Saturday Afternoon—

Dear Mom—

Your letter just came a few minutes ago—It’s good to hear from home—mail is really important to a soldier—especially to one so far from home.

No I’m not in the hospital—I am in a hospital unit. You see in the army a hospital is not a big building as we think of it in civilian life. I am in a Field Hospital Unit—we are an Airborne outfit—traveling with personnel and equipment by airplane—A field hospital is about 3 or 4 miles behind the actual fighting front—The wounded are brought back there by litters (or stretchers you call them) or by ambulance—we care for them and they are evacuated by air or other means—It is a mobile outfit and is constantly on the move as the troops advance—It is set up wherever it is convenient—In large buildings when possible—schools, garages, etc. Otherwise in tents—or right out in the open—In this new kind of warfare everything must be mobile and ready and able to move at a moments notice. That means clearing out with equipment, patients and personnel in a hurry. We have to learn to do all that—also to camouflage out installations so they will be invisible from the ground and the air. I am going to go to Technicians school and learn to be a surgical technician—I’ll probably get a rating—most technicians do—and I may go to another school afterward—If I get into A.S.T.P. I will not be attached to this outfit at all—I don’t know what the chances are but I hope I can get in it—I’ll probably be called out for an interview soon—We start review classes Monday—In a few weeks we’ll go to technician schools either here or at another camp. I have a chance of going to Fort Benj. Harrison, Indianapolis—that would be very near Gene. Time will tell the tale—If I don’t get A.S.T.P. or OCS I will stay with this outfit—I’ll go to tech. school—either here or elsewhere. I’ll return to this unit and we’ll move to an airbase—there we’ll get training in loading of planes etc—after that we’re ready to go—

I haven’t heard from Daddy at all—Did hear from Gene a couple of times—He said nothing of his plans however. Incidentally, I’ll probably get a furlough after Technician training—I hope so.

Here are a couple of things you should know—They are important—

If for any reason you should want me to come home in an emergency contact the American Red Cross in Richmond. That will facilitate getting me there as quickly as possible. Tell Ginnie about this too—all service men’s folks should know about it.

When I write that I am moving—tell no one—it’s more important than you might thing, for troop movements are important to the enemy.

If word ever comes about my being wounded missing or killed—it must come by telegram from the War Department –no other source—

I’ll write again soon—chow now—

Bye,

Jackson