July 11, 1945

Air Mail From Dip

Luzon

July 11, 1945

Dear Miss Marion –

Thought I’d better use the formal tone just in case you’re peeved – it’s been a long spell since I last wrote. In fact I’ll accentuate – it’s been quite a long spell. I could have written a short note & explained long ago, but always expected to write a lengthy letter the next night. I’m truly sorry, Marion. Lean over here & lets make up – hmm?

Get set for a lengthy paragraph, cuz I’m going to explain if possible why you haven’t heard from me. (Just as if you noticed the gap between my letters) We’ve finally moved back from the front to a rest? area. Did I say rest – we start training next week all over again. In the meantime we’ve been building ourselves a camp this last 10 days. (Just move over here a little cozier & I’ll give you all the gruesome details.)

In the first place, picture a large expanse of grassy fields – that’s the site. Given: 1 GI prefabricated wood & tin structure – period. Problem: build a camp complete with everything, just like home! Tools: shovels, picks, nails, hammer, saw, blood, sweat, & tears. Presto! Result: I don’t know yet we’re not thru. Please – don’t rush us, this sun out here is like fire. But here’s what we’ve been doing so far: Set up the Btry tents, fill-in, stake-off & gravel a Btry. street, build showers, build latrines, dig a garbage & sump hole, wire whole btry for lights, build a dry room, make a motor park, partition off a kitchen, supply, officers mess, orderly room, BCs office, & officers mess in our big prefab. In our spare time we’re building up our mens tents with bamboo & making tables & shelves. Now – in our spare spare time we plan to fix up our own quarters. Right now we’re living ankle deep in mud. The only dry place is bed. We’ve got big ideas tho about fixing up our quarters & it’ll be fun to see what we can create. Lumber is critical around here but we’re going to try to dicker with the Air Corp with a bottle of Schulz’s Black Label. It usually gets results.

Our whole outfit is packed into this one camp so our choice of shows at night is almost limitless. Each Bn. has it’s own screen including the 8th. & Then the Division has it’s own amphitheater in which to hold all USO traveling shows. Last week the boys saw “Oklahoma” – next week Dick Jurgens & his band. We’re not hurting for entertainment – of a G.I. flavor.

Passes are taboo right now because we can’t spare any men ‘till the camp shapes up. Then we’ll all get a crack at some 3 day passes, & of course weekends. Manila is about the only town worth going to they say. Haven’t seen the place yet, but expect to be all thrilled over seeing a concrete building again after those hills we stared at so long.

Say, Marion, this might be a little embarrassing to you, but I just have to straighten you out. There are no Companies in the Artillery – they’re called Btry. And my Btry. is “B” not “C”. Mack & Tony suggested that I write and tell you that if you must run around with the Infantry – at least try to keep the addresses straight. Now aren’t you sorry you tried to write us both on the same night?

Your letter of June 22 came the other day & it was pretty swell. All this talk about future good times to be had when I reach Mpls. is music to my ears. It’ll probably be sometime after Tojo surrenders, but I’m hoping that will be soon – maybe in ’46 with all the pressure the Air Force is putting on them now. Had hopes on pts., but now it looks as if the officers aren’t going to be let out as rapidly as the enlisted men. Wish I were still a Sgt. – I’d be packing my bag shoving off in about a month. Ya I guess someone has to stick around, but I’m just cad enough to wish it didn’t have to be me.

Gosh, wouldn’t it be something to drop into a Red Cross to get coffee & doughnuts somewhere in Yokohama & lo & behold – Marion! D’ya think such a thing could happen?

But now I hear the generator beginning to sputter so I must say good night in a hurry – I guarantee that happens only in my letters.

Love, Dip

P.S. I know what you’re thinkin’, but that was 4 yrs. ago.

Luzon

July 11, 1945

Dear Mom & Dad –

Well – I did it again – each day I expected to get a long letter off, but didn’t get to it. I haven’t had a lot of time, but admit I should have dropped you a note anyway so that you wouldn’t worry. Gosh it’s been all of two weeks, & that’s pretty sad. I’m sorry.

