It ought to be a lot of fun

November 25, 1943

Camp Irwin, California

Hello Bill

How you coming along? I got your letter and I would have answered sooner but we keep pretty busy out here on the desert. We’re out all day and I usually go right to bed after supper I’m so tired. We have to fire on Monday and Tuesday and then we’ll start back to Haan. We’re going on a problem on the way back. Another outfit is on its 5 day problem and we’re going to attack them and try to take over their gun positions. It ought to be a lot of fun.

You say you want to take a night hike when I get home, well all I got to say is heck with you, by golly! I got enough hiking without you wanting me to go hiking.

Helen sent me a copy of the Jefferson News and it sure was fun looking at it. Makes me kind of homesick though, reading about everything going on around school. I sure would like to be back there.

So long for now, Tom

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving day

November 24, 1943

Camp Irwin, California

Dearest Mom

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving day. We’re going to have a turkey dinner but still we go out and fire all day tomorrow so we don’t get any holiday. I’ve been working since 6:30 this morning and it’s 10:20 p.m. now and I just got off. We fired all day then moved gun positions, then I was working barracks bags this evening. I sure do wish I could be home tomorrow with the football game and everything. I guess I got a lot of things to be thankful for anyhow. I only pray that it won’t be so long before I’m home for good though.

Don’t worry, I’ll have enough money for my furlough. I’ve got $60 now and I’ll be paid again before our furlough. I hope we do get that raise dad was talking about, it’ll help out a lot.

We are living in Camp Irwin in big tents and we have stoves in them. It gets awfully cold here at night, a lot more than back at Haan.

Guess I’ll close for tonight, mom. I’ll be thinking about you all sitting around the table tomorrow.

Love to all, Tommy

This Anti-Aircraft is a pretty nice thing to be in

November 18, 1943

Camp Haan, California

Dearest Mom

I got your letter today and the camera yesterday. You didn’t put 567^th on the address on the camera but I got it alright anyhow. Thanks ever so much for getting it fixed up for me, I found a place in Hollywood where I can get all the film I want to.

Our Captain told us today that one of the weeks we are out will be spent in going into towns and having exhibitions. If we do stop at the Victorville Air Base again I’m going to try to look up Bill Moundfield. The Captain also told us that we could plan on getting our furloughs December 20. So I guess I’ll probably be coming in with Santa Claus. It seems like a long time to wait, but it will be awfully nice to be there for Christmas.

I’m glad I was able to get that book for you all so you have kind of an idea of how I live and what I do. It is a good camp here at Haan. It’s located in a good spot where it’s easy to get to lots of cities and the camp is nice itself. Even Camp Irwin is pretty good if it wasn’t so far from civilization. But living in pup tents like we did for seven weeks is the bad part of it. All in all I think this Anti-Aircraft is a pretty nice thing to be in. It is a pretty hard life but you’re right, there is some pleasure and joy mixed in with the hardship. You learn to appreciate things more, too. Like when I went to see Aunt Bess, it was the first time I had been in a home since I’ve come in the army. You don’t realize what it is to live in your home til you don’t even see a home for 5 months. And then when Sunday comes around I like to go to church. I get a lot more out of going to church than I ever did before. I hope the war will soon be over, it’s a lot harder on some other people than on us. I read in the paper about Sid Miller’s sons; lots of people are losing their loved ones and I pray every night that it will soon end.

Bill and Charlotte must be changing a lot from what I hear and I’m kinda glad to hear it, especially about Bill. I never thought it would happen.

You asked me about going to school, well I tried to get in but I never could because they would take only so many and now I’m too far advanced in my training.

About what I want for Christmas, I can’t think of anything right now but I’ll let you know if I do think of anything.

Guess I’d better close for tonight.

