July 25

I think I told you but you should receive 1 bond a month from me now.  Here�s how my payroll figures.  $50 jump pay, $66 base pay, 20% for overseas pay ($13.20) total of $129.20.   Then $50 allottment, 18.75 bond & 6.40 and 3.94 insurance, which leaves me $50.11.  Say, Mom, you�ll have to be my secretary & treasure, I guess.  Will you?  

Just got through reading the war news.  The Russians are still moving fast.  I hope we get into something before long.  Thanks for the gum . . .

 Your most loving son -

                                                   Buddy

 

 

 

 

 

August 3,

 

Well it don�t seem possible that it�s time for your birthdays, does it?  I sure wish you both  happy birthdays and wish I was there to tell you personally.  Say, I found out that you can write to Camels and have them send me a carton a week.  They mail them & only cost 75 cents. 

 

I sure hope FDR gets elected for another term, don�t you. . . .

 

 -o-0-o-

 

September 4,

 

As you can see I�m addressing my letters a little different now.  As of today, I�m a Tech. Sgt.  That�s 3 stripes up and 2 down.  I make 187 bucks now, a lot more than dear than I�ll ever make in civilian life.  Jumped 2 grades to make it, & I�m sure hoping I can hold it.  I�m sure gonna try like hell.  You know those pictures that were supposed to be sent to you?  If they are lost or somebody is holding them I�ll try to start tracing them.  I sure want those pictures.  Some were of McArthur raising the flag on Corregidor.  There is some good ones in the bunch. 

 

 

 -o-0-o-

 

September 7, Friday

 

Dear Mom & Dad

 

Well, the censorship was finally lifted for us, so maybe I can write a more interesting letter now.  We have a big inspection tomorrow, in fact, seems like we have one every time we turn around anymore.  The only thing is, beings I�m a tech sgt now, I�m in charge of a section & in charge of Maintenance shop & am responsible for these inspections to come off right.  Do you know how the stripes look.  All my arm can carry -----   $187 $ $ $ $ $  I sure like that.  Boy is this chow awful.  I could only say it was bad before but I can say it stinks now.  You shouldn�t feel that the Japs aren�t being well treated.  They are treated pretty good here.   Some of them are sure slant-eyed little devils.  I�m at Bacolad, Occ. Negros.  It�s not such a bad place, everything is awful high, and the Phlips steal us blind.  We got so we shoot at them about every nite.  I�ve been in the 503 R.C. Team since I left Australia.  That�s the reason you never could tell where I was.  It always spoke of the 503rd.  It�s Gen. Mac.s favorite outfit.  He gave us little special jobs.  The way I figure it I�ll be home in March.  That�s not so bad is it?  I�ve got 64 points now. 

There is quite a bit of brain malaria here.  I really take the atabrine now.  We had one boy that took sick a few days ago & died in just a few days.  It burns up your brain I guess.  You won�t get it tho if you take precautions & I really do.  I�m as yellow as gourd tho.    You don�t need to worry about me.  I�m pretty sure I won�t be in the occupation Army.  I�ve got 64 points now.  It�ll just take quite a while tho to get things moving.  You said it�s been 2 years since I�ve been home but just think, it�s been 32 months since I came in the Army & only 5 days home.  Didn�t those 5 days pass fast.  I can sure remember how bad I hated to get on that train back. 

 

 

 -o-0-o-

 

September 10

 

It sure seems funny to be able to seal my letters after so many months of not sealing them.  We aren�t doing anything much now.  One of the guards was showing a Jap how to do something & he had set his gun down.  Anyway, the gun started to slide to the ground and the Jap jumped & caught it before the guard could & handed it to the guard as big as you please.  They seem very happy & docile tho.  They sure look a lot different with no guns & not hitting a grenade on their helmet & screaming bloody murder.  They don�t seem capable of pulling a charge like they did on Corregidor.  They pulled a lot of those early in the morning with just grenades & a stick with a knife tied to it.  There�s nothing like the sound of a Jap tapping a grenade on his helmet to set the fuse off.  When you hear that you�d better start doing something cause it would be coming pretty quick & they are mean.  I still believe we�ll set here on Negros til I start home.  I hope so.  Hope you are all okay . . .

