U.S. NAVAL RECEIVING BARRACKS SHOEMAKER, CALIFORNIA
July 12, 1944
Dear Ma,
Wrote you a few lines this morning, but will now try a tell you something about my trip. It was a very long trip an we were on the train for three days and nights. In all the traveling I never saw a state that looked as prosperous as Wisconsin. I never got to see much of Illinois or Iowa for we slept through them. Nebraska was a fairly nice looking state an I saw the large packing plant at Omaha. That I mean from the train window for I never was off the train. We came through Kansas Sunday an I was really disappointed with it for I expected nice big yellow wheat fields an all they were little short stuff. A lot of the grain had been harvested but I don’t think it was much to get excited about. We were asleep going through Colorado so I can’t say much about it. Wyoming was practically nothing but desert. There are a few houses here and there along the track an they are really dreary looking. I saw a few cowboys and a lot of jackrabbits on the way out. We came through Great Salt Lake. The lake is about thirty miles wide and seventy five miles long an there is a bridge across it. It was really interesting going across it. Nevada was all desert until you get to the western part an then it is inhabited. They carry on some farming. The City of Reno is really pretty an I would of liked to have had time to look it over. Also Green River, Wyoming was a nice looking city. We came over the Sierra Nevada Mountains an they were real interesting and beautiful. We saw several lakes up in that mountains an they were really pretty. Sure would like to go fishing in them. Saw a lot of snow capped mountain peaks too. It took quite awhile for to get over the mountains. California is a real nice looking state, but it is terrible dry. I guess they never have any rain in the summer time. Things look quite prosperous here. The weather here is quite warm in the daytime, but not real hot! The sun is quite hard on the eyes. About eight o’clock at night it starts getting cool an before long it is real cold. A person has to put his sweater and pea coat on to keep warm. Sleep under two blankets an that is hardly enough.
This camp we are in is located right out in the open country. It is located about thirty five miles south of San Francisco. We are really in the navy now for we get a twenty four hour liberty every third day. I figure on going into San Francisco or Oakland one of these days. The food here is entirely different from what we had before. We can have all we want an it is entirely different from what we were used to. If the food stays like this I will never complain. This camp we are located in is a naval embarkation camp. We probably will be kept here two weeks an then sent on to a ship or further training. We might go to Pearl Harbor for a while. Sure hope I can get to Hawaii.
All the fellows from home are here, but they are in different barracks than I. They are only a little ways away. Wendell & Tiedeman are in the next barracks. There is a good chance of us getting sent out of here together. I have Miller as my bunk mate and Nelson is right across the aisle from us so I am satisfied. Really have a lot of fun with them. Was over to the canteen today an it is really some place. They have everything there a person wants an it is really cheap. There are places where a person can go bowling, play pool or go to the movie. A person has all the freedom he wants around camp and no work. Kept us pretty busy today, but they always do that! Have been here in camp for the ones that like it.
I am putting in a list of the names of places we went through so you can trace our trip on the map.
Well Ma I believe I will close for today.
Love
Howard
Send me about two dollars for we are not suppose to get paid here.
Leave a Reply