Another soldier writes home....

We came across a letter recently, written from a soldier who was recoperating at Norfolk Navel Hospital:

"Dear Pop,

Hello again, what's new? Haven't written any letters for a few days now, guess I am too busy learning to walk again. My ankles are so darn sore these last two days that I can hardly stand on them. I am going to apply for a leave Monday. Even tho I can't walk real good, getting home in that condition is better than not getting home at all - right?

Aunt Della, Uncle Jack and Betty sent me a delicious box of candy day before yesterday, and I couldn't eat hardly any of it cause most of it was rich chocolate. The nurse and some of my buddies had a good time on it tho.

Toots Burkhardt wrote me today telling me that there should be a package of candy for me about the same time as the letter arrived - but I didn't get it today - maybe tomorrow. She stopped in to talk to mom and said something about sending me a box of chocolates, but mom told her that I couldn't eat them, so she said that she would send nuts or sumpin'.

Mom asked me to send you the enclosed pictures that she sent me last week. They are pretty good. That Dan is getting to be a big guy, so is Jack as far as that's concerned.

I finally caught up with some of my clothes and gear that I had aboard ship. There is an awful lot of stuff missing and I am going to growl at someone until I get it back.

I figure that I will be about ready for duty in a couple of weeks or longer. As soon as I get the kinks out of my chassis I should be okay except for the weight that I lost.

Boy if I don't get a leave I am going to be one mad pob. (?) Mom is planning a lot on my coming home, I wouldn't want to disappoint her.

Well, Pops, gotta close for tonight, will try to write again soon.

Bye for now,

Love,
Son "Kip"

The letter was dated November 21st, 1942.

The soldier was my dad after being injured on the USS Algorab in the Pacific.