7-5-44

Dear Folks,

This is a California night like you see in the movies, beautiful moon and everything, except a date.

Today I have been trying to clear the post. I have never seen so much red tape in all my life. At Luke they had all the depts. represented in one building and that way we didn’t have to go running all over. Here we have to go to every dept. on the post and get cleared from each which all boils down to an awful lot of walking. I was going for 4 hrs. this morning and will have about 3 more places to hit. We graduate Fri. morning and will probably be allowed 1 day travel time to get to Lemoore. Only 87 out of our regular 100 group that came are going on, the others were held over here, some for instruments and also because they don’t have room for everyone.

June 20, 1944, USS LST 58

I am enclosing a V-mail letter that I received from Steve today. The diving on beaches that he is speaking of has to do with the fact that our own forces have been shooting down our own planes. Alot of this has been happening, we had a report in combat tactics class that a squadron of 5 B-25s were all shot down by one of our own naval forces in the S. Pac. Supposedly one of our B-25s had mistaken one of our P.T. boats for a Jap and he sank it. As soon as this happened all the navy ships in the area cut loose on the 25’s and got them all. I guess Steve must have had a similar experience3. Say some Sun. if Dad and you folks are thinking about a drive you might drive up to Great Lakes and look up Steve’s folks. His Dad is Chief Petty Officer Hempelman and his quarters are 61-J. I don’t think you would have much trouble finding him. I think Steve is pretty worried about his Mother and I don’t think he knows much about the situation. You can drive in and they will give you an escort to take you around.

We really had a swell weekend. Mort’s girl and my date from Berkeley got to Sacramento about 5:00 Sat. afternoon. We didn’t fly Sat. afternoon so we got to meet them. To top things off we rented a car for the weekend (set us back $20.00). Came out here and had dinner in the officer’s mess and went to the dance at the officers’ club in the evening. We were lucky enough to have been able to get them a room the Wed. before. Went in and got them Sun. and came back out here and swam till about 3:00 PM. Took the train back to Berkeley at 5:00. When we got back there Mort’s girl friends folks had us all up to dinner. (A picnic lunch in the back yard, they really had a nice place for it). Stayed all night at Mort’s and got back to the base about noon Mon. just in time to make class at 1:00. The girl I had the date with was the same one that Mort’s mother had gotten a date with me for the weekend before. Her name is Barbara Price. She went to the girls school at Rockford, Ill. last year and the year before. Her Father use to be director of the International House in Chicago. She was born in China and lived there for the first 7 years. I didn’t know it till Mort told me and then about passed out. She is blonde and about 5’5″, cute. Mort and I are suppose to get to Berkeley Fri. night for dates, probably end up getting to Lemoore late.

I have really been having a time the last couple weeks. Have been squadron commander and we have had more reviews and inspections in this time than all the rest of our time here put together. It is really more of a pain than anything as the fellows are never satisfied and our C.O. who is a major needs to be sent into combat. He isn’t a flying officer but to hear him talk you would think he already had his 50 missions in, this doesn’t set at all well with the boys and in some way they are usually able to leave this impression. Personally I think he will be glad to see us leave.

I guess Tommy and Karen are still clicking it off fine. I imagine Karen is Mother’s little helper, maybe alittle more than is necessary. I hope she hasn’t dropped her brother on his head on the hardwood floor like some sisters have been known to do.

Well it is just about mid-night so will sign off. Tell Dad this is fo him and Cleda also. Goodnight

With love,

Tom

P.S. Let me know how long it takes this letter to get there. Mailing it tomorrow morning 7-6-44.