Training in the USA

U.S. Army
Fort George G. Meade, MD.
Sunday
[November 15, 1942]

Dear Lou,

Got your letter today - we get mail on Sunday around here. It has been a quiet week-end spent preparing to leave tomorrow morning. We are not going far away & will be on the rifle range during the day, which should be interesting. I only hope I shoot a good score and keep up with the other Towaco boys.

Hallie Paul's portrait of Harold Dahl

Courtesy of Janet Freeman Dahl

This morning our Tech. Sergeant, who happens to be Hallie Paul, painted a portrait of me, using a knife from the kitchen instead of a brush. Up close it looks awful - but from a ways away it is remarkable. I’ll be bringing it home after it dries.

I’m glad you took the camera up to H. & F. [Haber & Fink]. -Terry showed me the pictures you sent him - I got mine & will have instructions to add. -As for me, I’d like you to get a few enlargements of the head & shoulders of the one of me alone. Send one to Mr. Ellerhusen [HJD’s sculpture teacher], & if the first couple are good it might be a good idea to get several more to keep around - also Norman & George [Dahl - brothers] might like to have copies.

We didn’t need any eats this week - the barracks was full of food to say the least.

I spoke to Clint [Scilapoti] today to congratulate him on the birth of his new son. If we get back in time I may get part of Sunday off in which case I’ll go down to see him.

We are all excited about the news of Africa, it makes quite a difference to have some offensive action under way. Funny thing - we have all along had a hunch that Africa would be our spot. Next week we get bayonets and start training with them. Just another thing to clean, says I.

I am enclosing a clipping about our Colonel - save it for my scrapbook, will you?

Well, I’m going to run off now to see if I can find Terry re the picture. I’ll add a P.S.

I guess you & Mom won’t hear from me for a week or so, now - but I’ll tell you all about the bivouac when I get back.

Harold

P.S. Terry has marked the ones he wants & I have too - also he put in the dollar - let me know how much more Terry’s cost.