645 5/9/1945 Jim Erwin to Helen Carlson

Jim Erwin 497th Service Sqdn. 44th Service Group, APO 487, NY Wednesday, May 09, 1945

Helen Carlson 382 Robertsville Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Dear Helen, Had received many nice long letters from you. One of them just yesterday. I’m going to start now to answer them. I’m working now in the Information and Education office with Lt. Dariotis. The fellow from Seattle. He is perfect and always have liked him. One of the few good officers in this group. He is always having me up to his tent for cold beer sandwiches, etc. The group is on new working hours now. Start work at 5:30 and are finished for the day at 1:30. It gives us a lot of spare time. Officers may report to work at their own discretion. Dariotes gets here about seven-thirty. He said just so I get to work before he does, it won’t make any difference. Can’t beat a fellow like that. We received some new radios two days ago and have been able to pick up broadcasts of V-E Day from all over the world. The war with Japan shouldn’t last much more than a year. Elmer’s brother should return soon and be discharged. He has gone through an awful war and imagine very thankful that he is able to return. I had quit writing to practically everybody for quite some time. Wrote to Mother and that’s about all. The last few days I’ve been writing letters like crazy. You should be receiving them right along now. Housecleaning is a terrific job. You must be happy to be finished with it. Burning soft coal, dust collects every day and is a job just to keep the house dusted. The cigarette situation should let up soon. The ___ that approximately 2 ½ million boys will be getting discharged. Waiting in line for hours just to get one package of cigarettes isn’t so good. Glad sent me a picture of the girls too. I think Ruth looks more like Gladys all the time. Neither one of her children can compare with little Jimmie though. He’s a darling and I love him. Mary is still pretty small to tell much about but she will be lovely too. Your dancing lessons have paid off. I can’t jitterbug but will learn when we return. It is plenty of work and bet you get plenty tired. Elmer better get pretty sharp in chess. The next time I see him, he is due for a trouncing. The chess tournament they had was really a rough one. Maybe he can win the next one. It will be nice if Mr. Haugeto is able to have Elmer transferred. Ten miles from the Dahlstroms would be okay. You would be much closer to Minneapolis too. The girl’s marriage and children must have nearly floored Bob. There are probably plenty of women that have been doing the same. Did Bob like her very much? Yes, I went to Calcutta for the tennis tournament. Didn’t do bad and had a nice time. Flew both ways which was okay too. This last payday got me completely out of debt. Am going to try and save some from now on. I still feel bad about wrecking your car. Should really send you some more money for that. You have always been wonderful to me Helen. Way back while in Minneapolis, you would always be buying me something, taking me downtown or something. You’re wonderful. The pair of ice skates you got me are still good too. Used them at home every time we had some cold weather. Thanks for sending Mother the picture for me. Pictures that come over get all bent up and really get wrecked. Mother can keep it for me. Our company commander was relieved yesterday afternoon. A new captain has come in but I haven’t seen him yet. Hear that he is a pretty nice fellow though. Time will tell. It has been raining nearly part of every day. The afternoons have been awful hot. The evenings are still cool enough to need a blanket. The hot season up here in Assam can’t be over three months. We came to this field last September and it was cool at night. It’s May now, so shouldn’t have too many restless nights. The Lt. just came in, wanted to know what I was doing. Told him was writing letters. He said, “good, think I’ll do the same.” Here we are both working hard writing letters. Everything is going along okay. There is to be an Assam track meet the 26th of May. Fellows are working out now for it. Should turn out okay. Will close for now. With love, Jim