{"id":98,"date":"2017-08-16T19:27:29","date_gmt":"2017-08-16T19:27:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/brooksidepress.org\/cartmell\/?page_id=98"},"modified":"2018-10-14T15:47:19","modified_gmt":"2018-10-14T15:47:19","slug":"03-march-10-1943-fresno-california","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/brooksidepress.org\/cartmell\/letters\/pre-flight-training-1943\/03-march-10-1943-fresno-california\/","title":{"rendered":"March 10, 1943, Fresno, California"},"content":{"rendered":"
\r\n
\r\n Tom has been in the army almost two weeks and is adjusting to military life. He’s received letters from his sister and responds to them. He details some of the daily life in camp.\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\n
\"March<\/a>
March 10, 1943, Page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tues. evening 5:30<\/p>\n

Dear Folks,<\/p>\n

I received the letter you wrote March 2nd yesterday and the one you wrote March 6th this afternoon so you can see how mixed up the mail is out here. However, I now have a lot to look forward to, that long air mail letter that you wrote Elaine and also the candy and papers and believe me I am looking forward to them. There is really nothing that I specially need but don’t let that keep you from sending candy or cookies when you feel like it, because as yet the mess Sargt. hasn’t started putting fudge on the tables. In fact it is a mighty long way from that, but the food is getting a little better.<\/p>\n

\"Tom<\/a>
Tom holding Karen and looking proud. This is one of the pictures Tom mentions he received, taken the day he left for the Army Air Corps in late February, 1943.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Karen certainly looks like a big girl in the pictures you sent. The thing that worries me is that I might not know her and that she won’t know me the next time I see her. You can tell her that not only did her Uncle Tom look proud in that picture but he really was. I know that she was the center of attraction while you were home.<\/p>\n

Now to answer a few of your questions: We don’t have to get up till 5:15 but it doesn’t get light till 7:30. Believe me getting up early and washing your own mess kits is the worse part of Army life for me. You know how I enjoy washing dishes. The uniform is O.K. and fits pretty good, but we will get different ones when we go into cadet training. All the fellow in the barracks are from colleges in the middle west and several from N.U, however, no Sigma Nu.[1]<\/sup><\/a>Tom belonged to the Sigma Nu fraternity while he was at Northwestern.<\/span><\/span>