May 13, 1944

S.W. Pacific

May 13, 1944

Dear Mom & Dad:

It’s Saturday night – just came back from an “all G.I.” stage show at a neighboring regiment. And was it lousy, wow! Every act laid it’s little individual egg in turn. We all expected to see a regular U.S.O. show – they’re usually very good. I’m sorry now that I wasted all that good time – could have been catching up on some letter-writing or sleep or something.

Tomorrow is Sunday but no rest for the wicked. We all have to take off in the morning for a nearby air strip & participate in a big Division Arty. parade. Don’t see why they can’t hold their big eye-wash on week days instead of ruining one half of our precious Sunday. We have too little time to ourselves anyway without all this parade business.

I don’t remember if I told you or whether it was Marion, that I was up doing some really fancy flying last Monday. One of our two liaison pilots took me up in his grasshopper for practice in air observation. After firing a couple problems we went into some fancy maneuvers. I think Hooks, the pilot, was trying to get me to “whoops my cookies,” but he didn’t succeed. I took it all with a grin & asked for more – it was strictly fun. We did stalls, dives, hedge-hopping (just over the treetops), spins, lazy eights, & a snap roll. That last one is the roughest of ‘em all. You fly straight along, roll over up side down & then back up again without changing direction. The spins are rather hair raising too – if you don’t get sick on one of those you never will. It’s exactly the way you see it in the movies the ground seems to race around the nose of the ship. When you level off your stomach just keeps right on going & catches up to you later.

Yes, the invasion of New Guinea did go pretty smoothly but yours truly only read about it – he wasn’t in it. So Dad that’s one time you got a little bit ahead of schedule.

Glad you read the article in R.D. about the 25th. It gives you an idea of what goes on over here. Yes I know some of the men mentioned – at least by the tales I hear. Col. Davies is now back here in the 25th Division.

The Y.M.C.A. sends me copies of the Roosevelt now & then. Yesterday I got a bundle of six. There were lots of familiar names in them of old classmates that are in the service. I see Ray Lesch’s brother Don is now a Lieut. Doesn’t seem possible – I still think of him as a little kid. Your Daily News paper comes thru regularly too – it’s certainly chuck full of homey news.

Well I’m happy to hear that my clothes are still holding out although I don’t know why. I certainly can’t see myself dressing up in them for quite a while again. I used to worry about whether they’d fit after my “year” was up. Now I don’t have that worry – they’ll be so antiquated that I’ll have to have a whole new wardrobe.

I’m proud to hear that the Cong. Church hasn’t forgotten us fellows. I’ll bet they have quite a collection of stars on their flag. Hope you gave them all my best regards.

Well I guess that’s all of importance right now. Hope the days are fresh & springy, & that you both feel right in tune with the season. Just leave the grass, Daddy, I’ll be home to mow it soon – I hope. G’bye now.

Love, Dorance