January 31, 1945

Jan. 31, 1944 Philippines

Dear Mom & Dad –

We’re still busy as little bees here – moving all the time. And we’re moving in the right direction too, even if Radio Tokio says we aren’t. I’ve tried to write you a half dozen times in the last two days but every time I sit down to write either a fire mission comes in or a march order.

Today I’ve been flying all day as an observer. Did we have fun! We fired on a big building that was suspected of being a Jap barracks and set it aflame & exploding. And to think you used to bawl me out for playing with matches. How times have changed.

Got my first letter about three days ago-from Marion Sneen. It was dated Jan 12 which surprised me no end. Some recent mail must have come direct. Then just today I received some Xmas cards mailed in Nov. & Dec. Also had a letter from Coll & a News Digest from you all.

Bob Coll hadn’t written me for several months, so I was relieved to hear from him. He had just spent a 48 hr. pass in Paris – he says its much nicer than London in every way and really a spot for “fun & frivolity.” Sounds like a very pleasant way to fight the war.

We have a river only a short way from the air-strip here where [we] go for a bath every evening about 6 o’clock (excuse, I mean 1800). We certainly manage to keep clean considering we’re in action. There are small rivers & streams everywhere so it’s no problem.

On the way to the airstrip yesterday my jeep driver spied a new army cot lying alongside the road. Now I’m really sleeping in comfort & I’m the envy of the neighborhood cuz those gadgets are very scarce here.

Had a very profitable day today having cleaned both my carbine and my 45 pistol, flown for five hours, ate three square meals including hotcakes for breakfast, and now writing a letter. I have that smug feeling of accomplishment.

The pilots here have a car radio which we hitch to the jeep & listen to every evening. There are lots of Chinese, Indian, & Japanese stations on the air. Of course we hear Radio Tokio very clearly. We get quite a kick out of how they claim they annihilate us every day. We also get news from the States and some other overseas stations in New Guinea. The latest we’ve heard – the Russians are only 93 miles from Berlin – that really sounds great.

Amongst the Xmas cards was the one from Dot & Arlo with the photograph of the family. It certainly is a nice picture & a novel greeting card – I can recognize Dorothy’s handiwork in the printing & design.

I’ve got to end this here cuz it’s too dark to see. Good night. I’ll write again soon.

Love, Dorance

P.S. Feel Great.