January 24, 1944 Monday

Dear Honey,

Turned our ever-changing attention to the Cal. 30 air-cooled machine gun today, and to codes and ciphers in communications. Also started a new course in military law. Codes and ciphers is interesting, as you might imagine. We work with coding machines and books and find out how they work in the armored force. We just learn armored command systems but the basic ideas of cryptography are taught, too. Les Jenkins got his commission in the signal corps and we are getting enough in communications for me to see that he has a very fascinating and specialized field. Being a radio operator would be fun, tho the technical side is very confoosin'.

Using a “lil Abner” word makes me wonder if you've met the latest character in the strip. Silent Yokum is his name, and he never speaks unless something real important comes up. Consequently he hasn't uttered a word in 40 years. Last I saw of him he was just getting shot thru the head, but didn't consider it important enough to break his silence over. His poor sweet silent little self! I repeat, “lil Abner” is a challenging and stimulating comic – the only one that really has something on the ball.

You said in today's letter that you repeat “I love you,” Bun, and I hope you always will, because I mean it sincerely every single time I write it, and never use it without thinking so. Tonite I love you as much as I ever have. Your last two letters I have appreciated more than most any you have ever sent –they really had some solid points in them, and made me proud to have such a perceiving wife. Maybe the psychology books are making us see things in the same manner.

All yours,
Wallace

P.S. Thanks for the correct pronunciations on those words. They are colloquial words I guess, but more widespread in the areas I've been booted into than the pronunciations we use correctly in New England.
[sketch of eastern United States with “ve'hicle area” in the northeast, and “vehic'le areas” in the southeast and Colorado]