May 27, 1944 (to Marion Sneen)

Saturday Night

-a hell of a ways from Mpls.-

May 27th

Dear Marion –

Yeah – it’s Sat. nite; I hear sweet swing on the radio; I have a cool bottle of Schlitz; I’m very much in the mood – but blast it all here I am all alone & lonely on this forsaken Pacific isle. Gee – I don’t mind it at all during the daylight hours, but at night it’s rough! Can’t you get busy back there & talk to the right people – get ‘em to “turn off” the war, we’re tired of it.

Say – Marion – the first piece of business I want to take up with you is this letter you wrote, dated April 30th thru May 5th incl. We’ll have no more of that delayed type of letter. If you only have time to write a page – so what! Slap it in an envelope & get it on the way. I was pretty unhappy about the whole thing until your long letter of the 11th came. That sorta smoothed out my ruffled feathers. I probably don’t realize how busy you gals really are back there at home.

We certainly are earning our wages these days. We just got in from the field & next week we go right out again on a three day problem. Hate to brag but we are getting good – we put those shells right where they do our dough-boys the most good. My big private worry now is communications – got to see that the radios function & the wires stay “in”.

The only time we get for such things as writing letters, & reading, & such things (sorry I stuttered) are the weekends. And tomorrow, just to be mean about the whole thing, they’re making the whole 25th Division stage a big parade. Why they make us waste our precious Sundays for such monkey business, I’ll never know. We’ll all have to put on our starched shirts, glossy shoes, battle ribbons, & brightest smiles tomorrow, & for who – just a mere general. Not even one gal will be there to watch us strut our stuff & make it all worth while.

This afternoon we had our usual rugged game of volley-ball – our team played the staff. We got beat pretty badly but tomorrow’s another day. We’ll probably have time for a game or two in the A.M. before the parade. We really have fun playing. There’s more razzing going on all the time than the average man is able to take. However, a hot temper is a rare thing here because we’re like one big family. All the officers in the Bn. are “good Joes” & we do have a lot of laughs.

Last Sat. nite all of us officers excluding the O.D. went to a nearby French restaurant for dinner. We had the real French cuisine including a bottle of sherry. Of course the boys also brought along a goodly supply of their own spirits to sorta supplement that which was served with the meal. Guess I don’t have to tell you that things got very lively after a bit. We sang all the old ditties from “I’ve Been Workin’ on the R.R.” to “I Want a Gal”. None of us got to bed before 11 P.M. that night, so you can imagine what a big time we had.

I haven’t seen Lee for almost a month now because I’m always busy in my new job. Have to do a lot of studying at night preparing for the next day’s lectures & classes. I would have gone to see him this weekend if it wasn’t for the parade – it’s a 60 mile trip to where he is located. Intend to see him next Sat. night if nothing comes up to prevent it. Thinkin’ of Lee reminds me I ought to drop Mick a V-mail. Guess I will.

Sure would like to see you in your new home made black & white (sounds good enuff to drink) checkered suit. You must explain to me the difference between “tailored” & “very tailored”, Marion, I’m sort of a clerk about such things. “Clerk” is our private 8th Field slang for dope.

I’m sorry to hear about your sister’s misfortune, Marion. Personally I can’t think of anything worse that can happen to a young married couple. Guess my sister has been pretty lucky in her four years of married life. She’s presented me with a niece & a nephew so far.

Well, well, so Excelsior is open at last. I had an idea it would be taken over by the jitterbugs this year. Say am I too much of a snoop when I ask if you were out there with a “civy” or a “soldier”? You can ignore the question if you wish – it’s really none of my business.

If you don’t mind – I’ll be a hittin the hay now, Marion. I’ll write again as soon as I get in out of the field. See you in my dreams. G’night.

Love, Dip