The only news which would have changed his mother’s mind would be news of his own trip home. And indeed he did get a leave approved. The yoyo is swinging up now. Times were so uncertain in 1942, and the world situation so grim, nobody was ever sure of anything until it happened though.

Aug. 1  –  1942

Dear Folks.

It is too bad to cheat you out of your trip but it looks as though I would be coming home sometime next week.  I have just returned from filling out my leave papers.  I’ll call you when I get to Emporia if I want you to come after me.

It is raining this morning and looks as though it would continue all day.  I am in an upper dormitory right next to the lake.  During the rain we can’t tell the lake from the sky.  There is a bunch of officers homes between the lake and the barracks but we can see over them.  This is the first time I have ever seen the lake from this station.  I guess it must be pretty big ’cause I can’t see the other side!

 It was just a little cloudy at sunrise this morning and it made the lake very pretty.  I haven’t met any of the boys I know yet as I don’t know where to find them.  I inquired about Mr Baker, my boot company commander, but didn’t get to see him.  He has charge of another company now and it seems that I will have to get a pass to go over and see him.  We had a nice trip from Dearborn and got in here at four last evening.  We drew clothes this morning but I didn’t get any.  This afternoon we will have our pictures taken for identification cards.

I called you the other night because at five o’clock that evening the executive had told us that our liberty had been changed to Sunday noon til 9:30 that night.  He said there would be no special leaves or liberties.  When we got here last night we asked the Lieutenant if we could get leaves.  He thought that all of us were getting them so when he learned that, he started to find out about them for us.  I’m going to close now and will see you in a few days.

Love