Letter No. 134 | Sunday June 24, 1945

NOTE: This letter is out of order.  I'll just insert it here, rather than trying to fix it. It should have been posted with the June letters.

Cpl. George Dicus 34700627Hq & Hq Sq (Signal Section)IX Air Force Service Command
APO 149, c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Mr. L. H. Dicus
Scottsboro, Alabama

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
June 24, 1945

Dearest Folks,

This has been a very nice afternoon. I feel one hundred percent better now. We took the English van, and drove out about 3 or 4 miles out of town to a nice swimming pool and spent the afternoon. We swam a lot and then threw a ball around for a little while, and spent the rest of the afternoon in the sun. Of course, I got a little red, but didn't blister I don't think.

When I got back I had a letter from you telling me about yours and aunt Ruth's trip to Chattanooga. I am glad that you had a good time, and I want you to spend a lot of time up there. I am very sorry to hear that no news from Bill has changed for the better. I still think there is always a chance, and that we should not give up hope for good news.

I told you that I would let you know if there should be any changes in my status here as to what I will be doing next. Right now, it is the same story. Will either be in one of the other classes that I have been telling you about. The thing is though, things are really in the fire for me. The outfit that I was in before they broke up is reforming and they are doing everything in their power to get me back in the outfit for some reason. As you know though, it is a lower HQ, and it is directly under this command, and they are for some reason or other trying to hold on to me. The old outfit has promised to make me sergeant right away, and S/Sgt as soon as possible, and a chance to work for T/Sgt. you can imagine that that sounds very good to me, and worth trying for. It will mean a trip, and a furlough in the states, but from there you know where I would go. The ratings would not come through until we got to the final destination though. On the other hand, this outfit put me in for Sgt., and it will probably come out the first of next month. You can see what I am between. Advantages are great to either of them, and it seems as though I am just falling into them from either side. Of course, I will be with the old bunch if I go to the old outfit, and they are an alright bunch. On the other hand, I have good friends here, and have a good job. You can give me all the advice you care to, but it will be too late. It will be decided one way or the other before I could receive a letter from you. I will be in a HQ either way though, so don't worry about it. If I should stay here, there is the chance that I could go later, and not have as good set up as I would have now. Time will tell though, and I will let you know how things come out as soon as I can.

Things are pretty bad. Seems as though all of my friends want to marry English ATS girls. Remember me telling you about M/Sgt. Morris Parkhill? He left for England this morning, and when he comes back, he will be a married man. I guess it is okay if they want it that way, but as for me, I just can't see it. I will do all of the marrying back in the states, that is, if I ever do get married. Don't you think that is a good idea?

Got a letter from Erskine yesterday, and he told me all about his furlough. He said that he has a good set up now, and hopes to keep it for a while. I think I will try to answer it as soon as possible.

I am sending you a couple of pictures that we have taken lightly. The girls in the picture are the ones they clean the halls for us, and dust our tables. One of the ones was taken in front of the cathedral in Koln after we had been on the road for about 4 1/4 days. The truck in the background is the one that we ride around in all the time. It sure comes in handy. The one on the bike was taken before we left Criel France.

It is time for me to go to chow, and I am going downtown tonight, so I will close for this time. Please excuse the sloppy letter. I have written it hurriedly, so please look over all the mistakes.

Love you, 

George

[click photos to enlarge]

Letter No. 133 | Friday July 20, 1945

Cpl. George Dicus 34700627Hq & Hq Sq (Signal Section)
IX Air Force Service Command
APO 149, c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Mr. L. H. Dicus
Scottsboro, Alabama

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
July 20, 1945

Dearest Folks,

After the poor excuse for a letter that I started today, I think I had better write again and let you know that I am not worked to death as you might think. I just wanted to get a letter off to you, and thought I would send it even though it was very short.

Parkhill left this afternoon for a trip up in Germany. He is going to be gone about a month, and will have a long trip. He is to visit about ten different units, and they are scattered all over the place.

I suppose we will be pulling out of here sometime within the next few weeks. Guess we will be in the vicinity of Nürnberg. There is not supposed to be much of the place left. But, I don't expect to be going around but very little while I am up there. This is a nice place, and we hate to leave the place, but we will have to move up closer to the units under this Hq.

