26 June 1945

 

Post marked | 27 June 1945 11:30pm from Washington, D.C. Air Mail for 7¢

PF31/ (jlw)

SERIAL NO. 1

26 June, 1945

Dearest..

I'm right in the middle of a lot of junk trying to get straightened out, and won't have much time to write a long letter. Things are all fouled up with the Navy yard workmen running all over the ship, junk here, junk there, and chipping hammers banging all over. A regular din. A bedlam of noise. Nevertheless, business has to go on as usual, so Jones and I just get at it as best we can. It's nerve racking however.

I arrived in the East Boston airport at 730 pm yesterday. Had to lay over two hours in Pittsburgh, Penn. Wasn't tired though. Sure was nice trip. I had a lot of fun, spent a lot of money, and guess all I need now is to settle down for some hard work to get in the groove again. I can hardly type. I forget so easily. The captain told me this morning that I was definitely staying on board and wasn't going to get transferred. He said a lot of the crew was going, but not daddy. Oh, well, this tub is as good as any other if you have to go to sea, and looks like I'll have to go to sea.

Boston sure looked good to me however. I don't know what it is, but this town just appeals to me. Wish you had been here last nigh. Sure was nice to get in a real city again. Birmingham looks like a village compared to Boston. Maybe you can see it some day not too far off. If I was sure that we were going to get an extension in the yard here until the middle of July, I'd send for you right away, but can't tell for certain now. Then too, you'd be on your vacation in Miami Beach. Sure would be nice! 

Guess your mother thought I was a tramp or something when we busted in the other night at your place. I looked at my beard and my hair when I got back to the hotel, and sister, I surely looked beat up. Perhaps she might have figured I got that way on the bus, but a heck of a way to make an impression, huh?

Sweet, this isn't much of a letter, but I have to get back to work. Just had to get something off to you today. Tell Milly hello, and to write. You write soon. Love you.

Jim

PS Just ignore any address that I might put on the outside envelope. To keep from getting my letters censored, I will mail them ashore and I can't use the ship's name. Address me as I gave it to you in Birmingham. Don't forget now.

James "Jim" Lamar Walton

Margaret Josephine Argo