36 9/5/1944 Jim Erwin to Helen Carlson

Jim Erwin 497th Service Sqdn. 44th Service Group, APO 9898, NY Tuesday, September 05, 1944

Helen Carlson 382 Robertsville Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Dear Helen, Mail hasn't been coming in very well but last night six letters came. Was glad to hear from you again. Didn't think I'd ever stop laughing at Jimmie. Would sure like to be there and watch him. He must be able to talk pretty good by now. Thanks for mailing the handkerchiefs. They won't get here for a while but know they're on the way. Mother is sending me some too. Use to have a lot of them and don't know where they all went. Having the boys request things puts us in a funny position. Everyone that writes wants to send some little thing but can't without us first asking for it. It's a lot of bother to make something, find a box to put it in, take it to the post office and finally get it off. Don't like to say anything. I would like to have some cookies, candy, cake or anything good to eat though. So if you have time, this is a request and you can show it to your dizzy postmaster. We get four cartons of cigarettes a month on our ration cards. After everybody has gotten theirs, the P.X. sells out. Usually can get as many more cartons as you want. Have had as many as 15 cartons. They have all the leading brands so am now thinking of a way to get some Lucky Strikes to you. Thanks anyway. Jimmie was pretty smart. Wouldn't put his dime in the Sunday school collection. He was probably going to use it to a better advantage. That's cute about wanting to spank Mary for wetting her pants. He will get to like her soon. Won't even want anyone to touch her. Mother said Bob Jensen was home now but didn't mention anything about his wife. Never did like her and didn't see how Bob could ever have loved her. Thought it was a forced marriage but evidently it wasn't. I dropped the lighter you gave me on the cement while in Florida. The lighter can be fixed so kept all the parts. They told us we would be able to get lighters, etc. at the P.X. at our P.O.E. They didn't have any and said we would be able to get them over here. Haven't been able to do that either. Our next move should be to a permanent station and our equipment should be there. One of the instrument men has promised to fix it. The balance stem on my watch is busted too and that can be repaired if we get to where our tools are. Told mother she might possibly be able to get a lighter and if possible, could send it for Christmas. That's the only thing I really need so don't bother to send me anything like that for Christmas. Would like to have some cookies so maybe you send some of them. It's not the civilians that are the cause of liquor being banned from your field. It's the GIs. Never been on a field yet where the guards wouldn't look and take away any bottles discovered. Too bad Elmer had to wait so long for two glasses of beer. Know how it is though. I haven't had much taste for it lately. Cliff and I are both giving our cases of beer to any other kid this month. I didn't drink my case for last month yet. The boys have always thought Cliff and I were near the same age. We have been together over a year now and could have made plenty of money having people guess Cliff's age. He is just a few months less than thirty. Surprised - He was in the outdoors wilds of Alaska for seven years. Gold mining, trapping etc. Has really stayed rough, ready and young. Will close for now - With love, Jim