June 18, 1944

Dear Folks:                                                June 18
            Our hut came off 2nd best last week in an inspection by the colonel. Horridge is now making a lattice fence about a foot high to put next to the walk in front of our yard. I think I told you Capt. Melvin (“Doc”) is in our hut. He was practicing medicine in Gulfport, Miss. before getting in the army. He did practice some in the Ozark country of Missouri and has some real stories to tell about it. One day he got a call from the country on a baby case. He found an old lady in the house and ask her where the wom[a]n [about] to have [the] baby was. She said “outside somewhere” and Doc looked out and saw her plowing. He went out and suggested she come in and he would see if everything was alright. The women came and ask Doc if he was ready. Seems that was the custom of the country. Doc said he was and she had a 14 lbs. boy. The next day Doc went out to see her again and she was plowing again. Another time a customer said he would pay Doc by letting him have all the Leghorn chickens he could catch in 10 min. So the hill billy got his watch out and Doc grabbed a rake and went to work.
            The price of laundry is exactly doubled, amounts to about $1 a week. We went to London one afternoon and came back the next morning. The only place to stand on the train was the baggage car. It had a door in either end. We went in one door and the conductor backed us out. While arguing with us, some more men went in the other door so he bustled up to the other door to eject them. The train was about to leave and we weren’t to be left so we entered the door again. The conductor was outflanked and lowered his voice and retreated to his seat in the corner and we got to town. Saw 2 shows. Surely was glad to hear that Japan was bombed.