December 13, 1942

From: Pvt. Geo F. Gleasure, CoE. 12th. Infantry. Camp Gordon Ga.
To: Mr. Frank Gleasure, 56 Gardner Street. Allston, Mass. (Boston)

Dear Pa,-

I received your letter Friday but have been so busy that I didn't get a chance to answer it so I'm doing it now while I've a couple of hours to myself.  As for getting a railroad pass, there is no use in trying because we get a [redward?] rate & we are not alowed to use passes, and if I could it wouldn't be advisable to go to the trouble of getting one because we haven't any idea of when we can go because the only alow ten percent of the company to be absent from the post at one time so when the time comes they will tell us, we also have to pass a written test before we can qualify to go on furlough & being new in this division its going to be hard  I can't give you the name of the commanding officer or any numbers the address you have is sufficient.  You want to be sure that your fire insurance is okay because I think that block is a fire trap & you have some way picked to get out of the building that you could be sure nobody else would use, the best way is a long rope with a row of knots on it & wrap it around the wall between the two kitchen windows.  Yes I read about the Coconut Grove fire & I also know about a dozen people who were killed there.  If I could connect with the streamliner out of Columbia South Carolina I would be able to reach New York in 17 hrs. but the travel is so heavy that I doubt it and the railroads down here are slower than cold molasses but if there is a possible chance I'll get that one.  If you should send any reading matter, send some of those railroad magazines as I'm interested in them more than any others.  Well this is about all there is from here so I'll close now & hope to see you soon.

Luck George