North Africa

June 6, 1943

Letter #2

 

My darling Jeanette:

            Another week gone by and another regular letter off to you. I wrote you last on the 4^th by v mail so you will probably get that letter long before this one. Since then I’ve read 2 more letters from you, dear. They are #7 May 13^th read yesterday and #8 May 10^th read today. Both were most welcome. Now I am only #9 thru #11.

            I am enclosing a money note for $100.00 for you to put on the house. Next month I’ll send you another back for probably all I get as I drew both April –May’s pay (as a major) this month. That will be enough to last me two months. With the ration out ($42.70 for 2 months March Apr.) and the $100 I’m enclosing, it leaves me 81.20, which is more than enough for two months.

            My extra pay for Lt. Col from May 20 to 31 will go on next month’s voucher as I didn’t want to bother with the change and delay of making another one out at the end of the month. As near as I can figure I should draw next month here $190.70 so I might send you a check then for 200% depending on what I have to spend this month. Don’s asked me how I figured if as I’ve just finished and is a little complicated. It includes the difference in pay and allowances from May 20 to 30 (11 days) over major and the new 3^rd fogies of 5% for 26 days in June since I have 9 years of service on June 4^th.

            This letter is going to the financial but of course it and I thought you would [over] like to go over the figures with my new pay and all.

            But first I forgot, this morning I also received the first package of uniforms safely. Yes, I spread it on the bed so the things did not fall over. The pants, shirt, cap, clean rags, roll of film, heavy and light socks all arrived okay. Thank you much for them dear. They were badly needed as 2 pair of pants are not enough in this hot climate and with no starch available either (you might send me a box or 2 if you wish) Thank Grandma Wentworth also for me for the woolen socks. I’ll not be able to use them until next winter though as I use the thin ones now.

            Now to get back on finances again. I am going to increase my allotment to you to $450.00 per month effective in July (the check you get after the first of August). I hope is goes them faster than the other one.

            By the way today’s mail brought the official notice of my allotment change from $270 to $350 made last year. The notice was dated May 5 and said, “In accordance with recent regained reviewed”-etc. Yes, indeed, quite recent I might add –last September to May-only 9 months ago, quite “recent”!

            Now to go on (after the second diversion) My total monthly pay will be $547.59 after July 1^st. That is figured as follows per month:

Base pay- $291.61 ($3500 per year)

10% foreign duty- 29.17

15% for 3 fogies- 43.75

Total Regular Pay-364.59

3 Rations @ 20 cents each per day) – 63.00

Rental allowance-120.00

                             547.59

less:

    allotments to you: $450

    insurance: 7.10

                       457.10

                       90.49

   less 1 ration: 21.00

  net void by me: 69.49

            So you see that leaves me almost $70 per month which is more than I need to get along on. My Lt.Col’s pay over my major’s is 547.59 less $468 or $79.59 but I’ll raise the allotment $100 while I am about it. That means I’ll not send $100 ever other month as I planned as you will be getting part of that $100 in the increased allotment. But I’ll still send what I don’t need about every other month.

            That is about enough of finances for one letter, I guess. In my next regular one I’ll send you a schedule of my monthly base payments (with fogies + foreign duty) for your income tax needs. I will not have to take and out each month under this new law as military personnel do not have to pay any tax until six months after the war (over) if the don’t wish. But I want to keep ours paid up each year so we won’t have to worry about it late. Next year, if things work out all right, I would rather you would pay it all at once + get if out of they way rather than paying it each quarter. In vase I should get home next year, I don’t want to have to worry about paying some quarterly installments on income taxes.

            Now, one other thing, I want you to start next month buying a $100 bond (that is-$75 net cost) instead of the 3-$25 ones you buy now. We can do it easily, even on top of getting the mortgage paid off this year.

            But as I said a page back-enough of finances for one letter.

            This morning I went to church at 8:30 and this afternoon took off about 4pm. That is all the time I could spare myself today. I went up on the roof of the hotel and sunned for an hour a half in my shorts. You remember how my shoulders in back used to freckle when I got tanned. Well their doing in again in grand style. But-horror of horrors, my forehead is developing the same bad habit. IT hardly shows tonight I surely hope it doesn’t show more by the end of the summer. It might give my face an idea likewise + that would be bad. You wouldn’t like a freckled husband, now, you would? Neither would I!

            I am also enclosing five more pictures taken at the office the same time as the five I sent last week., #6 is on the roof, #7 is as my desk (I’m really not as stern or cross as I look) #8 is with Capt Jackson, #9 is with Lt. Sloan and Lt. Yates, #10 is with Mr. Edwards