Dearest,

What a hell of a life. Limited to 2 gal. of H2O a day for everything which means about a quart to drink. Snakes, insects and everything else to make life miserable.

Yesterday we had lecture and athletics, this morning more lectures and infantry tactics this afternoon with medium pack. Tomorrow a 15 mile hike with full pack and K rations. Something Thurs. only 20 miles and Fri. hike back to the base and start pilot school Sat. morning.

The country around here is pretty nice but no water, I would give a month’s pay for a bath. No one is allowed to shave because of the water shortage and as a result we are all beginning to look alittle rugged. I know now that a beard can itch. The night before last about the whole camp got some straw to sleep on, two fellows got bitten by ticks and one found a scorpion in bed with him, the two that were bitten had to be taken into the hospital. As a result juist about everyone has rigged up some kind of a hammock. I’ve fixed up something that looks alittle like a stretcher but you have to lay in it a certain way or the bottom falls out – as I said before it is a hell of a life.

Are you still working or did you decide to stop dating?

A fellow wants me to go play horseshoes sop will close.

All my love,

Tom