May 16, 1942
Camp, Livingston, LA

Dear Wanda,
I got your letter yesterday and was glad to hear from you, although I knew more about your escapades than you knew. I keep track of my kid sister the same as I do some others. You’d be surprised to know all I know about what goes on in that part of the country.
I’d let Lester Hayes read your letter, I hope you don’t mind. He said he wasn’t surprised about the highest ones in the class but that it wasn’t any better than I could’ve done if I’d wanted to. Of course it sounded nice and maybe he really believes it, but I don’t have that much confidence in my mental ability.
I was surprised that Dan wrote to you. I thought he was just kidding about it all, and anything I told him was the truth (or a close resemblance). He probably wrote, more to see if he’d get an answer, than anything else. I do that once in a while myself if I get a hold of a girls address.
I haven’t written to Paul yet and I know I should but just don’t get around to it. I hope he comes through OK.
I’m not going to get you anything for graduation until I get home and see what the score is. I’m pretty short on cash.
I did think of dad‘s birthday yesterday, but I didn’t have a chance to send anything to him. Tell him I did think of it though.
Thanks for the reminder of Joe‘s birthday. I bought myself a new tobacco pouch a couple of days ago, but didn’t use it as my other one is still good. I think I’ll send it to him now and get myself another one later.
I got a letter from Catherine the day before yesterday and answered it immediately.
She said she was going to send me some cookies and would write to make up for Joe’s not writing. I was really surprised to hear from her.
What’s keeping that redheaded pal of yours from writing? I’ll have to give her heck, yet.
I took a nasty tumble yesterday. We have clamshell walks around these tents and I was trying to get at the head of the Chow. I got going so fast my feet couldn’t keep up so as a result, I have about 3 yards of bandages holding me together. Nothing more serious than a bad cut on the heel of my right hand and several cuts and bruises on my right knee.
The boys called me a chow hound (but we call a fellow who always tries to get at the head of the line), but I told them it wasn’t that I wanted to eat, but that I wanted to get it over with so I could get to work.
We have to sing at the Baptist Church in town tomorrow night. It is a broadcast, and they’re not evangelistic, so we had to pick a song to go with it. We are going to sing “Wandering Child, Oh Come Home” for the conversion after the service. I think we’ll sing “My Anchor Holds” and “The Rosary” for the service. We are going to the chaplain’s home for supper. He said he would come for us tomorrow afternoon.
Sergeant Cleveland has gone to the Air-Corp and we have a new fellow from the 43rd division in the hut now. His name is Jerry Eno and his home is in Vermont. He has a corporal rating and is a nice fellow.
I had to wash a pair of pants, a cap and tie this afternoon as I couldn’t have gotten them back from the laundry in time to wear tomorrow. It was hard with one hand bandaged up, but I got it done. I have to iron them tonight somehow.
Gosh, I’m starting on a third sheet of paper. I don’t know how I can write that much to you and not be able to get more than one sheet filled for anyone else.
Do you still take violin lessons? And does Eileen take lessons? I haven’t heard anything about it for quite a while.
My eyes are a lot better now and I sleep much better than I did. Bought a pair of sunglasses, good ones for $2.50, and it seems to have cured what was wrong. The sun is very bright here and everything making it very hard on the optics.
I took four exposed rules of films up to the canteen yesterday to be developed and bought two new films, one of which is nearly used up already. I should have some good pictures.
I haven’t heard from Ruth for at least two weeks and I am damn sure I won’t write again till I get one from her. I’m not going to fool around about it anymore. If she doesn’t want to write, there are others that will.
They are talking about organizing an excursion to the Gulf for fishing for the boys in this battalion that are interested and here’s one that is, if I can only work it.
Well, I guess I’ll quit now and save some paper for the next letter I have to write.

Love, Wayne

P. S. Hope you haven’t gone to sleep reading this. WS.