Miss Jean Johnson
Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Company "A" 45th Medical Bn. (Armd)
Third Armored Division
Camp Polk, Louisiana

Saturday Nite —

Hi My Darling,

'Was dead tired when I hit my bunk last night but it was nearly an hour later before I fell asleep for thinking of you, and the fun we had while I was home, of the things we did, and the things we left undone. Sweetheart you were wonderful and I'll never be able to find the words to tell you how perfectly swell it was to be with you again. Superlatives aren't nearly adequate but darling it was swell — Thanks a million for everything from your first kiss to the pressure of your hand as we said adios; for the way you looked and the way you smiled; for being such a swell sport Sat. nite in Madison — in fact thanks darling for just being you. Here's hoping it won't be too long before we can do it all over again and then not too long before there won't be any good-byes nor any parting at good nights for you and I. Darling I miss you so damn much —

Dad, Mom and Betty drove down to the station with me Wed. morning and we had about a twenty minute wait before the train pulled in. 'Got my ticket and everything O.K. so it really wouldn't have been necessary for us to drive down at ten — except that it gave me just that many more minutes alone with you. I slept most of the time on the way to Chicago, had breakfast (Coffee and doughnuts) at the station there, and then had to wait till 9:30 for the train to Kansas City. Was just standing around in the station when an older fella came over and started talking. He turned out to be a doctor whom I had met a number of times at a fraternity in Madison, and we talked till my train time. He said he was expecting to be called into the army shortly as a major — seems he has some sort of reserve comission. He told me a darn good joke by the way, but I'll be damned if I can remember how it went. Had a swell train from Chicago to K.C., a new streamliner, and enjoyed the ride. 'Sat with a little old lady from California who had been to her grandsons wedding in Tennessee — She was pretty interesting as she had been through two wars before this one — The Spanish American, and World War I — She was pretty well disgusted with things in general, 'said she didn't see why women kept on having children when they were just brought up to fight wars — Between naps she gave me her whole life history, and wanted to pay for my dinner when we ate in the diner. She was quite a character, spry as a spring chicken, but so small and old looking that it seemed a healthy breeze could pick her right up.

'Got into Kansas City at 5:30 and walked uptown, called some friend of Mother's who lives there but couldn't get her, so 'made the rounds of a few dives, started feeling a little chipper and then had to head back to the station. I met a soldier there from Polk who had just ridden a freight in from Lincoln Nebr. He was washing up when I bumped into him and told me that he had been A.W.O.L. for nine months and was just returning to camp. 'Seems he had heard that they were looking for him in Lincoln so he thought he'd better turn himself in before they found him. He had a ticket from K.C. to Camp so we rode down together. I left him in Leeseville and he said I should come over and see him sometime — at the gaurdhouse.

I got back to camp at about 6:30 Thursday afternoon, and naturally it was raining. (It rained all day today too — Boy what a state!) I was pretty well tuckered out from the ride down from Kansas City — Boy that's the orneryest and bumpiest caboose its ever been my misfortune to hobble off — They should sell tickets advertising it as a roller coaster, not a R.R. After riding that puddle jumper for a couple hundred miles all aboard were glad when we hit Leeseville (Imagine being glad to hit that glorified —— I won't say it) I grabbed a sandwich and a glass of beer in town (?) and then took a bus out to Polk. 'Had a bull session in the tent with the boys while I unpacked, just got in a swell shower before the lights went out and then to bed. The kid I drove up with had gotten back the day before and boy was he feeling low. He not only had picked up a bad infection on his foot while he was home but had also broken up with his gal — 'said she kept calling him Kenny and his name's Ernie — turned out Kenny was a friend (?) of his. Boy I can imagine what kind of a time he had at home.

'Got right back in the old routine yesterday — up at 5:30 and busy till 5:00 in the afternoon with the recruits — Had to give 'em marching drill and first aid — Boy what a bunch of rookies! We had to clean up everything for inspection this morning but had the afternoon off so I took a good long nap, and feel in the groove tonight. However my name was on the K.P. list which was posted today, so don't imagine I'll be feeling that way after tomorrow morning.

Well darling, better I say good night for now and get some sleep so I'll be in condition for those pots and pans. Sweetheart I love you — wish I could be kissing you goodnight right now —

Adios darling,

Louis