May 10, 1945

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Dear Wilma & All:

I got your letter today and the pictures. It seems like you are having quite a lot of trouble and sickness. I hope everybody is feeling alright by now.

I can’t get over the change of everybody in the pictures. I didn’t know who Uncle Harry was till I looked on the back where you had written it. And Judith is really growing. I got out the pictures you had sent me before and it doesn’t look like the same person and as far Billy & Bobby, remember a while back when I asked you if they still fought and cried all the time. I didn’t realize they were that big.

It’s been two years or over since I’ve seen any of the family and friends them all as I seen them last. I guess I better get myself prepared for a lot of changes after all that is a pretty long time.

Things here that I can write about is just about as usual. I can see no hopes yet of coming back and I don’t mind admitting that. I’m pretty darn homesick. I don’t know how the war being over in Europe will affect us at the present (I mean our stay here). Some think we might get home quicker and some don’t. As for me, I don’t have any idea. All I have for now is for this one put here to hold up and it should a lot quicker.

We are getting the athletic and recreation system set up pretty good here now so that keeps me a lot busier and I like to keep busy now. Too much time to think after a guy has been on a little rock like this is not very good for you.

I’m glad Claude made second Eng. and I sure would like to hear from him. I don’t know his address so I can’t write him. I guess there wouldn’t be much to write anyway though.

How is Dad getting along and how are his finances? I would like to help pay for the monument if it had any idea how much it was.

I’ve been pretty much of a miser since I’ve been out here but since I have to be here. I figured I might as well have something toward helping enjoy myself when I do get back. There’s no thing much you can spend money sensibly for out here. You can get almost anything for a price but what a price. Smuggled in liquor runs thirty five dollars a quart and up and I never did like the stuff that well.

Well I guess I better stop. I haven’t written Ethel since I got her letter yet and I just finished one to Aline. We only get mail about every other day and I nearly always get two letters from Aline each time. She has really been wonderful about writing since I’ve been out here.

Write every chance you get.

Love
Elmer