Item text: "July 12, 1944
Hello Stas,
I was very glad to hear from you and thanks for the picture. Those Negatives I had[,] well[,] I had them made up in post-card size but I haven't gotten around to sending them to you yet. There will be several of Buckshot and Kush so you can send them on if you want to. I will try to get them off in the next few days.
Well Stas, I didn't like the boot camp they had in New London and besides that I would have had to stay for radio school and that was two months. So I told them I didn't want it unless they would send me on and to the sub fleet without all that training so they couldn't do that. They sent me to pier 92 and I was there for two weeks[,] then they sent me in this outfit which I don't like. They get good liberty in New London[,] 3 out of 4 is what you rate there. They have to[sic] many seaman second class there and every one is heated like a seaman. So you can see what it must be like.
This outfit is something like a Cub but it isn't a Cub outfit. This is a very large outfit and we have about 76 radiomen[,] most of them from the fleet or else got kicked out of V-12 school. We had a twenty mile hike yesterday but it was down through down[town] and it wasn't bad for there was plenty of girls out in the street with their bathing suits
[page 2]on and we ate K rations for dinner but we also got beer or most any thing we wanted [illegible] on the [illegible]. The thing is we only get liberty over the week end. I did get a 72 last week end and only got out of the hotel room once so you know I must have had a time.
We are trying to get a five day embarkation leave[,] but how it comes out I can't say yet. I have about 14 shots to take first and I have to have them by Saturday. Yes, I will soon be over seas again[,] but on this side and in some big sea port so it won't [be] bad after we get away from here. I am guess[sic] we will get about two months in England somewhere before we do anything at the front. Speaking of the front[,] I suppose the boys was[sic] glad to hear about that starting.
Jim Ming just got back off leave again and he said that he was going out with [illegible] and Berger one night. Has[sic] any of the other boys got back yet?
No, I didn't get married for I decided to wait for this thing might soon be over with and I will have plenty of time then. Say[,] Harris got married while he was home and he is on the Shangri-La and is still in Norfolk with his wife.
I hope you fellows can get back soon and give my regards to the gang. Liberty is fine here but money goes fast. Women are plentiful and some of them will be more than glad to keep you up if you will stay with them.
your old Tent Mate Curly
P. S. My over seas address will be
T. H. Kirkland Rm1/C
Navy 9⊥5 C_⊥
C/O F.R.O New York, N.Y."
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Place Name coordinates. (May be approximate.)
