December 7, 1941

Sun. 8:00 12/7/41

“Feast of St. Ambrose”

Dear Mom & Dad:

Here it is another peaceful Sunday in the army. At the moment I am at the show, writing as much as I can before the lights go off & the show starts. How’s that for making use of my spare moments? The picture tonight is “I Wake Up Screaming” with Betty Grable & Carol Landis. No doubt I’ll be finishing this letter at the Service Club later tonite – I’ll tell you how many stars it rates at that time.

Another fellow & I hitch-hiked to Raleigh yesterday for some excitement. We hopped a bus back this morning; arriving back in camp at about noon. Raleigh is a pretty nice town about the size of Durham. I wore my “civies” for the first time & it certainly is a treat to get into some casual fitting clothes. I must be getting a little larger in the waist because my slacks stay up without a belt now. In Raleigh we looked up an S.R.O. dance & did a little rug cutting. T’was not quite as good a deal as the one in Durham because there were a few more soldiers. However we enjoyed ourselves & met some nice gals. Sunday morning we looked over the town a bit but being somewhat on the fatigued side we decided to head back to dear ol’ Fort Bragg. So we did. See?

By the way the movie came on the screen when I was on “S.R.O.” back there & I’m now at the Service Club finishing up. I’d give the picture about 2 ¾ As. Just fair. But I did see a A.A.A.A. picture last week; “Suspicion” with Cary Grant & Joan Fountain.

This afternoon I sat down here in the S.C. lounge & read a book. There was a fellow here playing the piano all afternoon & was he good. I imagine he must have played in some band.

Right in the midst of the activities here the news flashed on the radio about Japan’s attack on Manilla & Pearl Harbor. ‘Twas startling news indeed. I certainly wouldn’t change shoes with Sykes at this moment. Nor Rolie either. I’ll take a nice quiet (I hope) Replacement Center now that the big show is about to begin. Just this moment a news boy came by with papers that claim Japan has declared war on America. It will be interesting to see what developments the morrow will bring. You know I was sitting here reading in my civilian suit when they announced the orders from the War Dept. that all men in the U.S. army will be in uniform effective tomorrow. Everyone looked around at me as if to say “that means you soldier!” Boy I can just imagine how things are going to pop around here from now on.

I got a Xmas card from Dot & Arlo; she wrote a letter on the inside of it. Had to laugh where she says she’s going to name it Joan Janet, if a girl, & George Gordon, if a boy. I wouldn’t put it past her, would you?

You inquired about my job. Things are going along just fine. My file system is in the last stages of completion now & I think it will work out O.K. Have had some encouraging compliments on it. I am being transferred again. You know I was in D.E.M.L. & attached to A-8-3 for quarters & rations. Well now I’m in Hdqts. Battery & will have to move out of my old battery. I’ll just be 4 rows of barracks away from the old battery so I’ll still be near my old friends. With the transfer, Lt. Kane told me that I would get a Specialist’s Fifth class rating – about $45 a month. That is the reason he transferred me because there was no ratings open in D.E.M.L.

It looks bad for Xmas furloughs now doesn’t it? I guess it’s just about hopeless for me. I heard a rumor today that all furloughs on both coasts have been cancelled. By the time the holidays come it might be pretty rough in Hawaii.

I had a letter each from Rolie, Sykes & George. Rolie’s all excited about joining the navy. Wonder how he feels at this moment. Sykes is now undergoing basic training in San Diego. George is still deferred & plenty thankful. Got letters from Lee & Joe too. Lee is (or should say was) planning to come home for Xmas. I hope he can but -------. Schaper is working in the dental clinic at Claiborne. He really enjoys that kind of work & is planning to go to college & follow it up when his “sentence” is up.

Well my lids are beginning to droop & my pen won’t behave so – good night. Hope everything is well at home. Write soon.

Love, Dorance