635 12/28/1944 Jim Erwin to Sadie Erwin

Jim Erwin 497th Service Sqdn. 44th Service Group, APO 487, NY Thursday, December 28, 1944

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, Have finally settled down now after a wonderful Christmas and will try and answer some letters. I received fourteen packages and the tent is just full of food. Your packages were wonderful and want to thank you a lot. Think it’s the biggest Christmas I’ve ever had. The blackberry jam tops everything anybody sent. It was like eating something right out of heaven. Thanks for the lighter too. It works perfectly and will really get a lot of use out of it. The package of Posts came and am reading the stories. The sport socks and T-shirts came and it really feels good to wear them again. Get razzed about it but the fellows wish they had some to put on too. We worked hard to get a track made, getting fellows signed up and trained for a big meet we planned for Christmas day. Had to cancel a hardball game that afternoon also. We now intend to have the track meet New Year’s Day. Hope the weather turns out to be nice. I sent for an accounting course just before leaving on furlough. It was here waiting when we returned. Most of my spare time has been spent on that. The test has arrived so am trying to hurry through the book to take it. I started right back at the beginning and will work up. It is all coming back and enjoy doing it. It is part of the Armed Forces Institute courses. The course only costs $2.00. If I finish the work and pass the test the next course will be sent free. There are about fifteen courses and all will be for the original $2.00 if my work is satisfactory. A new Red Cross Club is nearly finished. It is just across the street from us and will really be handy. The base Red Cross is a good three miles away. Mrs. Jensen sent two pictures of Warren along with a very lovely letter. Inez and Mrs. Springer wrote too. The Wa___ Hannas family sent me a nice package and so did the George Schweigles. I got a ton of stuff. Two packages from Helen and one from Bernice hasn’t arrived yet. They will soon though I’m sure. The Captain in special service has a Lt. working with him. The Lt. is from Seattle and went to the U.of W. He went through town going skiing many times. He knows some fellows from W.S.C. too. We have a big time talking to each other about Washington. The Sunday and daily funnies are still coming in. I really enjoy them and can hardly wait until the next bunch arrives. The Close Family (Uncle Ben, Elizabeth, etc.) sent me a nice package. Had a swell book about, “Feather Merchants (Title)”. Shirlee’s package came too. Glad sent a bunch of stuff and enclosed a nice picture of all the kids, Bensons, Dahlstroms taken while up at the cabin. Hope you, Pop and Bensons had a lovely Christmas. Maybe we can all be together for the next one. We had a wonderful dinner and couldn’t hardly move after eating so much. Our weather is still cold. Must be just about the freezing point each night. I was on guard duty last night. Put on long underwear and had my heavy overcoat on. I still got plenty cold. The fog rolls in heavy too. In the morning everything is all wet. The piece of material from the trousers looks very nice. The pants look swell I bet. Hope it won’t be very many years before I get to wear them. I still haven’t written to Shirlee. It was the first of October I wrote the last letter. I’ll have to write and thank her for the package I suppose. Oh! The tuna fish went so fast nearly forgot about it. That was second to the blackberry jam and then the ripe olives. Everything was wonderful. Hope the things didn’t take too many of your points. Don’t worry if you don’t hear from me too often. Basketball season will start in about a week and that will take more time. I’ll write as often as possible. Thanks again for the wonderful Christmas. With love, Jim P.S. Please send some Saturday Evening Posts.