 

 -o-0-o-

 

September 13

 

Well, we are still here, sitting on our fannies for 6 months now.  Looks like it�s too good to be true, getting to sty in one place like this.  Were you able to follow my route any.  Australia, up along the coast to New Guinea, all those places, Noemfoor, Leyte, Mindora, Corregidor, Mindora, Negros.  It took 28 days to come up to Noemfoor from Australia on an old Dutch boat with a Javanese crew.  It reminded me of the old slave boats with us as the slaves.  No bed, cots, or anything to hold to sleep in.  No way to wash except with salt water.  We had a portable ice box and about 4 days out all the meat and stuff spoiled & got maggots in them, so you can imagine what our meals were like.  Spam.  Spam.  Spam.  It�s been raining about 2 weeks straight so I guess this is the rainy season.  We get 2 afternoons off a week for baseball now.  We have some pretty good games. . . . .

 

 -o-0-o-

 

 

 

September 17,

Sunday nite

 

Well, made it another day without bogging down in the mud & it didn�t rain very much today either.  I�ve rec�d the pictures & they sure are good.  Little Georgie is sure a little comic, isn�t he. . I still can�t tell you the stuff you ask about.  You just remember & I�ll tell you when I get home.

Still remember, if I don�t write it�s because I can�t & I don�t want you to be anxious. . .

I have a few things to ask you to send me, any kind of eatables that can last a month or two in a package.  Also, I�d like you to send me a discharge for Xmas.

 

 

 

 -o-0-o-

 

 

 

September 19

 

Boy I sure miss those letters that I used to get everyday.  WE only have mail call once a week here.  You sure wouldn�t know me now.  I�m the color that Francis used to get during harvest & of course my mustache (sp.?). 

 

 -o-0-o-

 

 

September 22

 

I don�t believe I�ll get paid in Dutch money now, Mom.  We take 2 atebrin pills & 5 salt pills a day.  What skin on me isn�t brown is sure yellow.  I hope you keep good care of that PT certificate.  I know you will & as you said it means a lot to me too.  Be sure and let me know when my bonds do start coming.  Boy I�m getting to not mind bugs at all & that�s something I never thot I�d get used to. 

 

 -o-0-o-

 

 

September 23

 

Say, Mom, I wish you could see some of these native women & look at their forms.  There�s not much that isn�t showing.  Pop, it�s a good thing you aren�t here. Ha-ha.  It doesn�t seem to bother them much the way we stare . . .

 

 -o-0-o-

 

 

September 25

Well, here I am again & wish I was home.  I bet you get tired of me saying that but I sure do anyway.  Yes, things are plenty hot around here, as you suggested they mite be but not in that way so much.  It�s just hot to do anything & then an order came out today that we have to wear complete uniforms all the time.  So that means wearing wet clothes all day.  Did I tell you I ate some coconut the other day?  Got it off the tree & everything.  Sure tasted good.  Sometimes we get a program from Japan (when we were at sea) on the radio & it�s called Tokyo Rose.  Quite a program.  The woman talks perfect English & really lays it on thick about how bad we are getting beat & why don�t the yanks give up & then she�ll play American music.  Then say, are you homesick, boys?  Are you listening close to the music, you�d better cause it mite be your last

Chance.  Boy the guys never got as much kick out of E.A. & Charlie McCarthey.  It�s really a wow.  Sure wish you could hear it.

 

 -o-0-o-

 

September 27

 

The natives are sure interesting to watch.  They work slow but seem to get quite a bit done.  They can really put up thatched houses & big buildings good.  Never have rec�d my pipe yet.  It must be down at Brisbane yet. 

 

 -o-0-o-

 

 September 28

 

Got to see two Jap prisoners 7 2 Formosan prisoners.  One of the japs spoke good English.  He was Dogrobber for the Jap col. That was captured & leads patrols to hunt Japs all the time.  They say they are sure glad they have got to quit fighting & they�ve been very helpful in tracking down & killing the few japs that are still around.  There are still some around us here, hiding in the jungles like animals.  I smoked a Jap cig. Too & boy was it putrid.  Worse than Bull Durham.  I don�t know whether I should tell you about the Japs, Mom, but you�ve always been interested & always said you want me to tell you everything.  I�m in no danger of I would sure tell you so, you sure don�t need to worry any.  The only difference between this & Australia is that we are living back in the jungle & a little more troublesome to sleep, eat, & halfway keep clean.  I do get quite a kick out of the big write-up some of those boys get over the good conduct medal.  When this outfit gives them out they just hand them to you.  Mine�s been due since 1st of August.

