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National Catholic War Council
Visitors' House
Philadelphia, Pa.
April 30, 1919

Dear Dad,

Wrote Mother this morning before I went back to the barracks for chow -- when I got there, a messenger was waiting for John and me with a message from the Admiral in charge of the district. It said to send two quartermasters off the Blakeley detail to the City Pier at Race Street. We are to go out on police ships to welcome ships coming in. My first message was from a city official to General Muir, and as the general's wife was aboard, I sent him a message telling him where to meet her. The people we sent the messages for gave me a couple of dollars, and Whiteside got nearly four dollars from the people on the Springfield, the boat he was on.

I read about the new well, and hoped you had some holdings near. It ought to be a good thing if only there is oil under your acreage. I'd like to be there now and get in on a lot of that stuff.

Think I'll drop my insurance down to $5,000 and take out another $50 bond. Of course, I can't get it paid off, but I'll pay the difference when I get discharged, and save whatever I have paid on it.

Am sending my admittance card -- give it to Mother to keep for me as a souvenir.

Love to all of you,
Heywood

Enclosed was a guest card admitting him to the Boat Springfield to welcome returning troops aboard the USS Mercury, May, 1919.

(Postmarked Philadelphia, April 30, 1919)