The big news at this time is that we’re finally out of combat & in a rest area. We’ve been here for a week, & as we have to start from scratch & build up a whole new camp, we’re really shagging after our own tails here. Also we start training right off the bat next week so you can see we’re not dilly dallying around.

Here are some of the things that are keeping us from any spare writing time these days: set up & line up battery street & tents, fill each tent floor with gravel (awful wet here – rainy season), gravel btry. street & around mess halls, build latrines, showers, bamboo frames for tents, dig ditches for tents & mess hall, make roads & motor parks, oh yes & put all kinds of walls, partitions, shelves, & general improvements in the big tin & wood building that was here when we moved in. We’re using the latter for mess hall, kitchen, supply room, orderly room, & BC’s office (can you see all the partitions). We’re also building mess tables, & all sorts of shelves & tables for the boys tents. Oh yes, and about next Monday we’ll start construction on a day room for the men. Of course after all these things are done we can – in our spare time – start to fix up our own quarters. I don’t know if I’m glad or sad about coming off the lines – life was pretty simple up there. I’m kidding of course. Now if you can see me flopping on my bed at night instead of not writing, this paragraph is not in vain.

In about two weeks I expect we’ll be set up in good shape – then maybe we’ll get some passes to Manilla. They say it’s just a shambles, but after fighting so long on this island, up in the hills, it’ll be nice to see some buildings that are made from something beside grass & bamboo.

Don’t get the wrong impression about the way we’re building-up around here – don’t want you to think I’m going to spend the duration here. That’s just the way the Army operates. Anything can happen & probably will – nothings permanent in the U.S. Army but chow.

Today we got a beer issue – one case per man – pretty nice, eh! I made some dickers & managed to get a nice assortment. I’ve got 6 Hamms, 6 Ballantines, 6 Schlitz, & last but not least, 6 good old Grain Belts.

Right now it’s raining something fierce – we have a stream running thru our tent & it’s getting a little higher each time I look. If I end up this letter with a blub!, you’ll know what happened. At least it’s carrying off our beer cans (empty of course).

Col. Benson cornered me one day & told me how Elsie Nelson had written that she visited you folks – I told him you had written me all about it, & also how much you enjoyed their visit. Yeah I’m makin’ pts these days. Marion even surprised me by writing how she was working at the Red Cross with Elsie Nelson when she happened to overhear my name mentioned. Those two are good friends it appears. Small world.

The mosquitoes (seeing as you asked me) weren’t bad up in the Pass, but it’s just the opposite down here on the plains – they’re ferocious. We sleep with nettings over us always.

Almost forgot to tell you we have electric lights in our quarters & mess halls & that was another big job I forgot to list.

Pt. system seems to have slowed down – at least for us. I refuse to even get excited about it – everything is too indefinite & conflicting.

Yes a part of 25th hit Baler Bay but not our Bn. – we stayed & cleaned up pockets of resistance in mts. vicinity of Balette Pass.

I’ll be taking a lot of pictures one of these days of the new camp when it gets whipped into shape – that’s better than trying to explain all the details.

The mail has been slow this way as a result of the big move to this rest? area. Expect a good nest egg one of these bright rainy days.

The food so far has been excellent – pork chops, hamburger (we invited the Col. over for meat balls & spaghetti – it’s his favorite), 3 fresh eggs for 4 A.M.’s in a row, & not to mention teak one night. There’s a WAC camp ‘bout 10 miles from here, so were going to get ourselves some feminine guests for chow one day. It’s one of those future plans we talk about over our coffee.

Well – I hope you won’t worry about me so much for awhile now, cuz outside of a bolt of lightning or a reckless driver – I’m reasonably safe.

Now I must get some rest, so I’ll say so long & not so long as last time.

All my love,

Dorance

PS. Almost forgot – here’s a M.O. for 200 pesos, or in yankee currency $100.