 Your most loving son -

                                                   Buddy

 

 

This Dutch money sure is a complicated mess.  Worse than Aussie money.  Well I�m sure getting to be an old man, you know.  21 tomorrow.  Would like to spend my next birthday at home.  Maybe I can hit the rotation plan by then.  Who knows . . .

 

 

 

October 6

 

Well, I�m feeling pretty good.  I just won 120 gilders equal to a little over 60 bucks.  This Dutch money is mostly paper.  The 5�s, 50�s are green & 10�s and 25�s are red or maroon. 

 

 -o-0-o-

 

October 9, 1944,

Monday nite

 

Dear Mom & Dad

 

Well, I have a little news tonite.  We had a few bombs dropped but they didn�t even come close.  Where we are it�s practically suicide for them to try that stuff.  It�s usually just 1 or two planes & they can�t hit a thing before they are blasted out of the sky. . .Say, I may be way off, but I believe I�ll be home in another year.  Sure sounds good to me, too. 

 

 -o-0-o-

 

 

October 12,

Thursday nite 12:30

 

As you can see I�m still working late.  I bet I haven�t had more than 5 hours of sleep for a week.  We�ve got to get certain things done.  I can tell you I�m somewhere in the Dutch East Indes, which don�t give you much idea.    Went down to the beach the other day & had a good swim.  The nice beaches & palm trees that are supposed to be down here sure don�t pan out.  The coral cuts your feet & the beach is about 10 foot wide . . .

 

 -o-0-o-

 

 

Oct. 15, Sunday

 

I had to work today.  I did get to play a little more poker tonite & won 100 gilders.  I�ve won over $100 this month playing poker.  We�ve got a shower rigged up with a 50 gal drum  and it sure feels nice to really get cleaned up. 

 

 

 -o-0-o-

Oct. 16

 

 Yes, I can tell you that I�m in the jungle & there�s every kind of bug that you would imagine.  Well, I�ve lost about 10 lbs so far in this heat. . . .

 

 -o-0-o-

 

 

October 18, 1944,

Wednesday

 

I bought some pictures of natives & boy wait�ll you see the pictures of the women, Dad.  I sure don�t have much to write about here.  We have a rumor that the P.�s have been hit.  I sure hope so.  Maybe I�ll get to go to China. 

 

 

 -o-0-o-

 

October 20

 

Yes, I suppose the people think the war is about over but they ought to be down here & I bet they�d think different.  No, you�ve never mentioned the place.  You are all wrong, but close & I sure hope I get some of the boxes you�ve sent.   Lite is going haywire so better quit . . .

Just heard new that everythings going all rite on the Philippines.  I sure thought I�d be there when it was started but am not yet.  I read in a Yank today that in July a bunch of mail was lost in a plane crash so that�s probably the reason I never rec�d the pipe.    We were issued 3 cans of beer yesterday & did I like it.  I sure never thot I�d want any beer as bad as I did.  It�s the only liquid fit to drink.  You sure were wrong as to my whereabouts so guess you�ll have to keep guessing.    You asked about what kind of bugs we have.  Well I couldn�t name them all, I don�t think, even by using all this tablet.  I guess the main ones are scorpions, big spiders, butterfly, & all the usual.  It�s not too bad a place & the natives are interesting. 

 

 

 -o-0-o-

 

October 30,

Monday

 

Well, you know me & my sugar, well, we haven�t had any for 4 or 5 days.  I�m sure hungry for something sweet. The Jap say we�ve lost a lot of ships, men & planes at every battle, but it always seems to be the other way around.  That was just some Jap writing paper I sent, but I�m gathering a few souvenirs.  Would like to be there for pheasant & duck season. . .

 

 -o-0-o-

 

 

November 5

 

This is the first day I�ve had off since before my birthday & it sure feels good to just lay around.  About 1 out of 100 of these natives can write their names so got one to write his name & address.   Took him about five minutes.  The top line is his address, namely 1 Grass Hut. 

 

          

 

Dad, if you come across anybody that wants to sell any shop equipment I wish you�d get it for me.  You know more about the quality of such & I want to get started now.  I�m going to have a drill press, lathe, wood & metal, jig saw, circular saw, & you know what else.  Now, this isn�t just one of my many little whims.  I�ve dreamed of having a complete shop ever since the 7th grade.  Looks to me like the stuff would be cheaper now than after the war.  Seems like a fellow can really think of a lot of things over here, some good & some bad, but he has lots of time to look at all the angles.  You don�t want to pay any attention to those news broadcasts.  None of them are correct.    You know, I�m going to have to go full blast for about a year after I get home to get all the things done I want to.  I imagine things will really start going over here pretty soon.  Seems like it takes an awful long time. 

