[letter]
[page 1]
JANUARY 5, 1942
ROBERT Q. JOHNSON
N. A. S.
PEARL HARBOR, T. H.
DEAR BOB:
YOUR DAD AND ALL YOUR FRIENDS AT THE MILL WERE GLAD TO HEAR FROM YOU LAST WEEK-END AND TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE SAFE AT PEARL HARBOR.
BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THE MEN AT THE MILL DECIDED TO USE SOME OF THE MONEY IN THEIR FLOWER FUND TO SEND GIFTS TO ALL OF THE BOYS FROM SPEED AND SELLERSBURG, AND ALL FORMER EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYEES� SONS IN THE SERVICE. TO THE BOYS WHO SMOKES WE SENT TWO CARTONS OF CIGARETTES AND TO THE OTHERS, TWO POUNDS OF CANDY. UNTIL YOUR DAD SHOWED US THE LETTER HE HAD JUST RECEIVED FROM YOU, WE HAD OVERLOOKED THE FACT THAT YOU ARE IN THE NAVY. THEREFORE, WE ARE SENDING YOU THE ENCLOSED MONEY ORDER SINCE YOU ARE SO FAR AWAY AND WE KNOW YOU CAN BUY CIGARETTES FROM YOUR NAVY CENTER MUCH CHEAPER THAN WE CAN HERE. WE ARE SORRY YOU DID NOT RECEIVE THIS BEFORE CHRISTMAS BUT THE WISHES IT BRINGS ARE NONE THE LESS SINCERE.
WE HAVE ABOUT 50 BOYS FROM SPEED AND SELLERSBURG NOW IN SERVICE AND MORE ARE GOING ALL THE TIME. TO EACH OF THESE WE SEND A COPY OF OUR COMPANY PAPER, THE SPEEDOMETER, AND TODAY YOUR NAME WAS ADDED TO THE MAILING LIST. IT DOES NOT CARRY MUCH NEWS BUT YOU MAY FIND SOMETHING INTERESTING IN IT.
IN THE LAST ISSUE OF THE SPEEDOMETER WE LISTED THE NAMES OF THE BOYS FROM THIS COMMUNITY NOW IN SERVICE. YOUR NAME IS NOT AMONG THEM FOR, AS EXPLAINED ABOVE, WE HAD OVERLOOKED THE FACT THAT YOU ARE IN THE NAVY.
WE ALL HOPE YOU ARE GETTING ALONG FINE AND THAT IT WILL NOT BE LONG UNTIL WE HEAR REPORTS THAT THE JAPS ARE ON THE RUN IN THE PACIFIC. WE ARE SURE THEY WILL BE WHEN YOU FELLOWS GET UNDER WAY.
SINCERELY,
JESSE G. DORSEY
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