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U.S.S. Wilmington 11/12/18
Dear Ma, Suppose you have recieved my last letter by this time and have ansered it, but I will not get it as we are supposed to leave here Saturday on the transport.
But since I have been in the navy I don't believe anything till it actually happens. If we do leave here Saturday the boat will go to Nagasaki Japan first and it takes
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takes about 32 days ^ before it will make Frisco Then again they may take and put some of us on the Brooklyn that is the flag ship of the Asiatic Fleet.
Over here the reports are that the war is over. If it was not for that we would be on our way back as we have had our target practice allready. All ready they have split up some of our crews and put them on this ship which is a small gun boat, as seamen that means scrub deck and every thing else. I f some of us get on the Brooklyn it will mean the same
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thing as they don't need gunners in this part of the world. Maybe I wrote that one of the Merrill boys were on that ship. Many a time I have thanked that itch I had or I would have been in the regulars maybe and that means four years out here which is as bad as being in a light house on some island with no body to talk to but your self. As it is now we do the same work they do on board ship but get muster out after the war. About two weeks ago I bought a #1A autographic kodak which takes a picture
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- 4 2 1/4 in. by 4 1/2. for 24 peso's that its 12 dollars gold. in U.S. money. If we go back by the way of Japan and get some liberty there I will get some swell pictures.
We have been pretty lucky so far in our gun crew the captain is the only one that got sick he had the mumpes. Out here the nimute you get sick you are out of luck for going back because as soon as you come out of the hospital you come back on the ship a seamen and looze your place in the gun crew. Out of the whole bunch that came out here about
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- 5 fifteen have lost there place in the crews.
There is not much to tell on this ship as the most we are doing now is eating and sleep, but I will miss that Christmas dinner all right if we are on the transport and don't make home on time.
Today or tomorrow I will write Uncle Joe and Aunt Hattie a letter wishing them A Merry X'mas.
Will end now wishing you all A Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year and hoping that I am home by Xmas but I don't thing I will make it.
Ray
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