September 10, 1942 - Trying to get a 3-Day Pass

Thursday Evening

Dear Mom + Dad,

I’m just about able to keep my eyes open tonight as I’m dead tired. It is just the accumulation now of several days so I guess I’ll have to get a good nest tomorrow. I will be able to sleep for a few hours tonight as we are decidedly not busy anymore. It is nothing to worry about as it is nothing that a few hours sleep won’t cure.

I think I have worked my way into a three day pass. It is still on the fire yet and it can go bust but it looks pretty good. Let me explain how I got into this proposition. It is really quite a transaction. I didn’t want to get my pass from the station hospital as I knew I wouldn’t get the kind of a deal I wanted. So here’s how it goes. First I went to see my ward officer and I asked him if I could have a three day pass. He asked me when I was off last so I told him a month ago. Thus he said yes. I then explained my belonging to another outfit and I asked him if he would give me a slip signifying I could be released from duty. He then said I can’t give you that release until you get permission for the pass from your first sergeant. I then proceed to see my first sergeant. He said I could have it but in order to make it effective I needed the release. So here’s how it ended up. The first sergeant is going to give me the pass which I show to my ward officer. If he (ward officer) then gives me my release from duty it then becomes effective. I can’t get my pass made out until tomorrow afternoon. Right now everything hinges on the approval of the ward officer which will I hope be forth coming tomorrow. Anyway it looks pretty good from here. I know only to well the slips that can happen before you actually get the pass so I’ve got my fingers crossed.

If I can get the pass it will be darn nice as I can leave Saturday morning when I come off duty at 7. And I won’t have to be back to duty until Tuesday evening at 7 P.M. So from that you can see why I want it to go through. I may end up with a weekend pass but even that will be enough. At least now I have a little to look forward to.

I intend to go into L.A. and have a good time. I’d like to go down to the beach and swim and I’d like to see a pro football game Sunday. But best of all just getting away from here for a few days and getting a little relaxation. I’ll write you tomorrow and let you know how I make out. I sure have to go through an awful lot of red tape just to get out of here don’t I?

I’ve kinda got a hunch that we are going to be relieved from duty over here in the hospital. There is no reason behind it just a hunch. I also got a feeling that we are going to move out of here very soon. Just a feeling though no actual confirmation or reason behind any of it.

How’s the vacation treating you? At this writing it is beginning to draw near the end.

Well that’s it for tonight. Comes tomorrow and another letter.

Love
Bob