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Sunday, November 6, 2016

The World War II Letters of Billy J. Campbell, Letter 5

May 20, 1945

Pvt. Billy J. Campbell 33666491
Co. I. 1st PLT. A. P. O. 21057
Postmaster San Francisco California

Mrs. W. B. Campbell
Lebanon, Va

Somewhere at Sea
May 20, 1945

Dear Mom,

How is everybody feeling there? Fine I hope. After a very mild case of seasickness I am feeling fine. I didn't get as sick as some of the boys. Some of the fellows hung over the rail for awhile, but most of them are feeling O. K. now. It just took awhile for them to get used to being tossed around.

The sun is really shining on this old Pacific to-day. We sure do like to see pretty weather so we can come on deck and look. We don't have much to do except sleep and eat. I volunteered for detail yesterday. I thought we were supposed to work a little ever day but we aren't working to day. We just work with a Navy crew doing odd jobs, mostly cleaning up. As long as we have something to do to pass the time away, it isn't so bad. We will get so lazy just lying around we won't be worth anything. A little guard and KP is all we will have to to and as long as I stay on the job I have now, I won't ever get that. I guess detail is about the same in the Army as the Navy. Yesterday I washed walls and scrubbed the deck.

Most of my buddys are still with me. At least we are going to be together for awhile longer. We have a great time lying around kidding somebody that is seasick. We shouldn't kid the boys though because it sure doesn't feel good to be seasick and can't eat. And then wehn you do eat, you don't keep it long. The bed is the only place to stay if you get sick. You don't notice the ship rocking there and then you are all right.

I guess that is about all I have to write this time. Tell Susy & Ham hello and don't worrk. Maybe I will have some mail waiting for me and then I will be O. K. I will write again when I can think of something to say.

I don't know when these will be mailed. They will probably be old by the time you get them.

Love
Bill