Saipan. M.I
3 Nov, l945

Dear Mom, Dad & all,

     Still sitting here on Saipan awaiting for my ship.  One of my old pals, Lt. Witho left here this morning after being here for a month.  There are only 317 officers ahead of the group I am in now so I should be on my way sometime in the next ten days.  I hope so anyway.  There is nothing whatsoever to do but sit around and wait.
     I have been back to Tinian twice since I left there, both times in a PBY flying boat.  I flew to Guam Wednesday with Witho and some of his pals, also in a PBY.  Wasn't much to do, but Witho had to see some of his former buddies and collect some dough they owed him so I went along for the ride and to see a bit of Guam.  It is twice as big as either Saipan or Tinian and was a pretty sight from the air with all it's palm trees.  We were there about three hours.  Had dinner at the 20th Air Force Hq. Officers Mess.  We flew over Rota, Aguigan and Tinian enroute and I got some pictures of them from the air.  I don't suppose I'll get over to Tinian any more now.  All the mail that arrives there will be returned to the sender since we are not allowed to receive mail here.  I picked up Eve's letters when I went over, the latest being postmarked 24 Oct.  I guess that's the last I'll get.
     I've been all around Saipan since I arrived here.  Covered it trom one end to the other, including the mountain.  It's quite a place, I don't see how the Marines ever took it from the japs.  Tinian was fairly level, but this is all rocky and mountainous and the hills are covered with dense undergrowth.
     I have a stalk of green bananas hung up in the tent here waiting for them to ripen so I can eat them.  There are quite a lot or them growing on the island.  They are much smaller than the South American kind you get at home.  Mangoes, bread fruit, some kind of yams, coconut, pineapple, and citrus fruits grow here.  I've never eaten any myself.  I did taste breadfruit, but don't like it.  There are some birds here on Saipan, but there were none on Tinian except a few turtle doves.  There's a couple of some kind or other chirping in the pine trees outside the tent now.  I don't know what they have to be happy about as it has been raining all day off and on.  The sun shone most of last week though, so I suppose I can't kick.
     One thing at least keeps my spirits up and that is the knowledge that I will be home for Christmas this year.  There is no doubt about that.  I don't know how long it will take to get my release from the Army after I get back to Camp McCoy, tho' it shouldn't be too long.  It doesn't look like I will be able to get that transportation back to England on the government, but I am still going to try.  They don't seem to know much about it over here.
     I don't know when Maurice Dullea left here, but the entire 73rd Air Wing is gone now and there are no B-29's left here on Saipan.  The 58th Wing has left Tinian, so only my old outfit, the 313th Wing is left there with about 250 B29's.  About half of our squadron has gone back with the 58th Wing (those with 60 points).  There are all kinds of new officers in the outfit, so I don't even recognize it when I go over.
     Well, I guess I'll walk up to headquarters and mail this and get myself a cold Coca-Cola at the club before it starts to rain again.  Excuse the pen scratching on the first couple of pages.  My pen was acting up, but it's okay now apparently.  Give my regards to all.  I'll be seeing you in another month.
Bye now.

Love,

Thatch