Sunday Morning
Dear Mom + Dad,
Another Sunday rolls around and another day to hang around the barracks. I have just finished reading the Sunday papers and I have found them interesting. As you know it was one year ago today that we got in this war. The papers finally came out with the story of Pearl Harbor. It certainly was a big blow to us. Even so as things stand today it is really encouraging. When you look back and remember just how low this country was fixed for the problems of war then and how we were situated now you begin to realize just how far we have come. I am really beginning to have a confidence in what this country is doing and their plans for the future. Of course I have doubts about some of the things being done but basically we are preparing for the future in a most commendable manner. Our time is going to come very shortly and I have a feeling that it won’t be so long from now. There is one thing about this war and that is that we are getting well prepared for any eventuality before we undertake anything.
Another thing was announced today that also was of importance and that was the stopping of all enlistments into the armed forces. It is about time that this was done as we had two machineries working against each other. We had one set up for the drafting of men and yet we were disrupting that be allowing men to enlist. As it stands now we can determine where a man should be and act accordingly. This also has its drawbacks too. It is another step away from democracy and another step towards strong central government. This new setup can take a dangerous trend in the future. We have been slowly leading away from personal rights to social regimentation for the common good. I’m rather afraid of just how far this socialist trend will go. It is liable to go to extremes and I don’t want that. I still can’t shake the conviction that Roosevelt has this purpose in the back of his mind and is using the war as a method of encasing in on our minds so that it will be a dangerous thing to shelf in the post war world. We have to rely on the faith of the people to see that this doesn’t go too far after the war is ended. I still can’t see how we hope to install hopes of democracy into the world if our government is leaning towards a socialist trend. Perhaps the future will belay the indications that seem to be shaping up. They may be necessary now but will they still be there in the post war U.S.A. as a necessity is the question that bothers me.
To sum up the whole situation I can say I’m very much enthused over the way we are going at this war. We have come a long way in a year and I feel the rough spots are now behind us. A year from this time we should either have the war won or so near to a conclusion that it won’t be long afterward.
My thoughts still wander back to a year ago today, one day that probably will stay etched in my mind for years to come. It was a day when the supposed impossible happened. I can remember practically every one of my actions for that day and the sort of stunned numbness that permeated my mind. I’m afraid it is one day I will never forget as it so changed my future and my life.
Well now that I have written almost two pages of my thoughts and ideas I had better get down to more concrete things. All morning yesterday was spent in policing up the same darn corn field we did the day before. To say that the boys and myself are agitated would be putting it mildly. But then what can you do about it?
Yesterday afternoon we converted the lower floor of our barracks and doubled its capacity. We set up all double deck beds as we expect new arrivals in today. The capacity of our barracks is now around 75 instead of 50. The upper floor where I live has single beds so I was fortunate in this respect. The new men coming in probably means that there will be a shipment out of here to pre-flight school soon. As to whether I will make it or not is a question as a lot of the boys have been here longer than I have. Our course I’m hoping for it and it is just another case of awaiting developments.
I guess this afternoon I will go to the movies as a release from the usual routine. Last night we had our bridge game. I play now about every 3 days for an evening. It is a lot of fun and I’m really learning the game. We started last night to play contract instead of auction bridge. The only difference is the bidding and that is more complicated.
I guess this letter should hold you for awhile. I’ll probably hear from you in mail call tomorrow as we have no mail today.
Love
Bobby
