May 26, 1944
Pueblo, Colorado

Dear Dad,
Well I am glad that you have gotten you a good job. I hope that you and mom like it there. Write and tell me what kind of work you are doing.

Well dad, things for me don't look so good. I never have bothered you and mom with my troubles but I guess that I might just as well tell you this and you can use your own judgement in telling mom.

To start off with I will not get to come home and the other is that I will leave for overseas in July. That have done told us what the score is so we know what to expect.

I will tell you what I am doing now. I am as you know a ball turret gunner on a B-24. We fly 8 to 10 hours every day at 20,000 feet and it is -30 below 0 and this is not a kid's game I have found that out. I have lost 20 pounds. I weighed 172 at Las Vegas and now I weigh 153.

Telva likes it fine out here. She has a nice place to stay and she runs around with my co-pilot's wife so when we are flying she has someone to talk to.

I will be promoted to Corporal Monday and that means I will be getting $96 a month now, and in 3 or 3 more weeks I will get promoted to Sgt. so you see I am working hard because I find the money can come in handy. Oh yes a Sergeant gets $117 a month and Telva will get her $50 so you see I am not doing so bad.

I am glad Mom enjoyed her flowers because I spent my last $10 bucks for them. I wanted to get her a big indian rug but I didn't have the money.

Dad, if you can get me a big knife and a holster to carry it in I sure could use it.

Tell Wayne, Pat, Ralph and Tom I said hello. Tell Wayne I said not to get any funny ideas and try to get into this damn army or I would beat the hell out of him.

Tell them I said to write to me.

John

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