Dear Folks,

I hope the shock of receiving a letter from that son of yours isn’t too great. However, I think we have been about as busy moving as you folks were, only on alittle smaller scale. We are finally settled and believe me it is really nice. All my new furniture and redecorated:

It is really cute and only about 2 blocks from the bus on the way out to the field. It is $80.00 a month but with Bob + Jean Clyde that makes it $40.00 apiece. Wish you could be here with us Christmas and also wish that we could enjoy it for alittle longer than 1½ months, however, we got to finish this war. Which reminds me we filled out theater choice sheets the other day. I picked United Kingdom first, C.B.I. (China, Burma, India), Hawaii, North Africa, and Southwest Pacific. I guess it doesn’t mean an awful lot. I would just as soon go to C.B.I. but “Andy” would like to go to England. We get our gunners as soon as we go to San Francisco to ship out. They stopped using them fo awhile but from all reports they proved to be pretty valuable.

I am really very well satisfied with Andy (my R.O.), he has been having alittle trouble with doing one thing but he’s getting that worked out. He is really all business in the air and that’s alot. Some of the boys are having alittle trouble with their R.O.’s, but on the whole I think we have the makings of several good crews, and here’s hoping that we are one of them.

Cleda, we received the cards and I don’t know if we will use them or not, but anyway I want you to know that I appreciate them. I wonder what it will be next year to mess up our Christmas card deal?

About Christmas presents: I think I told you that I got a knife out here and if you want to you can get me a pair of O.D. pants and shirt. Uncle Les has my measurements. Tell Elaine and Stan that I would like to have a Reader’s Digest subscription. They suggested it in their letter. Zoe is getting me a bath robe so don’t get me that, however, I would like some gloves, and 9½ but I would like to get them myself. If you want to send me the money for them, I can get them out here.

Say there is something I would like to get for Zoe out here but they don’t have any, is a makeup bag. I am going to get her a suit so if you want to get her that let me know and I won’t look around out here anymore. She wanted one something like a small suit case.

Zoe has been taking a bath and should be about through by now so will sign off. She won’t add anything to this as I want to mail it early in the morning. Goodnight –

With love,

Tom