May 12, 1945

                                                            Chanute Field, Ill.
                                                            12 May 1945
Dear Folks:
            Sat. nite. Was a warm day to-day and I changed to kakis. Had some good luck and some bad last week. Got 15 days delay in route to Frederick and had my billfold stolen — $150 and papers. They caught the guy, however, the next morning and we will get about 75% of our money back in 3 or 4 months. The worst of it was the so and so burned the billfolds. Three of us in this barracks lost our billfolds and he made a haul of about $1000 that nite. He took my billfold from my pants pocket about 3 ft. from my head. Now I have to get those papers renewed.
            I think I have a ride out to either Newton or Topeka. We will probably leave here Sat. afternoon or nite. If I go to Newton, will probably go on to Wichita first. If the fellow I’m riding with decides to stay in Topeka very long, I’ll come home from there.
            V-E day was pretty quiet here. The army saw to that. We all were restricted to the post for 24 hours. Of course had the big parade in the afternoon.
            Strieber and I flew this afternoon. Not a cloud in the sky and quite warm. Quite a few men had their wives out for rides. Had another V mail from Horridge. He was expecting his orders (May 1) for home. He was stationed in Belgium at the time and said it was the nicest place he had seen since being overseas. Hale, the radio man, is in India.
            Got the vitamins. Yes, I got Roscoe’s letter. Sounds like Fred is still kicking around. Do you have your feed in?
                                                            John