Illegible Posts

1st Sat. At 9:26, just after we had completed the breakfast, the order came that the Gen. Bundy was in stoves [? illegible] to be packed in 1/2 hr. and all tents down, etc. What a hilarious day. Moved to the beach at 1700. Loaded at 1936, hungry as heck. Were fed coffee, bread, fried […]

3rd Wed. Visited Ken and saw Danny Kaye in The Wonder Man. Sure is screwy. Ken figures on going home with the 31st. Wished to Hell we would find out something. 6th Sat. Banged up my right elbow from a tick foul. Had it x-rayed but nothing broken. No mail. Started to load equip. today. […]

8 Sun. Navy was supposed to feed us, but now it is all off and we had to get our kitchen going. Then they threw 51 more men at us, so now it means a total of 91. Veretle and Soie [? illegible] sure taking a screwing on this deal. On our way to Bugoa […]

8th – 9th – 10th Brought mail up to us. Got a nice bunch of letters. Will off [? illegible] to answer them. It is getting damn tiresome up here. 11th – 12th – 13th Still at the ferry and still getting shelled. It is a damnable life. No chance to write. Work from dawn […]

28th Sat. Landed at 8:30 AM. Three trucks and trailers (with 1/2 boats, motors, and ramps) left at 10:30 for Digos and the front line. Over 100 miles of the roughest and dirtiest trip ever. Tipped over trailers 3 times, arrived at 3rd Eng. Hdqs. at 10:30 PM. We had docked at Parang Auchauge [? […]

April – 1945 1st Sunday Easter – and April Fool’s Day. Packed up this AM and pulled out at 1:40 pm. I sure hated to leave. It will be tougher wherever we go. Adams and I had charge of the loading and were well complimented on the job we did. To bed at 10:30 and […]

Mar 1-4th Been laying around catching up on my letter writing. Wrote another article for the paper. Hot as Hell. 5th Mon. Got my 1st 3 day pass. Went with Arthur Verville to Manilla and slummed all around the city. Purchased [? illegible] an Elgin Pocket watch for some canned goods and 50 pesos (15 […]

11th Sun. Back in camp today. Still feel pretty shaky. Met the Carlos Vander Tolosa, movie producer in the Philippines. Knows the Padillo family really well. He is the first white man I have met here. 12th and 13th On an emergency ferry job again. Our bridge was blown out by Jap artillery and another […]

10 Fri. Drove to Tacloban, took pictures. Bought souvenirs. 11 Sat. Beautiful weather. Things are pretty nice now. 12 Sun. Took things pretty easy all day. Lonesome. 13 Mon. Down by the beach. Had air raid, 4 Jap B[ombers], Ack Ack got two. Had ringside seat. Beautiful sight. 14 Tues. (Letter dated Oct. 30) Got […]

24th Sun. Rain all day. Hauled ration washed clothes. 25th Mon. Rain again. Got Marines bx [?] with the jewelery. As she said, I should get some Pom Pom [?] for that. 26th Tues. Rain. Temp 92-78. On guard. We are going to move soon. Hauled rations until 12:00 PM. 27th Wed. Everyone has different […]

24th Mon. Still raining. Put out my request to transfer to the Air Service Area Command. If things go as they have been for me, I won’t get anything out of this either. Got Marine’s package, woolen slippers and swimming trunks. Also sent in my ballot for the primary. 25th Tues. Sun out today, but […]

3rd Monday – Was up at 6:00 A.M. for chow, 7:00 packs on and ready to go. Started from Kakakoac [? illegible]. We had three natives for guides. There were 30 of us, but Farmum fell out the first hour. It was 8 miles to the first village of continual up hill going. The first […]

June 1st More rain to-day and to-night, this area won’t be quite as muddy as the other as the previous camp here had put in quite a little coral. Played pinochle and won three games. We really have a good time playing cards. We don’t play for money. Got a letter from Dick and Butch. […]

26th Fri. – Got a letter from home dated May 10. They have finally heard from me. It surely made me feel good to know that all was well at home. Fixed seats on the latrine. Some job, eh! Px [? illegible] opening tonight so will probably be able to buy some of the things […]

9th Tuesday Took a hike. Went on patrol through the jungle for about 10 miles. Sure evidence of plenty fighting. Didn’t find any Japs though. The first boys here surely went through hell. Plum[sic] tired out when I got back. There were four of us. Lt. Birk, Lt. Radcliff, Dansig and myself. Hung blankets on […]

May 2 – Tuesday Pulled tents and set up pyramidals. I’m in 1st Sq. of Hdq. platoon. Trucks bringing in supplies galore [? illegible]. On water detail filling lister bags and mess hall cans. On C-rations. Went swimming in the ocean. Felt good after being dirty for 2 days. Rain again, everything is flooded tents […]

April 26 – Wednesday Put on a show on the boat. Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck in “Balls of Fire.” Saw it before but sure got a bang out of it again. Looks like we are moving out. Left dock for the bay and anchored. Other ships are moving around and there are plenty of […]

April 1st, 1944 I am writing this at 7:30 “oceantime”. We have set our watches back 1 1/2 hrs. since leaving S.F. We are going to New Guinea as far as rumor goes. Troop[? illegible] thoughts are low. It has been quite chilly but the sea[? illegible] has been relatively smooth. Most every one was […]

February 25, 1944 Today at 4:30 P.M: I am leaving for home for the first time, and when I sit here and think of the various people I knew and the various things I used to do, I fully realize what four months from home can do to a person, and especially when that person […]