564 3/10/1944 Jim Erwin to Sadie Erwin

Jim Erwin Lakeland Field, Lakeland, Florida Friday, March 10, 1944

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, Got a nice letter from you this noon. My shoes still haven’t come. If they don’t come soon I’ll think they are lost. This afternoon I have to get another shot. Also go through the gas chamber and attend gas school from 6 til 8. At 8 o’clock we have a dance on the field and have a date there. Guess that will complete the day. Our supply officer said yesterday that we were turning in our field equipment at P.O.E. so would be going into a combat zone. I asked our adjutant officer if he had any idea how long we would be here in case you were to come down. He said he didn’t know but wouldn’t figure on more than a week, two weeks at the most. The latest rumor is that our port is Frisco. If that’s so we will probably go to Australia. You could come down there if we stayed any time at all. Our days off were stopped until the 15th so don’t see how I can get my pictures taken until the Monday following. If they are taken, they will probably cost around $18.00 and then I won’t have too much money left. Having a bad month huh. I know Shirlee looks nice but that doesn’t mean everything. She wrote and said that her sister Ruth was getting a furlough and was to be home soon. Her brother Paul was about due for his first liberty and wished he could get home so all could be together. Jeanette had planned to join the Waves long ago didn’t she. Phyllis certainly has done plenty of traveling. Didn’t think old Louie could quit drinking. He will always be the same way. The reason I put down so much for bond interest is because it didn’t cost me anything and can deduct that much some other year when I’ll have a tax to pay. Glad the car got waxed and turned out okay. Hope it can be kept nice now. Hope they don’t have any trouble finding the short. Bob Jensen will be a little closer to home than Florida but doesn’t help much. He won’t like Alexandria very well. It is awful crowded. Think there are about six or seven camps nearby. He is just glad to stay in the states. I sure wish we knew where our destination is to be. It will be a good place I know but am anxious to get started. Some say ratings are frozen and others say that our ratings will come out the 15th and fill them all up. Sure wish I’d hurry up and make Sgt. Going overseas being a Sgt. will bring in around $92.00. A lot of the fellows are making out allotments to take out so much a month and send home. It works just like insurance practically. It would take 6 months before you’d get it. Finance section said they would send it home for us though and it would go faster and more certain of getting home. Will have to close now but will write again soon. Thanks for the stamps. I only had one left. With love, Jim