March 21 1943
Today I got to sleep until 9:30 AM. Boy did I enjoy that. I slept for a couple of hours this afternoon too. Well, I finally got a letter from you yesterday mailed form Elsie's house. I haven't heard from Robin yet but I'm still waiting. I got a letter from Connie today. Well, it seems that I'm behind the eight ball down here. I've been feeling under par for the past week. I've had a fever and along with my cold I haven't any ambition. I hope my fever is from my sunburned face or my cold and not from the beginning of measles or mumps or something. The whole trouble is one of our boys is shipping tomorrow and that has revived our hopes, so we hope to leave this week. So if I go on sick call and they send me to the hospital I'll never get back with the fellows and I'll probably be another month in getting out of here. That all adds up against me but here's the topper. Tomorrow morning we fall out at 6AM and go on a thirty mile hike. Nothing like a little walk when you're fighting a fever or whatever it is. This isn't a very cheerful letter but I'm not feeling bad or anything. I just want to get on and get my hands on a ship. There's been a lot of formation flying going on the last few days and it sure is swell to watch. I guess I'd go through anything to get up there. Oh, by the way, if you didn't already know, our C.O. (Colonel Clagget) was a General in charge of defense at Hawaii before the war. This morning I sleeped through breakfast and tonight I sleeped through supper. We were supposed to eat at 4 PM but I sleeped on. I bought a sandwich at the P.X. I sewed a button on my field jacket and darned one sock today. I should of washed but I didn't have the ambition. yesterday we marched all morning and when we fell out at 11 AM our barracks CQ told us we had to move. so we packed all our clothes in our barracks bags and went about six blocks away to barracks 207. It's located near the gate and we can watch all the girls walk by but we have to walk so darn far to chow, mail call, roll call, and retreat. My address will remain the same. The only reason they changed was that the old barracks was too crowded. We didn't have to do anything in the afternoon but get settled. I went to bed early last night. By sleeping today I fell behind in my mail writing. I feel pretty sure that if I don't end up in the hospital I'll be out of here this week, and by the looks of things I'll go to school somewhere in the soutwest. Arizona or somewhere. Boy, Robin got a good deal in missing basic training. Ronie, the boy from St Charles and who's in the chemical warfare, said he's sure getting the works in Georgia.
This army sure is no game or child's play. I enjoyed the bayonet drill and wish we had more. When you start jabbing and smashing with it you can just imagine there's a jap in front of you. Well, I guess I'll go to bed and get ready for my little jaunt in the morning. Don't worry just keep hoping I get shipped. Good night and love and kisses.
Love,
Rae
P.S How's dad's cold and how are your eyes. I guess we're all invalids.