                                                                                         Love to all, Tommy

I’ll be satisfied to finish out the war

November 17, 1943

Camp Haan, California

Hi “Jive Cat”

I’m on guard tonight and it’s raining like the dickens. The real rainy season is beginning here now and it rains all the time. It’s still warm here. It gets colder on the desert than it does here at Haan. I like the climate here a lot.

We’ll be going back to the desert Monday and I’m not sure how long we’ll be there. I’m hoping to get our furloughs pretty soon after that. After I get home and back again I’ll be satisfied to finish out the war. Our training will be up then and we might be stationed somewhere in the U.S. or we might be shipped across. They use anti-aircraft a lot to guard airfields and things like that and it’s hard to tell what we’ll do.

So long for now, Tom

I’m wondering what they will do with us

In a setting of Old China, with shrines, lily pools, and courts, the Chinese have gathered the art treasures of the Orient.

November 17, 1943

Camp Haan, California

Dear Pop

I’m awful glad you like Helen. I sure am crazy about her. We are having a party Friday night for our new captain. Our training is about over and I’m wondering what they will do with us.

Love, Tom

We go out on the desert next week

November 16, 1943

Camp Haan, California

Dear Pop,

You needn’t renew my subscription to the paper. I don’t have time to read all of them. Maybe you could send me one once in awhile.

We go out on the desert next week but I don’t think we’ll be there but one week. I hope we’ll get furloughs soon after that. I’m awful anxious to see you all.

Love, Tom

November 15, 1943

Camp Haan, California

Dear Pop

I haven’t seen any arrow heads out here but I expect I could find plenty if I knew where to look.

I still get homesick pop, a fellow can’t ever forget his home and now especially since I think I’m going to get back sometime soon.

Love, Tom

Had a swell time at the Hollywood Palladium on 40¢

November 14, 1943

Camp Haan, California

Dear Mom

I’m feelin’ mighty fine this Sunday. I was on a pass til 6:00 this morning and I got a ride to Hollywood and so I went over there. I went to the Hollywood Palladium and had a swell time on 40¢. The Palladium is Hollywood’s biggest dine and dance place and it’s really beautiful inside. They had Les Brown’s Orchestra playing and it’s only 40¢ to service men. I hope that you all come out here some day. There’s lots of things to see. Audrey wants me to take her dancing there sometime. She doesn’t get out much since her husband left. I would have gone over to see them yesterday if I had had a full weekend pass, but I just drove up with the mess sergeant and back early this morning.

We will be going out on the desert for a week or maybe two and we will probably get our furloughs after that. I’m awful anxious to get home. I miss you all so much. I’ll be glad when the war is over and I can be free again.

                                                                                               Love to all, Tommy

I like California an awful lot

November 12, 1943

Camp Haan, California

Dear Pop

I went to the barber today and washed out about half of the Mojave desert out of my head. I couldn’t get it all.

I think I’m going to get over to see Aunt Bess this weekend. I wish I was as close to home so I could get home on my weekends. Still, I’ve gotten so I like California an awful lot. I think I would like to live out here after the war. It’s awful pretty and it seems to me like there’s more opportunity.

Love, Tom

We’ve got a new captain and he’s a lot better than the old one

November 11, 1943

Camp Haan, California

Hello Bill

Are you still dancing at the “Y”? I figured you’d get started sometime. I was at a dance last night. There’s a place in Riverside where they have dances on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I like to go as much as I can to keep in practice. I wish I could wear my drapes though instead of this uniform.

I’ve been on K.P. today. The good thing about K.P. is you get plenty to eat and also the rest of the Battery went on a hike and are sleeping out tonight while I’m here in my warm hut.

We’ve got a new captain and he’s a lot better than the old one. I went in the office to get my pass yesterday and he asked me if I wanted to ride in with him. I guess you know it rates to be riding around with the captain. Most of the officers stick their nose up to an enlisted man.

I guess it’s too cold to go in swimming back there but I went in the other day. It’s pretty warm here even a lot warmer than out on the desert.

So long for this time, Tom

P.S. Get to work on that school work