Dec 1/50.

Dear Mon & Dad:

We make port at Hawaii tomorrow and about time we hit land. We've seen exactly bug all since we left Seattle. Not exactly bug all, there were seven large gulls and about a dozen fish. Really interesting.

I just came back from seeing a movie this morning. It was a film about Korea not to bad or good.

It doesn't look so good in Korea right now. They might send us to a different place to train. One thing about the army a guy never knows what goes on.

I forgot to tell you that I'm getting more pay now. They are giving me $79 a month now. That goes back to the date I enlisted so I'll be getting some back pay too. Around $30 or more. We were only getting $68 a month before. I may send some money home, I'll see.

There are about 400 Yanks on board with us. Replacements going over to Japan. I was talking to one the other day and he couldn't understand why the Canadians were so cheerful. Maybe its because we volunteered and they were drafted.

We have a daily paper on board that's published every day. Not very big but it keeps us posted on important news.

Hope everyones fine at home, don't work or worry to much its not worth it. It will give you indigestion.

I guess I'll join the navy next time, not sick so far.

This may be my last letter before Christmas, it takes quite a while for the mail to get to its destination so they tell me.

Merry Christmas Mom, take it easy on the turkey, we'll probably be having a lot ourselves. Right now I wish I had a cold beer. The army will be turning into a bunch of drys if they keep this up.

Any news about any of the fellows. I'm not writing to them, to much trouble.

Time to go and eat again. What a routine eat and sleep. Who said the army was tough.

Merry Christmas to everyone.

Ed.

C.A.P.O.