The mail hasn't come in today, but I have a feeling that I will get a letter. Sure hope so anyway. I got a letter from you yesterday. I got the biggest kick about you asking me what division I am in. Div., Reg., Battalions, and other names like that go with the ground forces. I am in the Ninth Air Force. It is the only Air Force over here now. The Eighth Air Force was in England, but they have all been redeployed to the Pacific. Part of the Ninth is also going, but part of it is staying over here to police the Hines. As things go now? I will stay here for the duration I guess. As for all those clippings you have been sending me about all the boys being replaced, well that is just a bunch of hooey. There are more boys here that have a lot more points that I have, and they will be the first ones to go home. A lot of the jobs here ran out when the war was over, and there is nothing for some of the fellows to do. My job is still in full swing, so there will be another group that will take off before me.

Guess I had better cut this letter off like I did the other one. The Col. is in our office now, and I don't want him to see me writing this letter. Not until he promotes me anyway.

Love always, 

George

[Click each photo to enlarge]

Letter No. 132 | Friday July 20, 1945

Cpl. George Dicus 34700627

Hq & Hq Sq (Signal Section)
IX Air Force Service Command
APO 149, c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Mr. L. H. Dicus
Scottsboro, Alabama

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
July 20, 1945

Dearest Folks,

I had planned to write a V-Mail letter this time, because they say that they will come much faster this month than the regular Air Mail. I have a couple of pictures that I want to send you, so I will send a V-Mail letter next time, and then you can see if the V does come faster.

It has been very nice here for the past few days. It has cooled off, and is much nicer.

We have been pretty busy. It won't be much longer before we will be in Germany, and there is always a lot of work before and after a move.

I guess you will think this is the shortest letter you have ever received, but I have just gotten some work in the that won't wait, and I want to get these pictures out of the way before I lose them.

Love you,

George

[click each photo to enlarge]

Letter No. 131 | Tuesday July 17, 1945

Cpl. George Dicus 34700627

Hq & Hq Sq (Signal Section)
IX Air Force Service Command
APO 149, c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Mr. L. H. Dicus
Scottsboro, Alabama

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
July 17, 1945

Dearest Folks,

How are you going about this sudden change of receiving all of these letters from me lately. I have really surprised myself. The only trouble is, I haven't been getting much mail from you. Let's not have this thing one sided. I still like to get mail.

I am pretty mad at the girl that takes my laundry. She has really let me down. Usually, I can turn in my laundry to her, and she will have it back within 3 to 5 days. She took it about 10 days ago, and hasn't returned it as yet. I am going out in the hall and look her up in a couple of minutes, and tell her what I think about it, and then hope for better results.

Mother I wish you were here to tell this M/Sgt off. He has been sitting here arguing with me. I told him if he doesn't go and leave me alone that I would tell my mother on him. What do you think I should do? I think I will give him a swift kick in the seat of the pants and see if that will do any good.

I am browned off again. No promotions came out for this Hq. again. They say it will come out the first of the month now, but I have my doubts. Seems as though I might as well forget about the rating, and get prepared to stay Cpl. for the duration plus 6.

Has William Derrick gotten home yet? I got a letter from him not long ago, and he was ready to start back then, so I guess he is home now, and is getting ready to move on to the next theater. 

I still haven't heard if my buddy from the old outfit is going to get to come up here or not. Something should come up on it any time now, and I sure hope that he does get to come up here. We hd a lot of fun together back in the old outfit.

It is still pretty warm here, and not much doing in the office. It will be nice to see it get cold again, and then I will have something net to gripe about. I will want it to get hot again then.

Be good, and write soon.

Love you,

George

Letter No. 130 | Monday July 16, 1945

Cpl. George Dicus 34700627

Hq & Hq Sq (Signal Section)
IX Air Force Service Command
APO 149, c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Mr. L. H. Dicus
Scottsboro, Alabama

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
July 16, 1945

Dearest Folks,

You can't say that I haven't been on the ball lately. I think this makes about 4 or 5 days on the straight that I have written to you. Pretty good huh?

I went to a dance last night. There was a good band there, and I had a very good time. Several new WACs are here now, and some of them are pretty nice girls. There was also several civilians there, and some of them were nice also. We had real live Cokes for refreshments. They have a factory in Paris that bottle them up.

It rained pretty hard last night, but I don't think it is much cooler than it was before. It must take more than rain to cool this place off when it does get hot. 

