(U.S. Marine Corps Stationary)
Tinian Island
Dear Mom, Dad and All,
Was rather surprised yesterday
to receive another letter from you, Mom, when I came up from the line at
noon. I hope you thoroughly enjoyed your stay at Alexandria.
It seems to be quite a spot judging from the picture you sent. Maid service
and everything. Mmmph! Eve had told me you were going in her
letters so the postmark brought no surpise of itself.
Cheerio for now.
Love.
Thatch.
Marianas Group
July 30, 1945
I hope Pop isn't suffering any ill effects from his
Sunday dinner at Eve's. How does her cooking agree with you, Dad?
I seemed to thrive on it okay in Kansas myself.
It's been somewhat rainy and gloomy day here
today. It started out last night with about six inches of rain and
started lightening between midnight and six AM. Had to get up and
move my bunk about three to get out of it. Your summer doesn't appear
to have been very good there, about as wet as it is here with the rainy
season on now.
Yes, Mom, I got both of your birthday packages
and enjoyed their contents. Both came before Eve's which took exactly
eight weeks enroute. Speedy service.
My chief source of amusement, the radio, is
on now with poems and music, something like "Dream River."
Yesterday I listened to all the Tokyo propaganda broadcasts in English,
but there wasn't a sign of their quitting the struggle. They'll wish
they had before very long. We're sure pouring it on them from here,
aren't we? And pretty soon Doolittle will be adding to our efforts,
as well as MacArthur's Air Forces. I'm glad I'm not on the receiving
end of what goes out of here. Taint healthy, I can assure you.
Do you ever get "Life" Magazine? There
was a write-up about the Marianas in a recent Issue. Gave Tinian
credit for being the largest airfield in the world. It is,
too.
I'll bet George Knoll is making the most of
his furlough. Suppose he'll be headed my way before long. I'm
surprised Bug has stayed in England so long, but I suppose they are getting
all the dope on the results of the various raids from first hand sources
for their history. I wonder if he'll have to come over here, too?
There's plenty of history to made here by the air forces, but they've probably
got someone writing it up already. Sure hope he gets to stay in the
good old USA, though. There's no historical places to go to over
here on furlough. All you've got is about ten square miles to roam
around in and most of that isn't worth a second look. I'll send some
pictures of it when I get my camera. Eve sent it a week or so ago.
Eve told me in her last letter that Betty was
back in St. Paul with Florence again. Is her hubby still in Washington,
or did he come back with her? They're a great pair.
You asked me for another request, so here it
is: cheese and crackers and a roll of 35mm film. Try the photo shop
on Minnesota Street between 5th and 6th or Eastmans for it. Plus-X
if available, or Panatomic-X as a second choice. Anything else you
happen to have around can make up the balance of the five pounds.
Eve, like you, is always cussing that five pound limit. If it wasn't
for that I think it would be necessary to charter a ship to bring the packages
the both of you would send. Ha!
Well, there isn't another doggone thing to
write about so I'll sign off. Incidentally there is an article in
the June radio news that tells what Radar is and how it works in language
the layman can understand if you're interested. Try St. Maries bookstore
for it.