Jan - 30 - 1941
Dear Jean,
Just about time I'm answering your letter I guess. I suppose you know by now that we are here in Walla Walla, Washington and living in the Armory. We hit here the day after Christmas after spending a week in Frisco. I guess it was just fate that we didn't take a boat ride at Frisco because that has been more or less the jumping off place. Have been doing a good deal of playing since we arrived here. Last Sunday we paid a large red cross concert and had a good crowd, about 1200. Tickets were from 50¢ - 75¢ and up to $1.25 so you can imagine that the proceeds were not bad. This is a nice country out here and we like it very much. The weather is grand and the people treat us like kings - not at all like the South. We were so glad to get out of Louisiana and wouldn't have cared if we would have been sent to Alaska or Hawaii.
To-night I was over to an oboe players house for supper. His name is Chas Holden and a swell fellow. He taught me how to make oboe reeds and its really quite simple. He made me a good one and I made one for practice that turned out very good. He gave me one extra reed besides which is the best reed I've had for some time. The grot hasn't furnished a single reed yet and I've been fighting a bunch of old wrecks that I used to have at home years ago. Certainly is a relief to get hold of a decent reed once. His wife served a swell supper and in all I spent an enjoyable evening.
I owe so darned many letters that I'm almost ashamed to write.
Sheff is back here with us. He had a nice little vacation for a couple months as you probably know. Quite a Sheff Were all glad to see him back. He come back at his old rating which is a break for him and for the band because it gives us 1 extra sgt.
Last night I was up to Elks band practice. They have a pretty good band but have been losing quite a number of their men who have gone into the army. When we were just finishing up Hailey Moore came up with Chas Cay. Chas is going to school at Moscow Idaho the same place where Sheff went. He and a pal of his were hitch hiking to Yakema and they ran on to a soldier from HqCo that Chas knew before and Chas asked him where the band was. The fellow told him that we were over here at the Armory so he began looking us up. It was really quite a surprise for him and for all of us who know him. He hung around all day instead of going on with his tour, said it was just like going home. He hasn't been home for more than a year.
Did you see Donald and Malcolm's pictures in the Forum. I was very happy that they were OK. About the 9th of Jan I received a card from them - I suppose you received the same kind of card.
I didn't receive your gift Jean. There was an awful mix up on mail and there was a lot of it that many of us never received. Did you have it insured? You might ask them at the front office if was or have them try to have in anyway, Jean. My finances weren't in very good shape at Christmas time and still aren't so I wasn't able to buy any presents but I'll try to do the best I can later.
It was the most comical thing you ever saw or heard of when we hit Walla Walla. Quite a number of the fellows who owned their own own instruments pawned them all the <> watches and cameras were pawned and all radio. There wasn't a man in the band who wasn't broke.
I received a letter from Mildred and from Ronald at Christmas time and still have both of them to answer.
Do you ever see Russ Meltland or his family? Or Uim Matley and his family? If you do, greet them for me.
I've scrawled along for just about enough so will close for this time, hoping you will answer this sooner than I answered your letter.
How is Saint? Greet her for me.
Closing for now
Love Douglas
Lt. Douglas B. Campbell
Bond - 164th Inf.
Army, Walla Walla Wash
Jean L CampbellJamestown,North DakotaJstn Hospital.
