Letter from Ed (George Edward) Jones, S2/c, from Blaine Tennessee, U.S.S. Indianapolis, Div.5, Gunner, to his sister Christine Purkey.
 
         Wed.
         July 4, 1945

Dear Sis,

 Nothing else to do so I thought I would write you a few lines to let you know I am O.K. and arrived back to my ship O.K. and on time, although the train was a bit late.  How is Fred & Carver (Purkey) and all?  Fine I hope.  Guess mother and dad is well as common aren’t they?  Tell Fredie his uncle Ed said hello and to be a good boy and he will see him again when the war is over.
Boy, did we have fun last night and the night before.  Just on the other side of us is The “Pensacola”.  It is a heavy cruiser almost like our ship.  Boy! Did we have a war throwing potatoes & onions from one ship to the other, trying to see how many sailors we could knock out on the other ship.  Ha! We knocked out 9 guys on the “Pensacola” and they didn’t knock out any of us.  They hit some of us but didn’t hurt us much.  Ha! We ran out of something to throw, so we went into the scullery and started carrying out cups and bowls.  It kept going on until sailors from each ship met out on the dock and……………………………………….
 

         Love,

         Brother