June 19, 1945Hello Sis and Family,
How are you and your little indians? I know they are enjoying Florida. Anne may turn out to be one of Florida's bathing beauties. From the description of your cabin one would think that you were on a vacation, but I know Virgil feels like it is quite different from a vacation. I hope he can stay there for the duration. We are having it pretty nice here. They give me liberty every other night and I take it every other night so that gives us every night together. Speaking of the point system for discharge, I may increase mine 12 if we stay here very long. Ha.Ha. I don't think the Navy will have the same setup as the army. If they did I would have enough before long.The way the army is doing it, I would have about seventy already. I know you have heard of Herschel's operation. I hope he doesn't get any silly ideas about joining the service. Unless I miss my guess, that is what he is up to. I hope I am wrong, but I know just about how he feels. I guess you heard of Bro. Knox joining the Navy as a chaplain.
If you take the Jasper Journal, I guess you read the story that Earl McNabb wrote of the invasion of Okinawa. He did a good job of describing it and was not exaggerating any. He spoke of one talking to his God. Boys that one would think never did a thing of that kind do those things when they get in a tight spot. It has been the worst one yet for the navy. It is a sure thing that the going will not be any tougher than that one. We were anchored there for a week after we were hit and it seemed like months. That was the longest week of my life. Our ship was dead in the water and were under air attack all the time. You said that Dad was carrying the clipping that the War Department sent to the paper. He wasn't as bad as N.H.Brown or Bess Turner about their boys was he? Ha.
How did you ever get Mom & Dad into a bathing suit? What would I give for a picture of that? I might have known you would have done something of that kind. That is to be expected of you.
Well there isn't much news that I can write about so don't expect too many letters from me. I just got ambitious this afternoon and thought I would make a scratch. Am always glad to hear from you.
Love, Aulton