have lost it. What happened to Pa's box? Well I guess you'll finally move now or I don't know you. Well I guess I'll go for a walk in the park so I'll close for now.

Love,
Rae

Emelie

Your boy is OK. We are now going to a movie and will do dishes when we get home. Love to all. Rae gave me a swell chain XXX an Air Force emblem. I'm so proud of it. Will write later,

Mae


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