I told you about the pictures that I had made for you in the last letter didn't I? It will be about two weeks before I get them and it will probably take about a month for them to get home then, so don't loot for them too soon.

This machine is really in bad shape. It stick pretty bad, and needs cleaning also. I have just worked my typewriter over, and have it in good shape now, but one of the boys is using it now. It is one of the MC-88 Signal Typewriters. The one with all the capital letters. The only thing wrong with it is, it is pretty big, and it is very heavy on the touch.

I don't anything to write about, so I am writing like Anna Ruth did when she was in college. Remember how she always double spaced her letters?

Love always,

George

Letter No. 129 | Sunday July 15, 1945

Cpl. George Dicus 34700627

Hq & Hq Sq (Signal Section)
IX Air Force Service Command
APO 149, c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Mr. L. H. Dicus
Scottsboro, Alabama

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
July 15, 1945

Dearest Folks,

After fooling around all day, I finally got something done that I have been putting off for a long time. Parkhill and I went downtown, and had our pictures taken. They won't be ready for about two weeks, but when we do get them, they had better be good. They will be 8 X 10, and they charged us about $20 each for them in advance. I am getting two pictures, one for Chattanooga, and one for Scottsboro. It is hard for these people to get the large film, and paper to print the picture on, so they really soak you when they do take your picture. I have planned to have a picture taken for a long time now, but they wouldn't have the film, or something would be wrong, and I couldn't get it taken every time. 

I had to make the letter pretty short yesterday. I came in the office at noon to write the letter, and before I could get the letter finished, the Capt. was there, and had a job for me. I cut it short though and it wasn't long before I was out again. That is enough to prove to me that I shouldn't go around the office on my days off.

It is still very hot here. I hope it rains, and cools the place off a little, but it can wait until after this afternoon. This is Sunday, and as you know, we get Sunday afternoons off. We are going to take a shower at noon, and go out and take about two or three rolls of film this afternoon. I hope it is not as hot there as it is here now. Guess it is even warner though, so I should not complain. 

I got a letter from the Co. Clerk of the 859th yesterday. He ask me to send him some forms that he couldn't get there. It is a good thing that I got out of that outfit. They will probably go to the CBI direct. It wouldn't bother me if I had to go there, but I sure would like to drop by the good old US for a couple of days before taking off. As it stands now though, I won't have to worry about either for a long time yet though. It won't be long before I am in Germany though. We will be there in about a month I guess. I have decided to wait until I get there to ask for my furlough. I can go out here, and have a good time, but there won't be anything to do there, so I will just save up my passes, and take them after I get there.

Even though this is Sunday, I have a little work to do, so must close. Only one of the officers has come down this morning, and he is doing a fancy dance around the office. He is Capt. Richardson, and is about the best officer that I have been around.

Love always,

George

Letter No. 128 | Saturday July 14, 1945

Cpl. George Dicus 34700627

Hq & Hq Sq (Signal Section)
IX Air Force Service Command
APO 149, c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Mr. L. H. Dicus
Scottsboro, Alabama

V-Mail Service
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
July 14, 1945

Dearest Folks,

This is my day off, but I am a long way from where I had planned to be today. Parkhill and I had planned to go up to Germany in the German car that we had picked up. The Col. found out we had it though, and made him turn it in. We were going up around Frankfurt last night, and come back tomorrow afternoon. Good things don't last long before someone comes along, and spoils it. Then we decided to get a hair cut, and go downtown this afternoon, and get our pictures taken. Our laundry didn't get back, so that spoiled that idea also. 

Do you remember Doty, the boy back in the other Co. (The 859th) that I use to pal around with? I think I am getting him up here. One of the fellows is leaving the section, and I recommended him to take his place, and the personnel officer is trying to get him. I sure hope he does, because he was a good friend of mine, and it would be much better for him if he can get out of the Co. He might have a chance to get a rating here, and he sure doesn't there. If there is anyone back in the Co. to take his place, I guess he will be up here in a couple of days or so. It has sure been hot here for the past couple days. I am off this afternoon, and don't know what to do. Before the evening is over, I guess we will go out for a swim. No we won't either, the swimming pool is closed. Think I will close this letter now, because the Capt. is coming this way to ask me to do something. That is the reason it is so poor. I have written this in about two minutes trying to get away from here before I get stuck here. 

