A long disruption in the missiles from Michigan is explained. Lester is ill. He’ll be fine, but his concern for the health of his folks is a bit humorous here. Burn the letter so you don’t get my mumps! This is the first letter that arrived without a stamp. Postage evidently was free to servicemen for a while.

Saturday evening

Dear Folks

I guess it was a good thing that I didn’t get to come home because I am in sick bay again for awhile.  Now don’t get scared because I’m not very bad.  I have one of the nicest cases of mumps you ever saw!  On both sides, too.  No need to make two cases of it when one will do, is there?  I came in Thursday evening.  I wasn’t really sick then but I just had a feeling that it was going to be mumps so didn’t want to take any chances.  I am feeling pretty good now though I still have some temperature & my jaws & neck are still swollen.  I’m not allowed to get out of bed for several days yet.  I don’t even sit up except to eat.

It was just three months ago tonight that I entered sick bay the other time.

Most of my bunch left here yesterday morning.  The new ones got here last night.  I never did write to Nelson Parrish.  Do you know if he is still at Great Lakes?  Wayne Howard is in the army in California.  Dad, do you have a friend at Algona, Iowa?  The name sounds familiar.  I know a boy by the name of Hardgrove from there.

There is a possibility that you might contact the mumps from me thru a letter so I probably won’t write any more until that danger is past.  Please explain to Josephine why I’m not writing to her.  I’m getting along ok & have the very best of care so there is nothing to worry about.

Better burn this immediately!

Love

Obviously, nobody burned the letter. Not immediately. Not even after seven decades. Apparently the folks didn’t believe they’d contract mumps from reading Lester’s words.