J.S.Lederberg, A.S. Vol2 USN! mf JOHN HENRY EDMAN 12156654 237 Signal Service Co., Leb. ,USNevHosp, A.P.0. # 610, ¢/o PM St. Albens, L.I. ,N.Y. New York, N.Y. Sunday, 13 February 1944. Dear Jack: THE SABBATH DAY FINALLY GIVES ME ‘AN OPPORTUNITY TO WRITE TO YOU. N.B. DO NOT FORGET TO ADDRESS REPLY TO COLUMBIA AS PREVIOUSLY. LIFE AT THE HOSPITAL IS ABOUT THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN WRITE TO YOU ‘BOUT THAT CAN BE OF ANY INTEREST. AND IT HAS BEEN LAHOELY ¢ MATTER OF DISSIPATION. THAT IN 4 SENSE IS MADE INEVITABLE BY THE CLIRCUMST/NCES UNDER WHICH WE WERE SENT HERE :To WASTE TIME UNTIL WE WEES READY TO GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL. IT WAS CLEAR TO ME FROM THE BEGINNING THAT MY FORTUNE WAS OF THE BEST UNDER ANY CLICYMSTANCES; IF 1 GRIPED # LITPLE IT WAS ONLY BECAUSE I HAD NOT YET BE- COME ACCUSTOMED TO THE WAYS OF THE HOSPITAL? WHICH WHILE NOT COMP/R‘BLE TO THE REAL WAVY? THE FLEET AT SEA, WAS NEVERYBELESS A CONSIDERABEE CHANCE FROM THE ACADEMIC WAYS OF ALMA MATER. NOW I AM ABOUT TO RETURN TO THOSE HALLOWED HALIS FOR ‘ FOUR MONTHS TOUR OF DUTY( FOR If IS IN THIS SENSE THAT I RETURY) AND I LEAVE ST ALBANS / LITTLE RELUCTANTLY. ST, ALBANS IS A NOT ATYPICAL, FAIRLY WELL-TO-DO? QUEENSIAN TOWN / SHORT BUS RIDE FROM THE LAST I N D SUBWAY STATION IN JAMAICA. THERE USED TO BE A FAIRLY FASHIONABLE GOLF COURSE HERE: ON THAT SITE THE NAVY HAD BUILT THIS SPRAWLING INSTITUTION WITH OVER O MILE OF CORRIDOR AND CALLED IT A HOSPITAL. AND THAT IT IS. IT HAS BEEN IN OPER‘TION SOMEWH/‘T OVER A YEAR NOW, BUT ALREADY THE TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION SHOWS SIGNS OF AGE AND THE WHOLE BUSINESS WILL PROBABL COLLAPSE BEFORE AN@THERExt}xx 10 YEARS HAS ELAPSED.DIRECTLY XAMEE 1 ARRIVED I WAS ASSIGNED TO THE LABORATORY: BUT FORTUNATELYBLITTLE ACCOUNT WAS TAKEN OF MY COLLEGE EXPERIENCE AND I EF FOUND MYSELF THE EQUIVALENT OF A SUP LY SERGEANT.( I WONDER IF YOU'VE READ THIS wWeK*'S YANK?) PEOPLE BEGAN TO C/LL ME A STOREKEEPER'S MATE 6TH CLASS.THIS IS NOT A TIRESOME DETAIL? BUT IT HAS KEPT Mm BUSY “ND MOVING. BUT UNDER THE DISSIPATING INFLUENCES MY ACADEMIC PRETENSI ONS HAVE FALLEN LIKE THE LEAVES FROM AN AUTUMN THEE AND HAVING WRIT MOVES ON..... SIC. I HAVE FOUND MANY BX FRIEND HERE, AND NOW THAT I’ AM ALMOST AT THE POINT WHERE I CIN LOOK BACK AT THESE FOUR MONTHS ( MOST OF THEM SPENT UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE GOING TO BE * GREAT MANY MORR) I APPREGIATE THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE MISSED THIS EXPERIENCE FOR THE WORLD THE BWG@kkeet RECOLLECTION OF THE OCC/SIONAL PETTY ANNOYANCES HERE (WHICH CROW FEWERE DAILY) IS NOT QUITE ERASED BUT IS BLREADY BECOMING OBLITEMATED. AFTER THIS THXX THE CADET LIFE AT COLUMBIA MAY SEEM E£IKW AMBROSIA OR THE DREGS OF HADES. I HAVE PROBABLY OUTLINED TO YOU THE ‘WORK* THAT IS DONE HERE: I WISH THAT YOU COULD DO AS MUCH. TO OUTLINE IN FURTHER DETAIL THE MANNER OF MY DISSIPATIONS YOULD BE INDISCREET AND UNGENTLEM/NLY. ERGO J*AI FINI ET AU HEVOIR.... JOSH BS: ANY NEW FROM AUSTRALIA??