HARLAN sHlnEY YENI\E JR. S2lC U S S PRA tRI E 4TH DI V IS ION.

C/O FLEET POST OFFI CE

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sAN FRANCISCo, CALIF.

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U S S PRAIR.IE

ATGUST t94r'-

DEAR FAM I LY,

WELL, YESTERDAY WAS TFIE MMPLETION OF ONE \EAR IN THE MVY, FOR ME. JUST ONE \AR ONE DAY AND APPROXIMATELY Ttl{O HOURS AND TWELVE MINUTES THIRW SEVEN SECONDS AGO RAISED MY HAND TOOK THE OATH OF TFE MVY ANT BECAME A GOB IN UNCLE SAMS NAVY. ALL HAD PLANNED TO ENTER THE MVY AND If{HEN THE TII'IIE SUMMER LONG CAME AND DISCOVERED T}-E DIFFERENCE IN INDUCTION IfAVES ltlAs THREE IN THE ARMY TO OiE IN THE NAVY ALMOST CLIMBED ABOAR! THE ARMY BAND IYAGON. BUT HAD ALREADY EMBEDDEDMYSELF FIRMLY IN NAVAL HANDS AND JUST DRIFTED TO ]HEIR SII,E REGAR}LESS OF TRIED TO Cf{ANGE. THE ONLI, UNHAPPY THING ABOUT THE HOvu HARD lJtFtoLE AFFATR IJ1AS THAT WANTED T0 SPEND A FElry VIIEEKS INTEMAGrREAt TZE T'OII-TFTAT-}MD I -SASilFTCEITA_MOD PLACE Itr THE NA\IT FOR THE ARII{Y FOR TWO EXTRA WEEKS LEAVE MIGHT NO$l BE IN A FOX HOLE IN FRANCE INSEEAD OF A CLEAN $I IP WITH GOOD FOOD. IN THE GUESS MY CI-IOICE l1lAS THE BEST AND IS FASTLY DEVELOPII.G LONG RUN INTO BETTER PROPORTIONS.

OFSEPTEMBER GUESS THIS ttllILL HAVE TO BE MY LAST LETTER ADDRESSED TO CAMP. MAYBE IF NRITE ONE TOMORROII{ IT MIGIT ARRIVE sEFORE YOU LEAVE.

swELL

DID THE ASHMANS FINALLY GO UP TO DEAR OLD TEMAGAMI? THATI" iF Sd: AND T00 BAil IF'Noi.- rF-youn coilre ouf-rnr'THiRD. "

IT SURE IS NEAT THAT THERE IS GOINGTO BE A LIsRARY IN THE SHAQUE. NO$/ IT WONT 8E NECEqSARY TO KEEP BORRO|I'ING EROM THE CASTLE. JUST IIuHERE ARE YOU PUTTING THE BOOKS AI,IYIJ!{AY? lyE NEVER DID HAVE MUCH SHELF SPACE AND UNLESS SO|\,E NEW ONES WERE ADDED CANIT THINT OF A SUITABLE PLACE FOR BOOKS. BOY. SI NCE I'VE JOINED THE NAVY. CERTAINLY HAVE LEARNED TO RPPRICIATE TI-E FINER IflRITIIIGS- IN FACT HAVE LEARNED TO LIKE READING AS MUCH AS ANYTHING ELSE CARE FOR A GOOD DEAL;. IIVE READ MORE BOOKS SINCE OOMING OUT IN THE PACIFIC THAN IN -*---/$*Y-F}+E \ARS PRIOR T0 THAT TllvlE- 0F O0uRSE-READlllg l$ fHE ONLY THING ONE CAN DO IN HIS SPARE TIME SO HE NATURALLY DEVELOPS THr ReADt NG FtAEtT L|KE SOi,'rE PEoPLE DEVE!=0PE THE SMOKING HABIT. tT T00K A LoNG T|ME FOR [E T0 Fl ND oUTTTHoUGH, JUST H0rrJ PLEASURABLE READING CAN BE.

AEEP FINDING LESS AND LESS TO SAY IN MY LETTERS LATELY SIGN OFF FOR ]HE PRESENT. MAYBE A FEl/l' LETTERS !iJILL C0ME T0lvi0RR0W AND lrLL BE lN A MORE WIiITING M00D T00. 0H f, WELL ,

SO

IILL

LOVE,