Love always,

George

Letter No. 127 | Friday July 13, 1945

Cpl. George Dicus 34700627
Hq & Hq Sq (Signal Section)
IX Air Force Service Command
APO 149, c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Mr. L. H. Dicus
Scottsboro, Alabama

V-Mail Service
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
July 13, 1945

Dearest Folks,

This is the day that you want to watch what you are doing. It has gone OK so far, so there must not be much to this Friday 13 stuff. 

Seems as though every time I think that I have got all of the detail work caught up with, they come along with something else. I was the assistant to the staff duty officer of the post last night. There was nothing to do, so we sat there and talked until about 2:00. He is a Major and has been all through the Middle East since he has been in the Army.

I am very glad that you can spend as much time with Anna Ruth as you have been lately. How do you like Chattanooga Mother? How much longer do you think you will be working there Pop. I guess it must be a nice place to work.

As far as I know, I will be over here for a long time to come yet. I will probably be with this headquarters for a long time yet, and if and when it does, I will have a chance to go to work with a Capt. He is going to be the American Liaison Officer for the French Air Force for radar equipment, I think. He would be the only officer there, and he is a swell guy. He would really have it made if we made it. There would not be very much work to it, and we would have a chance to travel around a lot. We would go to England a lot, and around over Germany, and France. I think he is going to try to take M/Sgt. Parkhill and me with him if he goes. As things stand now, I don't think that I will get to the Pacific. That means that I won't be home for some time yet, but I guess it will be just as good. When I do get home, I will probably be there to stay, and I guess that will be better in the long run. 

It has been very warm here lately. I went down and took a shower at noon today, and feel a lot cooler, and refreshed now. 

Can Martha talk good now? You never did send me the new picture that you promised some time ago. I guess she must be getting to be a big girl now.

It is almost one o'clock now, so I had better go to work. A lot of work came in this morning, and Phil is sick, so it has really got Joe and me busy. We try to get the work all out, because he doesn't like the idea of coming back at night if we can get it out in the day time.

Be good and write soon.

Love always,
George

Letter No. 126 | Thursday July 5, 1945

Cpl. George Dicus 34700627
Hq & Hq Sq (Signal Section)
IX Air Force Service Command
APO 149, c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Mr. L. H. Dicus
Scottsboro, Alabama

V-Mail Service
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
July 5, 1945

Dearest Folks,

It has been about four or five days since I received a letter from you, but thought I would write a short V-Mail anyway. 

How was the fourth at home this year? It was pretty nice here. They had two parades. In the afternoon, the Army presented the Luxembourg army the American flag, and in return, they decorated our General, and a couple more of the big shot officers here. It was pretty nice and I enjoyed it much more, because all of us didn't have to parade, and I was one of those lucky ones that got off to stand on the side line, and watch the rest of them sweat in the sun. The Luxembourg Army is very small, but they are really on the ball. The only thing that they do is drill all day, so they are pretty much up on it. They have a big bugle corps, and they had ribbons tied on the bugles, and did a fancy parade. They are also pretty fancy with the manual of arms. As for the Americans, the main thing they are interested in is just to get out there, and get the thing over with as soon as possible. Surprising enough though, they did a good job yesterday, and looked a lot better than usual.

We have been pretty busy here in the office today. Some of our units are getting ready to be redeployed, and it takes a lot of work getting getting everything cleared for them to take off. Won't be long before they are back in the States, but they will have to look forward to a much longer trip. There will be advantages to either side of it, but it looks as though without out choice, I will be staying around here for some time yet. 

Oh yes, I almost forgot to tell you about the fire works that we had last night. Some of the boys got some flares, and fired them about 11 o'clock last night. They really did light up the sky, and were very pretty. I have seen fireworks on each fourth since I have been here. Last year I was in England, and the Buzz Bombs were coming over thick and heavy. They were throwing up everything they could at them, and the sky was full of red tracer bullets.

I am going to try to get a three day pass to Brussels in about a week. The boys that have been up there on a pass say that it is really nice. I haven't put in for the furlough as yet, but think that I will soon.

I am going to help them out downtown in the enlisted men's club tonight. I will sell ice cream I guess. 

Take care of yourselves and write soon and often.

