Marianas Islands
15 April 1945

Dear Mom, Dad & All,

     A Happy Birthday to you, Mom, and many many more of them.  It's Sunday evening here and only about two AM Sunday morning there in Minnesota, but I've got the date right anyway.  It was a lucky Sunday in a way, for I received two letters from Eve and a package from you, Mom, mailed the 17th of March.  That's the best service I've had yet on a package.  It was the one containing the caramels, licorice, gum drops and pretzels.  Many thanks, Mom, not only from me, but all the fellows in our tent, 'cause they'll be in on it too.  It came less than two weeks after Eve's and I still have some Fanny Farmers left from that one.  I'm doing quite well on packages, aren't I?
     It's been quite some time since I received your last letter and I should have answered long ago, but you know from the papers that we've been quite busy here so I just haven't had the time.
     Tonight I am suffering, of all things, from a cold, the kind I usually get with a running nose, head ache, stiff neck and just sore all over.  I'm taking some elixer of Turpenhydrate with codeine and some APC capsules with codeine so I should break it up before it gets a good start.  Imagine catching cold with the temperature around ninety.  I spent most of the day in bed to try and cure it.
     Your long description of Ray's activities was very much appreciated.  Eve always writes a lot about him, too, but I never hear too much.  I sure wish I could see him.  The picture of Eve and Ray was very good of both of them, I thought, and is one of my most prized possessions.
     The big event, and an almost unbelieveable one, of the week was, of course, the sudden death of Pres. Roosevelt.  I knew of it two hours after it happened, even though we are ten thousand miles away from Washington.  We just couldn't believe it, here, and when I told the others about it they thought I was nuts.  They're giving a description of the funeral now on the radio from San Francisco, which I have tuned in direct.  The Jap radio had a commentator on this afternoon on the subject of Pres. Roosevelt's death and he admitted he was a great man in the United States, but was an opportunist who took advantage of the situation to force the selfish American ways on the rest of the world.  I was much amused at their poor attempts to discredit one of the greatest men of the age.
     When you or Eve send me another package, Mom, send some onion skin writing paper.  I've reached the end of everything I have except that cream colored stuff.  All I can get at the PX is the heavy kind and 3 sheets make up 6 cents worth by air mail.  I'm getting the paper now, have received two issues, but have not yet received Life magazine.  I suppose it will start in due time.  They have an overseas edition with no advertising in it, you know.  Makes quite a difference in the size.  The overseas edition of the Saturday Evening Post, for example, contains only 46 pages.
     Well, my head is aching and my eyes are burning so I'll have to call it quits for tonight.  I should write to Eve, too, but I don't know if I will make it or not.  I mailed a letter to her yesterday with an enclosure about the American Family being the hope of the Post War World.  As we plan on five children I thought she'd enjoy it.
     Write again when you have the time, Mom, and some of the rest of the family might, too.  How about it, Dad?
Haven't heard from you since Christmas and I always like to get your view of things.
     Until another time then,

     Love to all, Bob.