Dear Folks:

I have just returned from pass.  Have my shirt off and a beat up typewriter in front of me ready to start writing again.  Well it has been eight days since my last letter and again you are probably wondering if I have been island hopping in the Pacific or whether something else has happened.  The last week it was pretty impossible to write for I was taking some special training – and if I wasn’t too tired I didn’t have the time.  I wished I could tell you all that happened and describe that week to you.  Well as I said before I just came back from another day off in town so I’ll tell you what I did.  I took some stuff in to the cleaners, then took in the eleven o’clock morning show at the Waikiki theater.  The show was ‘Destroyer’ – not too good.  Coming out of the show about one (o’clock) we decided we would eat a real Chinese dinner – a strictly first class one.  So accordingly we found the most reputable place in town and ordered a four-buck affair.  You remember that best selling book you told me about – the one about the Chinese family in New York?  And how the author described a Chink meal as the best (in) the world?  Well I didn’t think it was so exceptional but at least it was very different.  If I can remember correctly we had chop suey, sweet and sour spareribs, shrimp, cold pork, rice, chicken morsels and perhaps a couple more dishes.  I always wanted to eat a meal like that for the experience but I don’t think I’ll make a habit of it.  Well the biggest part of the afternoon was ahead of us so we thought a look at the Iolani Palace might be worth the time and walk.  Just recently they have begun to restore the throne room where King Kamehamaha and the queen ruled and that was the object of our sightseeing tour today.  After the December 7 blitz such valuables as the crowns, chandeliers, rugs, drapes, and furniture were taken to the hills for safekeeping and just now they are being returned and restored as they formerly were.  The job was about completed when we walked through.  The building has all the artistry that is common to such places but the detail woodwork on the walls and the big chandeliers and fine furniture were especially interesting.  But being a ‘dogface’ for quite a while and being somewhat isolated in our former station a look at such sights was somewhat of a treat.  Well perhaps this is what you would call the second phase of our day off.

And as I did last pass day, I again went to the law library and browsed around.  And then I thought perhaps this place might do me some real good so I spoke to the librarian and found that books could not be taken out but she gave me some good advice about making arrangements at the University (of Hawaii) to take night courses and promised she would find the necessary texts.  But by now it was too late to go out there so that will be on the docket the next time.  Well after looking around the Library of Hawaii we called it a day.  This latter library is the largest one I’ve seen and I think it would compare to many of the best in the states.

On one of your recent letters you forgot to put an APO number on it and it was delayed a couple of days so they put a nice red stamp on it advising me to tell my correspondents my correct address.  I know you just overlooked it.  The package came the day I returned from the training.  It was a very nice box and it is so heartwarming to get one.  The ‘Russian’ peanuts are what I especially go for.

Yesterday, Sunday I was taking a snooze in the afternoon and someone grabbed me by the big toe.  It was Dick who happened to stop by to find out when we could get together again.  He told me he received his box too and was pretty pickled.  He was in very good humor and looking rugged and healthy.  I certainly hope as you do that we will have some time together but again as you say that is pretty improbable.  We couldn’t get together today but hope we can soon.  Although we don’t go out on pass so often he calls me up on the phone and occasionally finds time to stop in for a chat.

The affair with Wylma has been dormant for a long time since about a year ago I think or longer.  Although I haven’t written her since that time I always think about her once in a while and wonder if she is okeh after all.  Suppose she must be pretty tired waiting anyway and perhaps already has someone else.  I figured this would go on for a long time, the war I mean, and romances don’t click under such circumstances.

Had a letter from Aunt Edna yesterday, a pretty long one, thanking me for the picture and writing about everything in general.  Will probably answer it in due time.

Well I see the folks are once again back with you.  I hope they find all the enjoyment in the world in their new place and that the weather doesn’t effect them too much.

I read in the papers today about the war situation and one person predicted an end in ’47.  A prospect like that certainly bogs a fellow down and causes him to worry about the future.  Sometimes you think what the hell, you’re losing a lot of your best time, you’ll have to start all over again when it’s over, and where will you be in say a year from now.  I know you shouldn’t feel like that and always try to make the best of any situation but it’s pretty discouraging.  If somebody hasn’t got the brains and the know how to stop all this crazy business then we better quit calling this a civilization.  It doesn’t seem to me that people are getting smarter or more educated just better versed in how (to) beat out the other fellow and grab all you can.

Well I’ve written an unusually long letter for me and the news is about at an end so I think I’ll throw in the towel.  You are certainly swell to write so often and they mean more than anything else.  I know it must keep you pretty busy and you probably have all you can do anyway.  So until next time –

Love,