Feb 7, 1942
Camp Livingston, LA

Dear Mom,
Well, I have more time now so maybe can write more than the last time.
I bought me a new pen ($1.00) and I haven’t gotten used to it yet. It writes so much smoother than the one I’ve been using. I had my old one in my jacket pocket. I took the jacket off and laid it on the seat and sat on it. Poor pen!!
I sent to town the other night and got an army photograph album. I have mounted what pictures I have here. The last four films haven’t come back yet. I sent them to Pacific Photo Service, Box 666, San Francisco, CA. They are supposed to be enlarged to 3 1/2 x 4 1/4 and should be good.
We went to choir practice Wednesday night. Sergeant Austin suggested that we stick together and try to transfer to a supervised recreation center. The chaplain said he would help write the letter to the Chief of Staff (through necessary channels) and Captain Petraglia, our commander said he would sign anything we wanted to write and make it official but we would have to stop our Air Corp transfers first and stay in the company in case we didn’t make the other. He said he would like to have us stay.
We have spent quite a lot of mental energy trying to figure which to do. It makes it hard to make up four minds, but have finally decided to stay if we can stop the other transfers in time, so that permission I wrote about before won’t be necessarily unless things don’t go right. Awful waste of paper in the space isn’t there?

I imagine that as soon as this division is made over, we will be able to get furloughs, as we have a 4 month training schedule made up here.
I am scheduled for guard tonight and tomorrow, and KP on Monday, but I don’t intend to overdo myself on either. I’m right at the stage now, where I don’t give a damn what happens, I’m getting kind of bored with the whole thing.
I got a wooden postcard yesterday. The picture was a nigger holding another nigger who was in uniform and hollering “Maudie, get mah razor. Dis weasel says he’s a soldier from up north”. On the back it said “How do you like this card. Guess who?” The post mark was, Wellsboro but it was printed instead of written and I didn’t recognize the print though I’ve got ideas.
I haven’t gotten a letter from Ruth for some time. In fact only one since we’ve been here.
My truck is still in the garage. They haven’t figured out yet what is wrong with the brakes but have sent the booster to the Q.M.C. (Quartermaster) and haven’t gotten it back yet. I haven’t been to town yet, except the once I took the officers in and I don’t intend to go. If I did I’d come back broke and I want to get by this month without borrowing.
We all lose our ratings now, but may get them back though it’s doubtful. We got our $10 raise for being in a year starting next month so even if I lose my rating I’ll still get as much as I have been getting. Pete Potter (you’ve heard me speak of him) and one of the other fellows from Company C went to town night before last. They bet they wouldn’t be back before noon the next day pass or no pass. They lost the money, got back at 11:45 yesterday.
They got drunk and were told to leave town about 10 o’clock that night. From that time they had the MPs busy until they caught them in a restaurant at 8:30 in the morning. They were jailed but Sergeant White went down and got them out though. Pete had sneaked a pint into jail with him in spite of being searched and was still feeling good when they brought him back, mad because they didn’t wait until noon so he’d win the bet.
I went to a show last night “Tuxedo Junction” with the Higgins Brothers and Elvira. There was another short feature “Fiesta” in Technicolor. Both were good but the former was best.
I have been feeling pretty good lately, though I have quite a cold. I’ve had that darn cold since I went to Carolina and don’t know as I’ll ever get over it.
The weather has been wonderful here. The boys are laying around in their underwear, with the windows and doors open. I’ll bet you can’t do that up there. It gets cool at night though and we usually wear a jacket while walking guard.
Well I’ll be darned, I thought this was only the second sheet but just noticed that it’s the third. How did I do it? Must close now though.
Love to all, Wayne