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[Transcription begins]
UNITED STATES NAVY
308 W. 37th Street
Norfolk 8, Va.
September 20, 1943

Dear friends,

Just a few lines to acknowledge your letter enclosing a list of my classmates who are now serving their country. It is good to hear about them and to know they are doing well.

As for yours truly, I am still fighting the “battle of the Elizabeth River” in Norfolk, but now have my wife with me and we are living at the above address. My work as Operation’s Officer and Military Duty Officer is very interesting, and they are adding more and more work from day to day. The Operation’s Officer is responsible for berthing, unberthing, docking and undocking of ships. The pilots and tugmasters take orders from the Captain of the Yard’s Office of which I am a member. A Military Duty Officer is part of the Security Group and the duties are similar in scope to an Officer of the Deck on board ship. He is called an Officer of the Day in Army terminology.

Mr. Shors was in the office the other day and has since had leave visiting Bryant, I believe. We have an invitation to visit his home in Portsmouth in the near future and are looking forward to talking over old times at Bryant. He taught my nephew, George Scothon, now a member of the Finance Group in Australia and a recent Bryant Graduate.

Undoubtedly you have heard about Lt. Wesley Crawley, Class of 1936, who was taken prisoner by Germans and dropped on an island. He was picked up by the British and is now safe. He was listed as missing in action, and has since been made a 1st Lieutenant.

Remember me to all, and keep the letters coming. I am not a cigarette smoker so send my share to some of the other boys.

Sincerely,
J. B. Howarth

P. S. Forgive the hint—I do smoke a pipe and cigars.
[Transcription ends]

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