March 26, 1942
Dear Mother and Father,
I am in the Barlum Hotel, a hotel that was taken over by the city for taxes and is now being used partly by the Navy Club. We have been staying here ever since we came except for nights. The first night Tom and I stayed in the Tuller Hotel. And the second night I stayed with one boy from Battle Creek and one boy from Flint and one boy from Hartford, Mich. in the Norton Hotel. The boy from Battle’s name is Frederickson and seems to be a very nice kid.
I expect to go with a bunch of fellas to the Great Lakes this afternoon and then will be quarantined for a few weeks so I probably will not write until after that.
We will probably go through Grand Rapids this afternoon on our way to Chicago. I am writing this in kind of a hurry so excuse my writing. I will write as often as I can. There is nothing to worry about. They all seem to be nice fellas and they keep close check on everybody keeping them all out of mischief.
It’s very nice weather down here. I will get my uniforms tomorrow I expect in Chicago.
Good bye,
Erwin Holmquist
Ancestors Across the Ages 