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Joe Balicki
1st Div. 
U.S.S. Houston [[underlined]] Long Beach Calif [[/underlined]]  1.st division at sea 
Nov. 16th-38
[[preprinted]] U.S.S. Houston [[/preprinted]]
Dear Dr. Schmitt
   Received your snapshots & you cant imagine how much I appreciate your giving them to me & if there is anything that I can do for you in return please mention it & I'm sure it will be done.
   Right now Dr. we are out to sea & to morrow we shall fire long range Battle practice, please excuse the pencil & the careless writing as I am on watch & the ship sure is rolling & [[strikethrough]] [[partial erasure]] [[/strikethrough]] pitching...The latest rumors are that we again take the president on a cruise to South America & points that way, was also wondering why you couldn't make this cruise Dr.??  I have only 11 months to do in the navy Dr. & hope when I get paid off to be able to make a scientific cruise with you or before if possible is there any chance Dr.???  
I have given Barron, Oniel, & some of the other boys your best regards & they also send you there best ---