April 16, 1943. Dad writes a very short letter home before shipping out later in the day. Classes are all wrapped up and he is set to move on to Salt Lake City. “I have all my stuff packed in barracks bags and I am just sticking around.” The night before he went into town to see Margin for Error at the movies. He is also sending along the photo that was taken of him by the Apple River, a tributary to the Mississippi that runs through the base in Savanna. With the negative of the photo he asks that Anna have a few extra copies made of it.
PFC Anthony Murawski by the Apple River at the Savanna Section Ordnance School, Savanna, Illinois.
As you probably know by now, Dad was not much of a “party animal”, but that did not apply to all of the guys. He tells his family “Last night we had two drunks in the barracks and what noise!” He also notes, “This morning before 12:00 noon I believe we shake hands with the Captain.”
As far as his classes, he tells Anna “Excluding the last two tests I had an average of 89. I didn’t do too well in my last test as I had the right answer on one question (10 pointer) but I put down the opposite like, “not” in place of “it should”. I’m sure I passed within the 80’s.
His brother Stanley is currently in Ephrata, Washington, soon to be moved on to Montana. As dad is on his way to Utah he notes, “Without my selecting a place I am getting near to Stanley. I feel close to all of you as well no matter how far away we may be.”
He closes, “Until I write again, God bless each and every one of you! Wait for my new address.”