 

 -o-0-o-

 

 

November 23, 1944,

Wednesday

 

Dear Mother & Dad

 

I hope you haven�t been worrying any cause I�m well & OK.  You know what these absences of letters mean by now.  I can tell you I�m somewhere in the Philippines now.  I don�t imagine I�ll get to write often anymore so just don�t worry when you don�t get letters cause I�ll be OK.   Got to go swimming everyday now.  Also have been getting to eat coconuts & bananas.  A coconut tree is really hard to climb.  As usual there isn�t much I can tell you, but you have your ideas anyway. 

 

 -o-0-o-

 

November 26

 

I had a little stewed turkey for Thanksgiving & it sure surprised me.  I don�t see where they got it.  WE had stewed turkey, beans & peaches.    I got all of my pictures out again today & really enjoyed looking them over.  Felt like I was home for a while. 

 

 -o-0-o-

 

 

 -o-0-o-

 

 

December 8,

Friday

 

Haven�t had a day off for a month now.  My morale really came up when I rec�d your 6 letters.  I�d really be happy if I got your packages.  WE are issued 1 � candy bars every two weeks, and they are about 1 �� by 2�  so I don�t get enough sweets.  Be sure and powder the stamps again, so they don�t stick.  I won $180 in a crap game, started with $10.  Not bad.  Sure wish you could send some more pictures.  I�d like to see what you look like now.  I�ve seen 4 Jap planes shot down & I never saw a prettier sight.  One was a dog fight & is something that�s really fascinating.  No, I haven�t jumped since the practice jump in Australia.  My next one will be pretty expensive.  I�ve only made 12 you know. 

 

 -o-0-o-

 

December 13,

Wednesday

 

Got to see two more Jap (***several words in this sentence had been cut out of the paper ***)

& they are really something to watch.  Otherwise there�s not much going on.  It still rains a lot but it isn�t near as hot as the last place.  We were close to the equator which made it so hot I guess.  I�m really getting my fill of swimming in the ocean.  The breakers are really fun to ride. 

 

 -o-0-o-

December 16

I�m trying to get a picture drawn by one of the fellows & I�ll send it home if I can just get him in the mood.  He draws very good I think.

 Your most loving son -

                                                   Buddy

 

 

 

 

December 23,

Saturday

 

That artist drew my picture but it don�t look anything like me.  Makes me look about 50 or so.  Well, I haven�t got to jump in combat yet, but am still hoping . . .Hope you have a Merry Xmas.

 

 -o-0-o-

 

 

 

Monday, Christmas Day

 

I can truthfully say I�m really longing for home today & would give most anything to be there.  Maybe I will next year.  The people here do most anything for cloth or food.  They are really nice people tho.  Some of them came from Manila & talk very good English.  We traded another mattress cover for a rooster & cooked it.  It turned out pretty tough but very delicious.  Some of the girls around here are really pretty.  They use coconut oil on their hair and it�s just as shiny and black as can be.  All of them are very clean.  I�m about back to my normal weight again.  It�s not so hot here & I don�t sweat so much. 

 

 

 -o-0-o-

December 28

 

I�m a very happy boy tonite.  I rec�d 9 letters today!  Dad, I sure hate it about you losing the finger, but as you say, I�d consider myself lucky for as many years as you�ve put in at that type of work.  If it heals alrite it shouldn�t ever bother you.  How is Francis doing now?  Was he hurt bad?  Keep me posted on him.  (Note:  there was some kind of fire on the ship Daddy was transported overseas on.) 

 

 

 -o-0-o-

December 29

 

Rec�d a letter from Wilma today with my new APO of 72, but as you know I have a later one No. 321.  Tell her I was on Noemfoor for a while but wasn�t in the campaign.  I wander sometimes if I�ll ever see combat but am still hoping.  You must not have rec�d my letter saying I was in the Philippines.  I�m still in the tropics or semi. 

 

 

 -o-0-o-

December 31

I guess New Years will just be another day this year.  Yes, I�ve just felt one slight tremor since we�ve been here.  Sure does give a person an eerie feeling.

 Your most loving son -

                                                   Buddy