March 29, 1943, Tempe, Arizona

Tom’s been sick with a cold, and is having some breathing troubles, which he attributes to the dust in the air. He asks Dr. Cartmell to send him some pills, in an unlabeled container, with the directions sent separately. His uniform pants don’t fit him any more because he continues to gain weight, unlike his colleagues.

Sat. morning.

March 29, 1943, Tempe, Arizona, Page 1
March 29, 1943, Tempe, Arizona, Page 1

Dear Folks,

This is O.K. to be typing a letter once again. One of my roommates who was at N.U. has a typewritter and I am borrowing his. I don’t think it pays to have one here. At the present time we are waiting for the floor to dry in the day room so we can put the rug and chairsback in. As much as we clean this place it certainly should be clean. I and four other fellows were on this detail this morning so we got out of drill, I would just as soon drill.

Say I have been having alittle trouble breathing, if you know what I mean. I wish you would send me some pills for this and also some more cold pills. One box of each will be plenty. Don’t write anything on the box that is for the breathing, but if there is any directions send them to me in a separate letter. It doesn’t seem like this Ariz. climate is any too good for that ailment. It didn’t bother me a bit in Fresno and i trained all the time. The trouble here is that it is so dry and there is alot of dust in the air. However, it might be that most of it is from the cold that I have, what ever it is from I hope it goes away soon.

March 29, 1943, Tempe, Arizona, Page 2
March 29, 1943, Tempe, Arizona, Page 2

This Monday we start to school I don’t think the math will be hard infact I think they start off with arithmetic. The other courses are History, English, Civil Air Regulations, and some more that I don’t know of at the present. From what I hear we are suppose to get something like 22 college hours of credit for it, which isn’t all bad.

(Time out,)

Three o’clock afternoon.

I had to go into Tempe after the mail this morning so I didn’t get to finish this letter. We just got in from the drill field alittle while ago. We are having a dress parade Sun. (tomorrow) and we had to go through it today. It is really getting hot out here, I will certainly be glad when we start wearing sun tans. That is the light weight summer uniform, however, the pants don’t fit me but the supply officer said that he would change them for me. The rest of my uniform fits O.K., but if I keep eating like a horse and gaining weight it won’t. I think I am about the only one that I know of that has gained.

March 29, 1943, Tempe, Arizona, Page 3
March 29, 1943, Tempe, Arizona, Page 3

They have let us go into Tempe a couple more times to get things that we are going to need and do need. I got me a pair of slipper and some more underware and socks. The army doesnt’ issue enough of those things for this kind of weather. It hasn’t rained once since we got here and none of the natives expect it to. The town here is only about 2000 and I had a heck of a time trying to find any sock or things. Most people go in to Phoenix but we aren’t allowed that far. I don’t know when we will get to go there. They tell us that we might get twenty hour passes on some of these weekends but personally I am beginning to doubt it. I have only had one pass since I have been in the army and that was just for six hours.

I guess Bob Blizzard is getting all set to go. If you see him tell him to drop me a line when he gets to shere he is going. I got a letter from Carl the other day and he is being called up also. I think about the same time that Bob is. I believe he said that he was going to start back to school next quarter thought.

I guess you don’t happen to know where Harold Schneider is now. This country is thick with army air fields down here and I thought he might be stationed around here close.

I am going to have to shine my shoes and get ready for retreat so had better close.

I hope you aren’t getting as mad as I am about my address being changed all the time but it isn’t my idea. They told us today that if we use the address that is on the front of this envelope now that we will get our mail a day sooner, so use this one from now on.

Hope to see and hear from you soon.

Love Tom.

March 29, 1943, Tempe, Arizona
March 29, 1943, Tempe, Arizona

A Young Man Went Off to War