August 24, 1952, Sunday

Pfc. Robt. Gimbel
U.S. ########
85 Boat Co. ARO 928
% Postmaster
San Francisco, California

Dear Mom and Dad,

     Here's an answer to your last letters.
     I hope you are all fine and feeling in the finest shape.
     Dad, it's a treat to hear from you, and when you do write, it's usually worth waiting a while for.  You both know that I enjoy very much hearing from home, and it won't be too long before you won't have to worry about writing to me.
     It is rumored that a ship is leaving the 22 of November.  It's the Shanks, the sister ship to the one I cam over her on (The Ainsworth).
     Of course, I am not fussy, I would take my chances on a row boat if I had too, but that won't be necessary.
      Well, we have started a softball league in the battalion and the other night we played the officers.  Beat them 18 to 17.  It was quite a rivalry as you could imagine.
      There sure wasn't much military courtesy present, but we really had a good time razzing the old boys.
      This gives us a 500 percentage winning one and losing one.  We lost our first game 14 to nothing.  We had a good excuse, as we all had hangovers from a company party that we had the night before.
      But the team is really shaping up, and I think we won't lose many more games.
      Well, they tell us that the 1st of September that the 85 Boat Company will be a branch of the transportation Corp.  So that will mean changing of patches and brass signias.
      At the present time the 29th is run by 3 different branches of the service.  Legislative power is run by the Navy, Supply is run by the 13th Air Force and the rest by the Army providing that anything is left.
      The I.G. just spent a week, looking over the base, but I don't think he found much as they wrote and said they were coming a month before they came.  That's what makes me mad, if they just came without any warning they would find out how the real army is run.
      Last month 25 Pfc. were put in for Corporal in our company, including me.
     They are authorized only 18 for the battalion each month, so the company only got 4.  At this rate I don't know if I'll make it before I leave or not but it doesn't really make any difference any more.
     I sure liked the pictures you sent and I think they came out good, on a real bright day they turn out hazy like that though.  It's best to wait until about 4 or 5 P.M. on those real sunny days.
     Those looked like real nice jobs.  I bet that tanker was a honey.  Did you paint the running gear red?  Did you use the sand blaster on the jobs?
      How long did it take to paint the tanker?  I mean, how many hours labor.
      Claudia sure is getting to be a beautiful little girl, and Rosemary is really growing.  I bet I'll hardily know her when I get home.
      In the new Popular Mechanics book I was reading the owners report on the new Desota.  It really sounds like a honey.  I am thinking real serious of buying one when I get back home again and in the swing of things.
      Well, I guess this is all for now so I'll see you before long and I hope the weeks keep passing quickly.
      Write soon.
      Loads of Love,
      Your Son,
      Bob
I am enclosing an exposed roll of film which they won't develop over here.  Take it to Glendenning's and have it done.  It's some nice color pictures.