Dear Ralph,
I was glad to hear from you. I am now located at North Camp Hood Texas instead of Camp Bowie, that is probably the reason I did not receive your first letter.
I was sure surprised to hear that Harry + Whitey have joined the Navy. DId they join together? I wonder why they didn’t write to me, I wrote several letters to them + they never wrote back. Oh well they were probably to busy!
It sure is a tough grind Ralph, but the way things are going I guess they will be opening up a new front soon + it may be over, I hope by the time we are 21 + we can carry on where we left off, just as if nothing had happened.
I miss you a lot + still have memories of the swell times we had together. It’s just like you said, “I can’t wait till the gang is all together again!”
When you have been in the army three months you will feel the same as I do + you won’t give a damn for anything, or anybody. It’s every many for himself + you can’t trust anybody because he’ll fuck you when your not expecting it.
The army never did anybody any good but it has made rats out of good civilians + I aint just shittin.
Enough of this crap, as you can judge by my writing I just love the army
I am expecting a furlough within the next two months. It will probably be for fifteen days, but I don’t know of anything to do, but drink myself to death, because you + Harry Whitey + Homor are all in.
You said in your letter that you didn’t get much sleep, btu you will get used to it, because I did, but it took three months of walking around with toothpicks holding up my eye lids.
To-day was payday + I drew $50.00 - $6.50 insurance - $18.75 War Bonds + P. fc. Pay it comes to about $27.50 + that’s as much as I made in three days at the Republic Steel corp.
If I could find out how far you are from Waco Texas I may be able to come to see you if I can get a week end pass, + we will paint the town red.
Write to me + tell me how far you are Houston + tell me if yu are near some town + something that I could catch a train too. I may be able to make it on a week end pass if its not much over 300 miles.
I am located near Gatesville Texas about 15 miles from my camp + 33 miles from Waco.
I hope they don’t give you those 1917, 30 cal. Model rifles on the range because they kick like Hell!
Well I guess this is about the end because I have to clean my Tommy Gun.
I won’t be impatient if you don’t write back right away, because I know free time is scarce as hell in this Army.
Your Pal
Bob
P.S. PFc. R.W. Torbron
Co.A. -656- T.D. Bw.
North Camp Hood
Texas