573 3/29/1944 Jim Erwin to Sadie Erwin

Jim Erwin Lakeland Field, Lakeland, Florida Wednesday, March 29, 1944

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, Has been a few days since writing so better do so. Your short letter with the quarterly came this noon. Thanks. Will try to read some now. Everything you have sent has arrived okay. Shoes, gum, money, etc. Thought the shoes might have been lost but they did come okay. We have been busy still packing and getting crates ready. All boxes have to be painted and special things put on them. The boys came in from their bivouac a day early so I didn’t have to go. Everybody that wired in for an extension on their furlough got them. I could have had five more days which would of given me seven at home. Every time I think of it, makes me mad. It would have cost $85.00 and a long trip to be home but two days so didn’t look like the smart thing. I won’t be able to go far away from our post when we get there. Will be lucky to get any passes out at all so doubt whether I could get home. Yesterday I cut the legs off of some old work pants and made some shorts. Wore them all day and got pretty burned. It was cloudy for a while but is nice again now. The ration board made a mistake and gave me 20 gallons of gas instead of five. They gave me 40 food points and 40 meat points plus 2 lbs sugar. Thought that was pretty good. Still don’t know where and when we are going. Would be nice to get out on the west coast again. As you say, might be able to see Jack and Gert; hope I’ll be able to get a few passes. It will all depend how long we are there. If I can’t get home, hope you’ll be able to come down. I’m on guard duty tonight. Have the first relief from 6 til 9 then can come back to the barracks. Gladys sent me five dollars which I was glad to get. Cully has probably been accepted or rejected by now. Am anxious to find out which it was. If all the husbands get drafted, you’ll have a house full of kids all the time. In my letter from the Bensons, They said the car looked just like new again. Bet it sure looks nice. Will write again soon. With love, Jim