Dear Folks,

Received your letter this evening, the one Stan carried in his pocket. I was glad to hear of things at home and how you vacation was there. I got a letter from Dad yesterday and also one from Cleda today. I am glad things went so well at home, and I hope everything turns out ok with Dad. I don’t think you can blame Karen for being afraid of his cigars. Even if he wasn’t smoking one the smell won’t leave for a week.

After a week of school I can give you an idea of our schedule. Starting at 7:30 A.M. we have drill and calesthenics till 11:00 A.M. Have Code at 12:00, Gunnery at 1:00, Chemical Warfare at 2:00, Math at 3:00, 3 days a week aircraft identification at 4:00 and the other three Naval Forces, which is the study and recognition of all the ships of different nations. Code and the identification courses are the hardest and you don’t have time to think about anything twice. In code we will have to be able to take 8 words a min, and we have to be able to recognize 50 different planes in 1/25 of a sec. aside from knowing there wing spans, armament, makers, type, speed, range, etc. In gunnery we are on the 50 cal. machine gun and are learning the parts. The idea here is that you learn everything in class so you keep taking the gun apart, naming the parts and putting it together again. We take up the 50 cal. gun, sub-machine gun, .45 pistol and theory of sighting. Also get to go on the range with all of them.

I am not having an awful lot of trouble with code but some of the boys are having an awful time. It is taught just like the other courses where you sit for an hour straight with the earphones and take down everything you can. During the period today we had three checks and I didn’t miss a letter in any of them, they gave it to us at about 5 words a min. (1 word = 5 letters), however, tomorrow I might miss them all, that’s the way it is.

I liked your description of how Bill ^[1]his cousin, Bill DeMoulin pressed his pants, with him in the navy nothing would surprise me. I got a letter from Mary a week or so ago but I have only written her about 3 times since I have been in the army. I think the various reports you heard of her were probably true. Zoe and I have been keeping up a steady correspondence, however, I don’t know what the date is that she graduates.  I think it is sometime in Sept. I asked her in a letter a couple of days ago so should know pretty soon. I think she might come out to where ever I am after she graduates, for a visit. She has an offer of a job in Kalamazoo, Mich., but I don’t know if that’s the one she wants are not. I don’t mind if you get her something for graduation but don’t ask me for any ideas because I am stumped myself. There is some advice that I would like to get from you folks, and if it is ok with you this will be strictly between the three of us and Karen. Zoe and I have talked a little of being engaged but you know how it is talking about things through the mail. Anyway, as things stand I think we should wait awhile and see how things work out, that is with my training. Under the conditions I thought it selfish on my part or on any fellows part to be engaged to a girls but she doesn’t seem think so. Whatever, we decide it would be some time before I would give her a ring but I just wanted your ideas on the issue. As I said before don’t say anything to Dad because things are along way from being that far along.

I have to shave and shine shoes yet tonight so had better get to it. Give Karen a kiss for me.

With love, Tom