Dear Folks:

I haven’t received any mail for a couple of days but I guess that’s no excuse for not writing.  Very little news the past few days – at least what I can write about.  Haven’t seen Dick recently nor Jack Conklin either, but I believe we’ll have another little reunion again soon.  Living together on a little island like this maybe you would imagine it wouldn’t be so hard to see each other – but it isn’t as easy as it seems.  When I do get out it’s by the hitchhike method and it’s pretty good too.  Lots of vehicles running around.  On the northern end of the island they are still bringing a few snipers out and even now it’s not very safe to go nosing around, probably they will be (there) for sometime to come.  Dick had a little celebration a few days ago he was telling me about.  They slaughtered a calf and all enjoyed some good steaks.  A few head of livestock are grazing around our area, but they look pretty scrubby and thin.  This morning I put some heavy grease on my souvenirs, wrapped them up and now I’m wondering how I can send them to you.  But I’ll get them back someway.  When Dick finds anything he gives it to me because I can keep it a little better than he can.  Saw a good show last night ‘Waikiki Wedding’ with Bing Crosby – drew a lot of comments having been in Hawaii for quite a while.  The folks at home sure are deceived if they believe all they see.  And again tonight we are having a show.  Sounds like I’m having a vacation in the Marianas doesn’t it?  I wished it was.

Are you getting my new allotment alright – I was wondering about it.  Of course we haven’t been paid since we left Oahu so we’ll all be rich when we get back.  I’ll bet this is a wild crew when they get back.  They’d go really hog wild if they hit the states.  That’s about all we think about – when and what we will do when that time comes.

Well it’s getting pretty dusk and we don’t enjoy the luxury of electric lights so I’m going to have to taper off.  I’m really very well, getting lots to eat and today I even acquired that rare item called a cot.  I should sleep like a tired baby.  Things are getting a little safer and now we don’t stick so close to a foxhole as we used to – although I suppose we should.  I guess I shouldn’t write tonight because I hardly know what time it is where you are.  We try to figure it out.  We are a day earlier than you being across the International Date Line, plus the hours difference from that line.  Oh well maybe you can figure it up some day.  I think it’s something like thirty-two hours.  Well regardless of what it figures up to I’m still going to write goodnight.  Dad’s mention of beer in his letter brings visions of greatest ecstasy, and even the thought of an ice cream cone throw me into delicious raptures.  Well adios from an X Jap stomping ground.

Love,