Friday 12, March 1943

Well today it rained in Texas for the first time in three months. It rained all morning and it is still cloudy tonight. The weather has been nice for the last week. After chow this morning we fell out with our rain coats and gas masks. We stood until 8:30 AM in the rain waiting to get in the gas chamber and then they told us we would have a rainy day schedule. We went back to the barracks and had a lecture. All lectures given during rainy day schedules are from the hand book. After chow we came back to the barracks and had lectures all afternoon. We stood retreat in front of the barracks at 4:45 PM. Every Friday we prepare for GI on Saturday. A detail is picked on scrub the floors, windows, and latrine. The rest of the boys help by relieving the detail. But today because of the mud the floors are washed with scrubbing brushes twice, once this afternoon and again tonight. Our barracks are the cleanest in the 303rd group. The gold brickers are confined tonight and have to do the scrubbing. I pitched in and helped this afternoon so I'm free tonight but I'll stay home anyway and write letters. This pen is pretty swell, I like it fine. There are quite a number of barracks in quarantine here. Four in our block and there are a number in almost every block. I don't know what it is, some say typhoid fever but I doubt it. Probably scarlet fever. We're all through with mump inspection. We had it for ten days because one of the boys in our barracks had it. Well, it seems to be rumored that we will be shipped within the next four days. It's very probably since a number of boys that came down on my same train have already left. Then some boys that came in after we did have left already too.

Now I'll try and answer some of your questions. We are not issued soap. I have the pajamas here that I brought with me. I'm the only one in the barracks who wears them but I like them so I wear them. You asked about pre-flight, well, when I get there I'll be there about six months in one place. I got your envelopes today. I won't be classified until I get to pre-flight. If I can't be a pilot I want to be a navigator. There is no lock on my trunk and I have plenty of hankies. I don't know when or how I'll get my picture taken. Maybe I'll have to go to town. Pa asked about a revolver. We aren't issued any arms at all, some of these guys never even had an air gun in their hands. As for WACS the only women on the camp are civilians. They run the PXs, post office, drive all the trucks and cars, and run the service club. Of course there are nurses but they're 2nd looies and beyond pvts. I told you I got paid the other day. Well, I got $20 and I got $1 for travel expenses from home to Chicago. I sure am glad you sent my slippers. I didn't know how tired my feet really were. My feet were all right from the hike, no blisters or calloses. Well, that's all I can think of now so I'll close and hope I get my shipping orders tomorrow.

Love,
Rae

P.S My cold is as well as can be expected and my face is as usual. My pants are 1 inch too long but everything else fits.