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Friday Evening
                                                                                       October 19th
                                                                                       USS Sierra AD18
                                                                                       Tsingtao China

Dear Mom and Dad:

     I'm sorry I haven't written before, but they have really been shoving me around some in the last three 
days, and how.  First I was sent to the commander Navy port facilities in the capacity of a communication 
yeoman, and was transferred from there to commander seventh fleet in 
the USS Sierra in the capacity of a radioman. Ha!

     How are you all?  Fine I hope.  I haven't received a letter from you in several weeks, so guess something 
must have happened to my mail. As far as sis is concerned I sure haven't heard from her. Ha!  She wouldn't 
write I don't guess if the roof was falling down on her.

I don't know how long we are expected to stay here at Tsingtao, it probably won't be too long.  Anyway the 
time for my discharge is drawing very near.  I have been promised to be sent back the first of march for the 
terminal leave.  Under this new ALNAV that just came out I rate sixty days terminal, but I expect I'll get 
about thirty days and some reimbursement.  Anyway that's alright with me, and it's really a refreshing  
thought that this is my last cruise. Ha!

     I heard from the Pan American Airways yesterday and they have as usual not too much satisfaction out 
of my references which after all were only about my duty in the Navy,   they say their capacity is so many 
radiomen and at present is full but they want me to sign a bunch of correspondence that would force me to 
go to work for them after so long a time, but I wouldn't do it.  Right now I plan to go to a commercial radio 
school after I get out and perhaps gain a couple of licenses and then we'll see. Ha!

     You should see this place.  From our pier where we are docked it is a good three miles to the fair city, 
and in order to keep from walking you have to take one of these little rick-shaws and there the trouble 
starts.  The Chinese that pull them aren't satisfied with a mere quarter but pull on you and insist that you 
give them more, which of course leads to a fight if you don't feel like giving them a fortune. Ha!  We have 
been warned against eating any food prepared by these people because it is contaminated and the cokes are 
also, so their isn't much a fellow can do except to go to the servicemen's club or the Y.M.C.A. There is 
going to be a big dance thrown at some place tomorrow night and of course I rate liberty and am taking one 
of our nurses to this shindig.  Her name is Nellie Wojanis lieutenant commander and a very nice young 
lady.  I am the envy of most of the crew because she likes me a lot and won't have much to do with the rest 
of the bunch. Ha!  I was introduced to her by my late lamented old flame Miss Pauling Glines that I wrote 
you about.  She is now in Corona California in a naval hospital there.

     Well I guess I'd better close before I talk your head off about nothing, so so long for now and be careful.

                                                                                        Your devoted son
                                                                                         Charles H.