8 September 1967

Dear Mom & Dad and Granny,

Well, we finally pulled out of dry dock. It was at least a week behind schedule. Now we don’t leave Longbeach until the 18th. But I think we’ll still leave for West Pac the 5th of October.

It’s quite a novelty hearing from you individually. I think I even enjoy it more that way. Dad, thanks a lot for the new speaker and antenna. It’s funny that it would have needed a new speaker so soon 1 had just replaced it when the lifters went out in February.

Has Ralph improved or worsened his condition’? And, by the way, how’s Marge? Does she get along all right without the boys?

Mom, I hope you can keep sending me those clippings from Reader’s Digest on vocabulary improvement. All of a sudden l have a craving for knowledge. I guess it’s due to the habit of being in school about now I’ve begun to read a lot of books. Not all of them novels either. I just read one today entitled "How to Study". I think it will be very helpful too. It was much more interesting than I thought it would be.

I also signed up for a college algebra course. Probably the same one I failed at Junior College, It’s offered by the San Diego State College, and will be taught during the cruise. It only costs $15 a semester. Not bad for a college course!

Are you sure that I didn’t put my address on my letter to the Whites? I’m almost sure I did. Did Cheri look on the letter or the envelope I always put it on the letter, seldom if ever on the envelope. Did you give her my address? I’m really going to gain some weight this week. Aunt Rose sent me some cookies, and Aunt LaNell sent me some divinity. Why don’t you ever send me any goodies?

I read where Ed Hughs got married. I doubt if you remember him. You only saw him during that party Christmas, and then only briefly. He’s the brother of Ron Hughs Ron’s a Marine over in Vietnam.

Did you know that Bob Farr had joined the Army? I think I told you, didn’t I?

Things are pretty much the same here. Prater, my leading petty officer end a second class, still behaves like a little kid. I think he’s getting worse than he used to be. Maybe because we’re getting close to time to leave the states. He’s always turning off our radio during our lunch break. It’s the only recreation we have on board during the day. If he does that when we go to sea, it will be pretty hard to put up with It’s difficult to explain how he is, it’s the little things he does that invokes contempt among us. We all have been able to restrain ourselves, so far.

Love

Michael