"350 or Fight"

Ben is 18 years old.  For the last two months he has been at the University of Connecticut for A.S.T.P. school which is the  Army Specialized Training Program.

December 4th

Dear Folks,

We were sitting around waiting for the inspecting officer, so I thought I might as well catch up on my badly neglected correspondence and also write to you.  The inspection this morning is supposed to be stricter than usual.  They’re going to inspect us personally and also our walls.  Yep, they had us washing the marks off our walls last night.  Imagine, us A.S.T.P. men doing manual labor.  I thought I left that behind at Camp Croft.

We had our last exam yesterday.  I think all the fellows agree that these were harder than the first.  In fact, my eye is still twitching today from straining it during the exam.  And we took the exams in a smaller room too, where the proctor didn’t have so much to watch, which made it harder for us.

I think I wrote you that they shipped out some fellows.  They got one fellow from our room, who happened to be in the hospital at the time with a cold, so he left a couple of days later.  We drew cards for his bed and I won.  It’s a small 2 man room off the big one with a single bed and thick mattress.  It’s a much warmer room too, cause the wind doesn’t blow through it.

Have you heard our new motto?  “350 or Fight”, cause you need that many points to stay in the program.  Received the box alright.  Thanks.  Also received the snapshots & proofs.  Mom & Dad look very good.  So is the one of Ruth & Arnie.  How about those reprints you said you would get?That girl that Arnie met is the girl friend of Russ Hildebrant who went through #3 with me & was cheerleader at Madison.  I think he’s overseas now, at least he has an A.P.O. number.  In the next package, please include some pipe cleaners.  That’s all for now,

Love,
Ben