Camp White, Oregon
Friday
7 May 1943
Dear Aunty Clara:
We worked until 11:30 last night and then I stayed around straightening up until about 1:30. It was 2:00 once again before I finally crawled into bed. The amount of sleep after that was insignificant ---- 3 hours. Our company had Reveille at 5:00 this A.M., we ate immediately after that and then started to prepare our barracks, bags, packs and personal clothing for an early departure. It was 7:20 when we dropped our B barracks bags (those which are stored in the hold of the ship) on the parade grounds and thus concluded the first stage of our departure.
Coming back to the office was just a continuation of this last minute packing; but now we are all finished. The field desks are locked and resting on the desk ready to be taken away.
One other last minute job was wrapping up the package with the watch and the garrison belt in it. At first I had the belt wrapped up in a Buddy Squirrel Nut Shop cardboard box and then the watch in its regular container. However, the watch box just squeezed over into the 2 pound class so I decided to send the boxes together as a unit. That didn't work so I was compelled to wrap them up with additional paper. You will discover when you receive it that it is wrapped, wrapped and wrapped again for good measure.
My B barracks bag was so small that it aroused the comment of Sgt Driscoll. He doubted that all the items which I should have stored away in it were there. He thinks that perhaps I was taking it in my A bag. I really will be suspected of such tactics when he gets a look at the A bag itself which is so packed full that it is only with difficulty that it can be closed. The reason for that is the accumulation of boxes containing extra soap, supplies of all sorts of stationery (air mail, slow mail, special paper, notebooks, pencils etcetera). Then too, I have my bedroom slippers, shower slippers, civilian shoes, utility kit and other miscellaneous possessions on that order.
Frankly, I did not think that there would be presented this opportunity of writing this letter this morning. The delivery of it may be held until we have arrived at San Francisco because I understand that no mail shall leave from now on because Sgt Johnson has shut down his post office.
Here is how we are going to be dressed upon leaving for the train: 1 set of wool O.D.s, field jacket, overcoat, combat pack, gas mask, canteen, helmet and rifle. In other words we are going to be loaded down but good. Incidentally, I think I mentioned that we have been having unseasonably cool weather of late. It just doesn't seem possible that a place where in January we began sweating should now, in May, suddenly become quite cool and rather uncomfortably so.
We may be called to leave at any moment now; so I shall cease and desist from letter writing. Let us hope they allow us to write soon again.
So long,
/s/ Roman
Roman