Love always,
George

Letter No. 125 | Monday July 2, 1945

Cpl. George Dicus 34700627
Hq & Hq Sq (Signal Section)
IX Air Force Service Command
APO 149, c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Mr. L. H. Dicus
Scottsboro, Alabama

V-Mail Service
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
July 2, 1945

Dearest Folks,

Seems as though I can't get around to writing to you on Sunday afternoons any more. I had planned to write to you yesterday, but there was a baseball game, and that is where I ended up. It was a good game though, and I enjoyed it. After the game, I went to a show. It was very poor and I can't even remember the name of it now. Las night, I went downtown to the service club, and had a couple dishes of ice cream.

It has been raining off and on here for the past three of four days. The sky is real dark now, and it looks as though it will start again any minute. It was nice for some time, and I was out in the sun long enough to get myself all burned up as I usually do when I first go out. 

I am pretty mad now. All this Army is, is a bunch of promises. I was supposed to make Sgt. yesterday. As yet, I haven't seen any kind of orders that resemble a promotion. They say it should come out soon, but I have my doubts. If they would only turn me loose, and let me go back to my old outfit, I could be sure of the promotion. Oh well, I guess I will get out of it sometime, and that is really all I want form it. 

I had a tour of guard duty night before last. I pulled four hours at night, and had another stretch yesterday morning. I had a good post though, and could get inside while the rest of them had outside posts. It does not come around but every month or so, so I am all though with it for some time.

Several of the boys are trying to get a commission now. Several of them have ask me to put in with them, but I just laugh at them, and call them suckers. If they should get the commission, which is doubtful, they would have to stay in the Army at least one year, and more than likely, it will be several years before they will be able to get out. That is not for me. I am not going to get myself tied down where I won't have a chance to get out when the time does come.

Mother, what made you think about the water I drink? All the water we drink is put in canvas bags, and chlorinated first. The food has been very good. We had chicken yesterday, fresh eggs this morning, and steak today at noon. Do you have any trouble getting food now? Several of the boys say that their families say that  it is getting pretty hard to get food there.

Erskine didn't tell me about his girl. What is the story? Is he about to get hitched up?

Be good, and don't forget to write soon and often.

Love always,
George

Letter No. 124 | Saturday June 16, 1945

Cpl. George Dicus 34700627
Hq & Hq Sq (Signal Section)
IX Air Force Service Command
APO 149, c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Mr. L. H. Dicus
Scottsboro, Alabama

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
June 16, 1945

Dearest Mother, Daddy, and Anna Ruth,

Guess my mail will be a little bit late, and about 6 days in between, but I have really been on the move for the past 5 days.  I have been on an inspection trip thru Germany with 3 Captains. We went in a Jeep, and me being the only enlisted man along, of course I had to do the driving.

[click photo to enlarge]

We pushed right on thru, and saw a lot of it. When you see it though, the only thing that you have seen in the cities are a bunch of knocked down buildings, and a lot of ruins. I saw Frankfurt, Kassel, Detmold, Paderborn, Dortmund, Koln [German: Köln  ... Cologne], and many other towns, but these were the largest. It will take them a long time to get on their feet again. The cities will have to be started all over again, because most of the buildings are flattened out, and are in ruins. It was a nice trip, and I enjoyed it a lot. I wish you could have been with me mother. We really were flying low most of the time. The old Jeep really took a beating too. It needs a complete overhaul now. I got a couple pictures of Koln that I will send home, and also a couple little German insignias. 

I have just written this in a hurry, because I don't have much time. I have to go to the building now and do a lot of straightening up. I will probably write again tomorrow.

Just want you to know that I feel fine, and am O.K. Hope you are the same.

Love you,
George

Letter No. 123 | Sunday June 10, 1945

Cpl. George Dicus 34700627
Hq & Hq Sq (Signal Section)
IX Air Force Service Command
APO 149, c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Mr. L. H. Dicus
Scottsboro, Alabama

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
June 10, 1945

Dearest Mother, Daddy, and Anna Ruth,

This is Sunday afternoon, and we are off duty. We had planned to go swimming, but I decided to stay in, and write to you instead. The other guys went on, but it is a little bit too cool to go swimming, and I thought I had rather write this afternoon than swim anyway.

I am listening to the Sunday Serenade of Sammy Kaye, and his band now [Music Link]. I think that his program is about the best on the air. Of course, the program is transcribed, but it comes on at the same time he usually does back in the states, so it seems almost real.

