Dearest Gee.
Back “home” again safe + sound. Looked all around the station for Close and Kelly but couldn’t find them. When they opened the gate and I started down to the train Close came running up so we got to ride together again all the way. Kelly hasn’t showed up yet, neither has Hoffman. They don’t have anything to lose tho so I don’t blame them for staying. We got here about a half hour late. The train was late getting into Albany but we made the connection alright. We just had to get off the train at Albany and didn’t have to change at Troy. When we got to Burlington we went to the Vermont hang out and had two beers then went down towards the Battery Park to one of those Italian eating joints and had spaghetti. Tasted pretty good. Decided to go to the show so went to the Flynn and saw “The Fallen Sparrow”. We got so dang sleepy that we couldn’t stay for all of it. Got out to camp in a cab about ten o’clock.
Can’t seem to be able to get organized this morning. It’s pouring down rain every five minutes. We just went over and got our barracks bags out of hock.
Got the rest of my mail too. Got two from you, July letters, one of them was your “anniversary letter”, also got one from Mae, two from Mom, and one from Sis, two from Erv, which wasn’t bad. I wonder how long I’ll be getting this APO mail now?
Doug wants me to go in town tonight and see a show. Suppose to be one on what has a bunch of stars in it, don’t know what the name of it is.
Haven’t heard any good rumors lately except I still think the Montana one is pretty hot. We are having a dress review tomorrow for Col. Fredricks. It’s a good think we didn’t have a write up in the paper. Some staff sergeant have had his picture taken with his mother – a big one and put in the paper and told all about what went on and they are really having a stink about it now. Now we are getting lectures on keeping our mouths shut.
Sure miss you already, kid. Had a wonderful time with you. Now I gotta look forward to the next one. Well, guess this will be all for now. More later. So long. I sure love you.
Snook
We have a significant gap in letters, from August 17 to September 24th. The reason for this is explained in Snook’s memoirs. The Force departed from Amchitka on August 22 and arrived back in San Francisco on the 1st of September, at which time they were told furloughs would be handed out. Snook headed back to Fort Ethan Allen in Vermont with half the Force, as he was in the second group granted furlough, beginning on September 18th. He was able to call Gee from San Francisco to update her on his leave, so Gee came out to visit him ahead of his furlough, staying at a the Hotel Van Ness in Burlington from September 10 -18, 1943. Snook had to return from furlough by September 24th (giving him only two days at home after travel time was factored in), so this is him writing to Gee the day he returned to Fort Ethan Allen.
Letters From Snook 