Frank is busier than ever, and he seems to be getting promotions faster than he can keep track of them, and has to answer the 2-3 letters per day he receives. That’s a lot of writing! The army may have needed these boys to fight, but that doesn’t mean it’s not making them pay for that privilege. Read on.
Service Club
Santa Ana Army Air Base
1-11-44 dated; 1-13-44 finished
(Note: On the original this letter was misdated as 1943, but it must be 1944 because that’s when Ebner was in Santa Ana. We all do this in the new year, keep writing the previous year. I’m putting the correct date on the transcription here to avoid confusion)
Dear Fred and Lill,
Thanks for the letter. I’m using every spare moment of my time to write letters now and it means I have just that many more to answer but I’ll try to keep my nose above the piles (I get 2 or 3 a day). If I slip a bit forgive me. Just today I found a letter I wrote to Cookie 3 days ago in my fatigues so I mailed it today.
You have no idea how much money is needed in cadets. In the Army when a Sgt told us to buy something we told him where to put his head in. Here “buy” is the password and we buy everything. They give us $1.20 a day for subsistence above our pay and then make us pay for – napkins, brass polish, toilet paper, food and bus fare, which we never use.
Besides these few things we have several personal things to buy to look different than the regular army man. They will issue us our Cadet caps soon and then later we will get cadet blouses which really look snazzy. I’m just thinking, did I tell you all this?? I won’t say any more now but tell Mom I’m feeling much better now and I’ll be in good shape soon. Perhaps I haven’t told you I was a cadet Lt. Oh, here is something I know I haven’t told you as it happened a few minutes ago.
We got 88 new men in the squadron as we are arranged alphabetically, the men in my barracks have to move too so I asked the Lt. where I should place myself in the barracks. He answered saying that my job is ever-changing. At the moment I thought it was funny. I’m now a Flt. Sgt. I’ll take his word for it next time.
You can see where the ink started heavy on page two. Well I finished this letter on the 13th and started it on the 11th. See how busy I am?
Well, love to all,
Frank
Original Letter