I still haven't heard one thing about what is going to happen to me. As far as I know now, I will stay with this outfit for sometime yet, and I think they will stay here. Maybe it is best that we stay around here, but I really haven't thought much about it. When the time comes, they won't ask me my personal opinion anyway, so why should I bother myself about it. The only thing that I want to do is to come home, and I am afraid that there will be a little wait before I will make that jump. 

So you don't want to come across the ocean Mother. To tell you the truth, I think you are smart. In some ways, I guess it is OK, but there are so many nicer places to go back home in the states that this place can't even begin to be equal. The only place that I would recommend is Paris, and even when you get right down to it, it is not so wonderful as most people seem to think.

Don't plan on it too much, but I am really trying to get something nice for you. I have a deal working to get a set of crystal glasses that are supposed to be the finest in Europe. The Capt. that I work for has the deal, and has already gotten one set for himself, and is trying to get a set for me. They are very nice. The kind that you can just touch, and they ping. Sure hope that I can get them, because I think you will like them. 

Did I ever send any French money home? I don't think that I did, so I am sending a two Frank note that is worth about 4¢, and a ten Frank note that is worth about 20¢. The Luxembourg ten Franc is worth about 25¢, and the German Mark is about 20¢.

The picture that I am sending was taken just outside of Criel France. We went for a bike ride one afternoon, and took several pictures, but this is about the only one that came out good, and it is not so hot. We took some more pictures this afternoon, and I will send them to  you if they are good. It takes a long time to get them developed, so I don't know when you will get them.

Daddy, how would you like to have a Lugar Pistol? They are pretty hard to get, but if I can find one, I am going to get if for you to add to your collection. They are really nice little guns, and are pretty rare back in the states. I think that I could get an old German Rifle, but they are not much good for anything but to just look at.

Anna Ruth, I don't know much about perfume, but I am sending you a bottle. I hope it is the kind that you like. One of the boys that thinks he knows it said it is good, and I just took his word for it. I got it back in Paris, and just haven't mailed it as yet, but intend to mail it right away.

There will be a little surprise package with you glasses Mother. I like to let you guess. What do you want that you think I could get over here?

I called up the boys in the 859th yesterday. They are up in Germany now, but several of them said that they were going to try to get a pass and come down to see me. They don't like it up there, because there is nothing to do. This is a nice place to take a pass to, and I am sure they will enjoy it here if they do come down.

I still wonder what has happened to William Derrick. Have you heard anything from him? I use to hear from him pretty often, but it has been a long time now since I have heard from him.

So you got your teeth pulled Mother. I guess it was the best thing to do. I was getting tired of seeing you not be able to eat, and when you get use to the teeth, they will be a lot better I am sure.

Taxes are getting to be something back there now aren't they? That is a good check you are pulling in anyway though isn't it Pop?

I looked everywhere for something for Martha, and haven't found anything that I like. I am going to find something real nice to send to her before I leave this place though. Rather than trying to find something childish, I think I will look for something she would like later on. I never did get the other pictures that you were going to send to me. Did you send them?

Since the time that I stated this letter, I have covered several miles. All of the officers around here decided to go swimming, so they got a British Car, something like our station wagon, and I drove them out to the pool. Another officer had to catch a plane, and there was not a driver around, so I had to drive out to the port, which is about 15 miles out of town. The old car got pretty hot, so I had to stop her, and fill it up with water, and they take off again. I have drive quite a bit lately. Just short little runs that I ask to drive. I drove down to the station the other day to pick up an officer that was coming in to do some work for us, and when I started to start the thing, it wouldn't turn over. We traced the wires around and found that the batter wire had slipped off, se we finally got going again.

Just had another interruption. I was tracking some reports today I mean yesterday, and they started to call in and report today why the reports were not in. I have just had two calls all the way across German, and it was just as plain as it would be to call from Paynes Drug Store to our home. Some of the lines are very bad though, and you have to holler as loud as you can, and still can't hear them sometimes. I had one of the officers on a spot, and you should have heard him. He was making all kind of excuses, and they were all pretty silly. They try to be pretty nice when they come in here from the field, because we can sure throw them a lot of work, and really get them screwed up if they are of the wrong kind.

It is time for chow now, and I am going downtown tonight, so I will close for this time. Write soon, and,

Love always,
George