Dear Folks:

Two of your letters came today so I better show my appreciation and get together a little letter.  Dad’s letter with the pictures came, and the ones of the girls didn’t ring familiar until I looked close for a few seconds to really recognize any of them but Nancy.  They all look so grown up and like ladies that the pictures were hard to associate with the girls as I saw them last.  When I had the visit with Dick he said there was a rumor that Kathryn Aulick was about to marry, and I thought he was kidding for awhile.  I guess they do it though.

Last night I saw a good show with Fred Astaire, the first I had seen for a couple of weeks.  Most of the movies are relatively recent but many of them are old-timers—for instance last week ‘King Kong’ was showing.  There is a different show every night, and they offer something to look forward to.  Once a week a USO troupes of some kind, from the island, puts on a show, and between long stretches perhaps one from the mainland.  More mainland shows have been promised, and I hope so for they never fail to produce a real treat for the fellows.  It’s something of a novelty to see a white chorus girl as they usually dress.  The ones from the states are pretty breezy and rare but in no sense, in my opinion, could they be called ribald or dirty, just enough on the rare side to make all the ‘dogfaces’ happy.

I read the clippings over carefully regarding the ‘Eagle Café’ incident, and I find it hard to get on either side of the fence when it comes to justifying the action.  Of course in times like this about everyone looses his rationality to some extent.  But it seems that even as much as you try to believe that there (are) some loyal ones, a suspicion always hangs around the back of your mind.  Probably the guy was so drunk he lost his balance and wouldn’t have done it if he was sober.

Sometime ago we had a newcomer to our billet, a young fellow about like Dick, from New Jersey who hadn’t been in the army very long.  For the last few days he has been feeling pretty homesick, and for two days wouldn’t say or do anything, just keep to himself and looked at some pictures he had.  Most of us adopted a motherly attitude and tried to get him back in spirits again.  And it looks like we succeeded, for awhile anyway.  But I couldn’t help feel sorry for him and know how he must have felt.  But in contrast with the youthful ones, there are also the older ones, many married and some (with) two or three children, and I don’t see how they take it, at least I don’t think I could.  I don’t know whether you’re interested in this stuff but you might just be curious sometimes.

My correspondent in Washington is very faithful and for over a year now she has been writing regularly regardless of how long it takes me to reply.  She always has nothing but compliments for me, and her letters offer much encouragement.

As to the item of Christmas (in August) I haven’t very much to request although there are a few small things that I could use.  One of them is a cheap pocket watch, if such things are still available in the states.  They are impossible to buy here although the expensive ones are plentiful.  And while I was nosing around the library last week I ran across a book that interested me, but I’ll reserve that until later.  I’m still hanging on until the law books get here.  I wish more than anything, that I was out of the army so that I could devote a lot of time to it.  Although there is plenty of bitching among the fellows, which is common I guess with every doughboy, I find this a good opportunity to study and also to store away a few shekels, which I didn’t do at home.  I should have well over a thousand dollars in another year if I don’t get busted, but the chances of promotion are better than going down.  My job now is Personnel Sergeant with seven clerks under me, all good guys who make the office a good one.  I guess I started this paragraph with reference to Christmas but I seem to have sidetracked myself.  With the exception of the book and the watch there isn’t much else I need.  Perhaps I’ll think of something in the meantime.

Back to the pictures I couldn’t help but notice how Nancy is shaping out and looking like a young lady.  The change in Nancy and Phil is very noticeable, and I even feel that I’m getting old.  I can imagine the experience you had in Dan’s automobile and more so what you looked like breezing along with no top.

Well this is pretty long and not much in it and then I must have something to put on the next one, so I’ll call this ‘pau’ as everyone here says for ‘finished’.

Love,