Nogales international., 1943-03-05
Feb. 81, 1943

Lear MI. ROCC1ngef,
This is to tell you I am fine, and
to wish that this finds you enjoy
ing the best of everything.
This time I have a few things of
interest to tell you First, I have
been in contact with AL Camerlin,
the second boy from Nogales that
I have seen since I left the States.
The first one was Eddie Medina
who saw several months ago, but
he left and haven't seen or heard
from him since.
But I see Al nearly every day.
We eat chow in the same mess hall
and just today had dinner with
him. We talked of girls. school,
Nogales and folks from home.
Later I gave him two copies of
the Nogales International that I
had. He seemed to enjoy them very
much, and said. To-day I had more
news from Nogales, than I had in
a long time And then he went
to his sack. It is in the next COM
partment from mine.
The next thing I have to tell you
is that yesterday I came closer to
death than I have ever been, and
I thought was close once or twice
before, but boy, this time I practic-
ally was looking it in the eye.
You see, yesterday I decided to
take in movie. Well, / started
out night after evening chow. I
was waiting for a Navy bus that
would take me to the place where
the show was to take place. Then
came the bus. It stopped a little
ahead of me and I started walking
fast to get to the fo'ard end, to get
in. I was alone and didn't see a
car behind the bus which was COM
ing very fast. It was driven by a
Marine. 1t seems like he couldn't t
stop and started to go between the
bus and steel fence along the side
of the road.
was caught between the fence
and the bus, and didn't even know
it. The native driver was looking
with his eyes wide open and seems
like all he could say was Look run,
look run, look run" And he was
yelling like the devil. Then I guess
I saw the car and hugged the fence.
The car crashed right into the
fence about half a foot from my
left leg. It bounced back and also
bounced right onto the deck
Then both the drivers got out and
saw I wasn't hurt so we all got on
our way. wasn't scared right
then, and I started to- laugh, but as
soon as I started thinking what
could have happened I really got a
bad case of nerves, and shiverS
started to run all over my body. If
it wouldn't have killed me it would
have smashed every bone in my
legs and I probably would have been
crippled the nest of my life don't
want to sound over-religious, but I
said a prayer of thanks then and
every time I think of it ever since.
Another thing I'd like to tell you
is that my brother Joe is in the
Navy. He joined in December 1912
and says he likes the Navy very
much. He expects to go to some
school from San Diego, Naval
training station, and has been out
Of boot camp for about a month
and half. He is a seaman second
class.
BY the way, you may change the
rate in my address to seaman first
class. I took a very stiff exam and
passed it very well. I only missed
Ione question: very simple one but
couldn't think what it was. It
was: What is a boat recall flag?
I've been trying to take that test
for long time AS a matter of
fact, six months. But I had a chief
who wasn't very much interested in
it so I didn't get the test till
changed to a new CO.
I took about sixteen tests on the
course which is known as putting
the course on record before 1 could
be recommended for the rate. Then
1 had to take a test On A to N,
Navy customs, rules and regula-
tions) and on seamanship. To make
first class seaman in this man. S
Navy you really have to know a lot,
study hard, and work like the devil.
Not to mention having a good chief.
You know, there was one man
right here who was in the Navy IA
years and still a seaman second
class, believe it or not. He went
for scme left arm rate and now he
is q third class petty officer I want
a right arm rate when make third
class, so I had to make seaman first.
think now I'll go for gunners S
1