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November 9th 1943 Dearest mom & All















Dearest Mom & All,
I've been holding off writing this post two weeks because every day I've expected to ship out. We were all set to go on our furlough when orders came thru to ship about 70% of us. Last Tuesday morning they had us pack our bags and be ready to leave by 10:00. Well 10:00 rolls around and every one leaves but those shipping in section 20-A There are 11 of uswho seem to be special cases. The rest of the boys (about 700) went to the university of Illinoise. 

As far as we know, no one knows what is going to happen to us.  Of course rumors are flying thick and fast but none have been substantiated. 

We may go to another university because none of us has failed any class, but then again we may go back to troops or to some special school. We all came into the program with the understanding that they could take us out at any time for no reason at all. They don't have the facilities for teaching a large number of advanced engineers here so I guess some just had to go. 

The thing that makes me mad is that I just happened to hit the wrong set up. They've inducted a lot of R. O. T. C.  boys from the different colleges, sent them through basic training and then put them back on their original campuses taking a course very similar to ours except that they can take 3 electives. That means that a lot of them can earn their degrees in the fields they want, Political Science, Sociology, ets, and still keep up their main engineering subjects. If I had the same chance I could finish my forestry and be home in Logan too. Oh well such is the army anyway!I'm lucky to have had six months here anyhow. 

Did Leona tell you who we found here in the air cadets? We bumped into Lowell Smith and his wife here recently. He was sent to Miami Beach Florida after he got in the army and was then sent up here to the Air-Corps Pre-flight school. He's sailing through the courses pretty fast and will probably go to Nashville Tenn. in a couple of months.

We managed to get together with Lowell &Norma Sat &Sunday and I went to Palmyra to see the sights & attend services. We couldn't miss that trip being this close.

We took a bus at 6:00 PM and got in Palmyra at 8:00. We went to the chapel first and after talking with the family that lives there, decided to stay at a hotel. We found a small hotel (The Sellen) which, even though it only had 12 rooms, gave us swell rooms. They served meals only on reservation but took care of us anyway and talk about the swell meals! Instead of waiting at the table for the meal to be prepared we sat in the lounge and the table was all set and ready before they called us in. We ate by candle light and talk about service! Fresh strawberry jam, rolls and celery would appear any time the supply would dwindle and they cooked our steaks just the was we ordered them. 

At Sunday School, we were surprised right off to find that Brother Giles who is in charge of the Bureau of Information at the Hill Cumorah was an old friend af dad's and of Norma's dad (Broadbent) . We had a wonderful Sunday School and fast meeting. Lowell bore his testimony and he truly has a wonderful spirit.

After church Lowell & Norma went out to the bureau for dinner and we were invited to the Morgans. You Probably know Mrs Morgan best as Ruby Hurst from Salt Lake (not far above us). She is Jane and Dorothy Hurst's older sister. Bill is a Palmyra boy whom she met while visiting the pageants at the Hill Cumorah. I'll include one of this cards. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple.

Sunday was really a beautiful sunny day and we had a wonderful time visiting the Hill, the Smith & Harris Farms and the bureau of information at the Hill. The monument is magnificent even if there is a scaffolding all around it; and while most of the leaves have fallen the sacred grove was a real thrill to visit. 

Another surprise was to find that Uncle Reuben, Aunt Theresa, Terry & Don had been out there just a couple of days before us! I certainly wish they could have dropped down to see us, but I guess they didn't have the time. 

"Little Women" sounds like a lot of fun! sounds like a lot of fun! Do I remember when you were in it?  You know those pictures your have of the cast were always my favorite page in our family album. Lots of luck to you Ken. 

I hope you get settled about what dad's going to do.  Believe me I know what uncertainty is like. I go through it every time I ship. Leona got your (I think it was yours) telegram over the phone and I couldn't get the whole gist of it. But all I can say is worrying won't help at all so take it easy. 

I better quit now. I'll let you know the minute anything happens & you do the same, won't you? 

By the way-what is Bea's situation? I haven't heard in a long time. I'll write her this afternoon. 

Loads of Love,
Lu--






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