Mon. June 4, 1945

Dear Folks,

I’m in the army again! – and how! This place is the most G.I of all camps I’ve ever been in (and also where the rest of the bunch has ever been.) We arrived late last night and after drawing beds, etc. and equipment, finally went to bed at about 1:30 am. Naturally, we were up at 6 to stand reveille at 6:30. We wear fatigues, leggins (?), and steel helmets always! It’s just like a combination of reception center and basic training except lousier.

We had a medical exam this morning and I complained of my injury. The doctor looked at it, asked me my job, and said “Well, you’ll be able to do that kind of work without physical inconvenience” I started to say, “Well, I..” and he tore up my slip of paper and said, “Next!” So, I can’t win.

Then in quick succession, I got three shots in the same place in my left arm and a blood type. My arm is so sore, I can just about move it. This afternoon we have our classification interviews (I think).

Nobody knows how long we’ll stay here. A week to 2 months maybe. Maybe, since we had our clothing checked, I’ll start to send some stuff home.

The trip out wasn’t so bad. I had a pullman upper all the way and was with 2 new friends. Both college boys (one graduated). New Mexico was very pretty with rough cliffs or mesas jutting up all around in the prairies. Eastern Arizona’s very boring, very flat but the western part up in the mountains is nice. We passed the Sierra Nevada range and could see snow on some peaks. That continued into S. Cal and then the terrain leveled off and we were in a valley all the way up. In the mountains the tracks go in circles and thru tunnels and almost on the edge of cliffs to get thru – oh yea, we passed over “Canyon Diablo” in Arizona (a big hole in the ground) which I believe is one of the “foot-holes” of the Grand Canyon, which was to the north.

It’s now evening and I feel refreshed after my first shower since Fri. We had our classification interviews which weren’t much, in fact all they did was read our records to us. I am rated as an educational record. Man, but if I go overseas, somehow or other I’m going as a “basic” in any branch (in the service forces – non-combat). I hope I can get out of medics. There is a possibility that I’ll do the same type of work.

Another rumor – we won’t be here more than a week. They fly thick and fast.

I’m going to see Danny Kaye’s Wonder-Man tonite.

That’s all,

love,

Bru