October 11, 1942 - A Beautiful Piece of Descriptive Music

Sunday Morning

Dear Mom + Dad,

As I have a few minutes to kill I’m going to scribble off a few lines. Last night I did get into see that show at Camp Young. It was really wonderful. I saw Leopold Stokowski, Fifi Dorsey, Edward G. Robinson, Mimi Litnova, Hoagy Carmichael, + Victor Borge. Leopold conducted the L.A. symphony and he played the Russian Symphony. I suppose you have heard of this number written by a contemporary Russian composer. I don’t remember his name. It deals with the war now going on. It starts out very simple with a theme repeated and gradually increasing in volume. That is the peasant first living peacefully then gradually arising to the pitch of battle. It ends in a crescendo of the bombs falling all over. It really is a beautiful piece of descriptive music. A lot of the boys didn’t appreciate it but I did.

The show itself lasted for almost 2 ½ hours and it contained numerous stars. Nelson Eddy is going to come down to camp sometime to put on a program for us. I’d like to see that when the time comes.

I got a letter from Em today and Fran in the air corps and stationed in Atlantic City. He lives in a hotel private room and everything. Things like that really beat me. Look at me way out here in this sand + dust. I suppose though things could be a lot worse. I’ve been a little blue lately but not really bad. I’d just like to get out of here for awhile. Some of the boys went out on weekend passes but as I’m on duty I couldn’t go.

Maneuvers end next week so maybe I can go then. I still have no idea what will happen to us then.

Well thats all for now. I’ll try and write again tomorrow.

Love
Bobby