Bud’s Letters Home
July 10, 2025
As a duty to my sister and cousins, I’m starting in sorting the 10 letters my late uncle Carl mailed home during WW II while in army training. My cousin Blaine and his wife found them a few months ago in a box in the attic of his garage. They believe Blaine’s mother Corinne kept the box throughout her 90 year life.
I am transcribing them as I found them, except I did correct several misspellings. You will note Bud mentions Mormons, Jews, and Negroes. The letters were probably sent in 1943.
Two other letters— from my grandfather and another from his sister— helps establish the order the letters were written. The letters from Carl Ralph Bonde, Jr., (Bud) are transcribed here:
1. [The first page(s) may be missing]
I guess I have received everything you have sent me, cigarettes, silver dollars, fountain pen, etc. (I can always use cigarettes hint-hint.
One of the cooks told me that the captain had said I was a good worker and that they had been receiving good reports from the school and company about me. Also the Sergeant of our barracks has made me a acting corporal, which doesn’t mean a damn thing, but it does keep me out of K.P. and other details.
I’ve never written about the fellow I run around with, his name is Pat DeSalvatore (his picture is in the book I sent to you) an Italian from Boston, Mass. He is also an acting corporal and was also picked for A.S.T.P. He spent a year at the Univ. of Mass. before being drafted. 18 men out of 270 in our company were picked for A.S.T.P. so you see how hard it is to get in.
(over) [The reverse is blank.]
2. [Complete on one page, this probably predates 1. above. In Pencil.]
Dear Mother and Dad:
I’ve good news. I was called before the A.S.T.P. Board (army specialized training program) for my interview. Today I got a note saying I had been accepted. As soon as I finish school here (which will be July 11th) I will go to a star unit where I will be given tests to find out where I start out From there I will be sent to a college for 72 weeks. 72 weeks is almost a year and a half.
Well I’ve finished my radio course at last duty I’m 3 weeks ahead of time, so I have to go out in the field every day send a nd receive messages, until I have completed my nine weeks.
Send my camera P.D.Q. I am going to Independence to Alfred this week end.
Love Bud
3. [Written in pencil on fronts of 2 pages with colorful logo United States Army Air Forces stationery.]
Dear Mother and Dad:
I haven’t had much time to write lately. I had K.P. yesterday and guard duty the day before. For K.P. they get you up at 2:30 in the morning and you get off work at 8:00 at night, by that time you’re dead tired. Guard duty isn’t as bad, you’re on two hours and off four hours for twenty four hours.
I got a letter from Johnny Hoyt yesterday, he’s in Cedar City, Utah. He says it’s a town of about 6000 and all Mormons. He says there isn’t a drop of liquor in the whole place. He is also living in a resort Hotel. I suppose Bruest in on his way to Fort Douglas by now. Wouldn’t it be funny if he was sent out here?
I am now on my 15th day drill, we should according to schedule, go out to the rifle range tomorrow. I only have six more days of basic training, I should be through about the end of next week, or the first part of the week after next. I will then be ready for shipment to school. I hope I am shipped back west again, I don’t care much for the east,. I miss the mountains. Atlantic city is a Jew city practically every merchant here is a Jew, there are also a lot of negroes.
Did you get my book of the month yet? Did you send me the rest of my pictures yet, please do. Did you get the honey bees yet, and how’s Prince getting along. What kind of baby chicks did you get? I suppose it’s spring weather in Kalispell, it’s colder than hell here.
Love, Bud
insearchofbud 