July 21, 1943

Desert Training Center, California

July 21, 1943

Wed.    8:00 P.M.

Darling Mark,

         Hello Sweetheart!!!

No letter today – but I’d better write a short one.

         I’ve just finished shaving & a shower & washing my fatigues. The co. went on an overnite hike – 6 miles. I got out of it. We’re trading our Scout cars for half-tracks. This desert is too rough for the Scout cars. We have to get up at 4:30 tomorrow morning & be ready to leave at 5:30. We have to drive 150 miles to another camp – I forgot the name of it. They figure on 14 hours of driving & we haven’t any assistant relief driver. We’ll probably start back Fri. morning & get back in camp late Fri. nite, so you see honey – I probably won’t have a chance to write again till Sat.

         This morning we had gas-drill & vehicle decontamination & map-reading & navigation. This afternoon we had maintenance & got the Scout cars ready to roll for tomorrow morning.

         I was planning on going to L.A. this week-end but got restricted – over just some trivial thing. This Army is driving me bats.

         Well honey I’d better close & get some rest. It’s getting dark anyway.

         Bye now.   Write soon.

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                 All My Love                 Johnny     XOX

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