April 13, 1942
Dear Mother,
This morning we went to see about our insurance. The whole company went into a building and they told us all about it. We have to get this insurance within a certain time or not at all. They told us that we could not change the insurance after it was once made out except to change it to a lower amount or drop it. It cost us 65 cents a thousand per month. So I took out $10,000 worth of it which will cost me $6.50 per month. If I get into a pretty good job I will probably drop some of it, whatever seems logical. If I would have taken out less I wouldn’t have been able to change it to more, and if I have to get into the fighting it will be well worth having.
This afternoon we went out for a 7 1/2 mile march. About 3000 of us in columns of 3 out on the road. It was interesting to see how long the column was.
I don’t think we will have very much leave. I don’t know yet how long a leave we will have after our training. In some cases they don’t have any but usually they have. I hope I do but sometime if you get a good job that way you won’t get any, and then again they get more. Every man I talk to seems to have a different experience. Sometimes they get guys into dangerous jobs that don’t attract men by offering them long leaves. However, I believe if it was a leave that stood in my way, I would go without it. Well I hope and believe that I will be able to get home sometime before I have to go farther away.
Most of the fellas have wrist watches. I wish I had one because when I am on guard or something I have no way of telling time and it is so important to be on time with everything.
If I am one of the lucky ones, I will get a twelve hour leave this weekend but the guys say that only about nine hours is all you actually have which will be from about four to twelve at night. 4 P.M. to 12 P.M. However they don’t let the whole company out at once. They alternate the leaves so I don’t know actually when it will come. If I knew actually where Ruth lived I would probably have time to go and see her anyway.
I am getting tired so I am going to quit. If you don’t understand anything, ask me about it.
Good bye,
Erwin Holmquist
Ancestors Across the Ages 