Thurs. Nov./50.

Dear Mom:

We're still at sea on this so called ship. Quite a boring trip.

We left Fort Lewis Wash. on Sat. Morn and took a bus to Seattle where we embarked on the Joe Martinez, that's the name of a ship, this ship. It's only a small ship, 7600 tons so we haven't much space to get any exercise. The bunks are quite close together. I'm in a top bunk right beside a ventilator so I've got lots of fresh air.

[on left side of page there is a drawing of the bunk layout with labels indicating heads and feet; written at right: “That's how we sleep in our bunks.”]

The troops were pretty sick for the first few days. The fish were really feeding good. More marbles were tossed overboard. I felt pretty punk but I wasn't sick. Everybody seems okay now. The ship still tosses and turns, the damn thing is never still.

We get up in the morning at 0600 hrs. as usual. Got washed and shaved, lay our kit on our bunk, and then go to breakfast. The meals aren't to good but fair. They must feed over a thousand men each meal. After breakfast we go on deck until 10:30 when we generally have a lecture. The P.X. or canteen is on board and cigs. are cheap $1.00 a carton for Yank cigs. and $1.50 a carton for ours. All the stuff is cheaper. We have our P.T. for an hour in the afternoon or a lecture, we read, play games, there's generally a show every other night. It's a boring trip. Nothing to look at but water. The weather has been warm enough but dull. We should be hitting a port in a day or so. It will be a while before we get to where we are going.

That fellow in the picture isn't from Nanaimo. He's from Wales, Red Evans. He's in a different company than I am. I see him on board sometimes.

Everythings fine.
Ed.

[Address written at bottom of page has been crossed out; beside it is a note on the post office number: “It's 50002 now.” Rewritten on the back of page:]

K800054
Pte. McKenzie E.H.
2nd P.P.C.L.I.
“C” Co.
C.A.P.O. 50002
Vancouver B.C.

[Editor’s note: Letter content indicates that it was written immediately prior to the letter of Dec. 1, 1950, placing it in late Nov. 1950. It has been posted under the most probable date, Nov. 30, 1950, for reader continuity purposes only.]