62 3/16/1945 Robert A Carlson to Helen Carlson

Robert A Carlson In Italy Friday, March 16, 1945

Helen Carlson 382 Robertsville Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Dear Elmer and Helen, Just came back from a show - Betty Grable and Robert Young in "Sweet Rosie O'Grady" in Technicolor. I liked it very much Received your package of anchovies which sure went good with our beer ration. Thanks a lot. I was reading about the meat shortage and I'll bet those fish took a lot of red points. I know you wouldn't tell me if they did anyway. The nights and mornings are still cold here, but in the daytime we have beautiful spring weather. We put up a lot of pin-up pictures on the wall right in front of me here and we keep adding more. To tell the truth I think they're bad for a guy's morale. The guys made up 17 different volleyball teams and as the result of a round robin tournament, the winning team wins 2 cases of beer. My team is out of it cause we've lost 3 out of about 7 games so far. They also started a bar for the enlisted men at which they sell cognac, rum and gin. About 4 days ago I got stinko so I've been staying away from it lately. I had been working up to a good drunk for a long time though. It doesn't hurt me to get drunk every once in a great while cause if I go for months without a drink it's all the same to me. Some of the boys hit it pretty heavy though. Listening to some of these Joes who have been home on furlough sure makes one homesick for the U.S. It this war isn't over pretty soon I'll go nuts. Well - am about out of news so will close and hit the hay. Bob P.S. Received the clipping about LeRoy - thanks