559 3/5/1944 Jim Erwin to Sadie Erwin

Jim Erwin Lakeland Field, Lakeland, Florida Sunday, March 05, 1944

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, Just got back from the telegraph office so will explain. I got in a card game the other night to make a lot of money but lost it all instead. I had already told you to send me some around the 10th so borrowed $20.00 to carry me through. Had a date last night and when I got back to the barracks my wallet was gone. There was about $17.00 in it. I called the girl I was with and she looked through her car and didn’t find it. She was going down to the restaurant where I had taken my wallet out to pay the bill. I’m to call her up at 5:15. Sure hope it is there. My paper with the code on it was there too so if it doesn’t show up, better send me a copy of it. I lost a wallet at Barksdale once before and lost all my snapshots of the girls. My income tax returns will be sent to you at home for that’s the address I put down. When it comes, take out what you have coming and bank the rest. It is cloudy but awful hot today. Don’t know if it will rain or not. I left on my furlough the 20th of October so I should have one due in about 40 days. Hope something happens to keep us here so I’ll be able to get home once more anyway. I’m on guard duty tonight but have the first relief which is the easiest. It is from 6 pm til 9 pm. Tomorrow is my day off so can sleep late. Hope you have sent my shoes by now. Figured they would be here by now. The ones I have on will really be done for soon. The wind has come up and the sun is covered with black clouds so will probably have a wet night of it. I got one letter from Helen and that’s all. I’ve written three to her. Hope she got my last one. I wrote to Stella and Harold a few days ago. Hope they will forgive me for being so late. Wish I could have been home to see Jack and Gertrude. Jack hasn’t answered my last two letters. Maybe I’ve got the wrong address. So Ralph Hawthorn is in England. Maybe I’ll get to see him. The latest rumor is that our P.O.E. is Long Beach, California. I sure don’t want to go into the South Pacific. Never saw anybody from Enumclaw at Barksdale except William Koenig. Wonder who the fellows were. Bet Willie hates to leave there too. You shouldn’t have any more snow now and the weather should start getting nicer. Peach trees are in bloom now and fill the air with their fragrant perfume. It cost plenty to have the car fixed. Maybe you can find somebody to clean and wax it now. Imagine Pop would like to drive everyday. There is certainly a difference between the car and those dirty old trucks. I I were to get a furlough with traveling time, I certainly would come home. The other way was just in case I couldn’t make it. Would love to get home just once more. Maybe it will work out though. The dentist was very good and did find some bad teeth. Six in fact. They were just small holes and didn’t take him long to fix them. I talked to Leo when home and he said Pop was doing fine work and wouldn’t have to worry about being laid off. Bremerton is a long way from Enumclaw and the housing conditions there are terrible. Everything was filled long before I came into the army. Shirlee wrote and said she was home and missed me. She even would come to Florida to see me if I wanted to. I would like to have her come but we might leave anytime so isn’t worth taking the chance. After the 20th of this month I’ll look for orders any day. Maybe sooner. Tomorrow night we play another basketball game. Neither one of us have lost a game. We have two good men home on furloughs so might have a bad time winning. Better start getting dressed for guard duty. The sun’s out again. Don’t know what to wear. With love, Jim