Student Co. A ESSR
Fort Belvoir, Va.
November 7, 1943

[Air Force Logo]
UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCES

Dear Miss Thompson,

As you can see by the address I now have a new location. Am studying surveying here at Belvoir. A very interesting course as far as Ive gone. Got here last Sunday morning about three oclock. Was quite a trip from Greensboro, the Southern Railway not being noted for its promptness. They even had to stop the train especialy for four of us (traveling under military orders etc.) at [illegible]. From [illegible] to Belvoir we really traveled. The driver had been awakened to go out and pick us up. Army trucks seem to be capable of going much faster than the regular commercial trucks.

The Post here is much like a large college campus. Our school buildings are permanent buildings and are quite similar to the average college building, if there is such a building. We live in permanent, two-storied wooden barracks which are quite comfortable. Each man having a foot locker, and a clothes hanger rod for himself. The officers and the three top[ non-com [illegible] live in private homes, many of them brick houses such as you would find in any comfortable suburban community. The older wooden frame houses are not shacks either. They also have sidewalks, curbs, and well-graded athletic fields and large wooded areas here that they didnt have in Greensboro. Such are some of the differences between a permanent post and a camp constituted to meet war demands. Greensboro only opened in February. Also have a large service club in our area which holds a couple of dances a week (we cant leave the post during the week) and has a cafeteria, numerous games, and quite a supply of comfortable chairs and writing tables. Even have a bowling alley (league games only during the week), roller skating rink, couple of theatres and gymnasiums all in our area.

Program here is not too difficult but you are kept occupied all the time from when you get up (half hour later here, 5:45) to when you go to bed. Have three night classes a week. Food is good, so all told everything is running very smoothly so far. KP this Wednesday though.

Thanks for sending the clipping about the memorabilia winning a first class rating. That is good news.

Glad to have heard all the latest news from the fellows in my class. If some of the lowerclassmen that were sent to Dix with our group should write anything of interest would you pass it along? Seems as if everyone has been sent to separate posts by this time. How have things been in school? Must be quite different from what I can remember.

Such is about all of the news from tis post. Will keep you posted as things start to happen.

As ever,

Fred Hoffman