Quite a Task

Fred Voss is Helen's husband in response to an idea in the previous round that an "in-law" contribute a letter once per round. 

Vol. 19, No. 2-A [Fred Voss]

ARMY AIR FORCES
AIR TECHNICAL COMMAND
OFFICE OF THE AIR FORCES RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE

4 December 1945

Hello Gang:

This is quite a task that has come my way. It is hard enough to try to please one member of your family all of the time but to try and write so as to please a lawyer, an insurance executive, a teacher and five or six women is not very easy. I consider it an honor to add a few words to the type of letters that go to make your chain letters so interesting. I trust you will excuse my using a typewriter. If I did not no one would be able to read what I have written because in my old age my penmanship has turned out to be terrible.

The big news at our house lately of course was the fact that Dick returned home from the Army a couple of weeks ago. He is now trying to adjust himself to home life after two and a half years going by the bugle. His plans at the present are to get back to school and it looks as though he will go to the University of Dayton from January to June and in the meantime find out more about Toledo University where he spent two years, and other Universities. Since he intends to get married within the next year he is all enthused about saving some more money and right now he is working temporarily at one of the large Department Stores here while waiting for an opening at the Post Office. Believe it or not, now that he is home the four of us have gotten down to playing bridge a couple of times a week, and having fun.

Dave likes his new school here and is getting into the thick of things, having a good time, and doing very well in his studies—I don’t have to tell you anything about Helen because she writes to all of you quite often and you know how she never lets up. Personally I have had the pleasure of seeing Sister Sadie now and then and the Anderson gang quite often and also have enjoyed several visits to the Columbus O’Connors but I am looking forward to getting to Washington and also to seeing Dan and meeting his wife and family. Have not had a vacation since 1940 so will have to take one next spring or summer.

As for me, after being at Waco in Troy in Production work for three years, I find my work in Dayton very interesting in that I am helping terminate some of the contracts on which we were pushing for faster production until the end of the year. This department is know as the Contract Termination Section of the Readjustment Division and it is a battle of wits every day in an effort to close the cases in a manner fair and equitable, both to the Contractor and to the Government. I’d sure like to get my hands on some of the millions we write and talk about.

One of the subjects discussed in your recent chain letters was Alaska. It so happened I was talking to my barber today and find he was in the Army in Alaska for the last two years and he says that’s the place to go. He says to take a couple of cows along as milk sells for 30¢ a quart, farming is good and the mines are going full blast—but it’s cold as the dickens.

Before closing I might add that I think the quickest way to start a family feud is for all the members to tell the other members what they think of them in one word or less even if no one knows who is saying what. We received the chain letter yesterday and here is the answer already so you can’t accuse me of holding it up.

Best regards to all,

Fred