Dear Mom,

Well yesterday was quite an interesting experience. We flew up to Naples and spent the day there. It's quite a large town but it's still just as dirty. There are quite a few nice shops though. We walked all over town just looking. We took some pictures but there was nothing of real interest. It is the largest town we've been in yet. The officers PX was really nice. I saw quite a few things I would have liked to buy. I did get a couple of souvenirs though. Cooper has a camera so we'll be able to take pictures of things of interest.

Today we went to Cerignola to the Red Cross Club and had some ice cream. We saw a USO show here the other day and it was pretty good. You know I don't ask for things in my letters because I know they will never get here. The trouble is that it isn't hard to find us it's just plain incompetence on the part of the postal department. I really feel sorry for you people we get cigarettes over here at five cents a pack any brand you want, of course we only get eight packs a week.

It's getting awfully hard for me to write letters when we don't do anything but lay around doing nothing, I really fell sorry for Coatz and Penlton, they haven't been off the ground for the last twenty days. Well I guess I am all out of ideas so I'll close.

I got a wedding announcement from the Searls. The last letter I got from you was dated Sept. 6, that isn't too bad. You said something about going back to school. Well I'm afraid I'm going to be a leach on you and Pa for at least six more years when I get home 'cause I'm going to start all over as a freshman. I kinda change my mind, don't I. Well that's all for now so I'll sign off.

Love,
Rae