Philippines
Nov. 20, 1944
Dearest Mother and Dad,
I am sitting in Jack Mullin’s tent trying to get warm from being wet all day. I don’t know what I would do if Jack wasn’t around but he is set up very good here with showers and a floor in his tent. Our camp area was flooded today with water over a foot deep so I pulled out tonight and came over to spend the night with Jack.
The Army over here really put us to work. I wonder if you have been reading about us. We do lots of skip-bombing and fighting. It is doing lots of good but I am very tired of it all. If my promotion ever catches up with me I’ll get to wear my two-bars but everything over here is so jumbled up I doubt if I’ll ever get them.
Right now it is raining like I have never seen before. I have seen lots of rain but never like this. I have been like a drowned rat all day.
Dad, I wish you could see some of the fireworks over here. I’ll bet you would really get a kick out of it. The Nips come in to raid us & they get their socks knocked off. I have seen some amazing sights both on the ground & in the air. Did I tell you I had a run in with part of the Jap Navy? We did O.K. but for a while I was plenty scared. My .50 calibers came in rather handy. By the way, my orders to go home will go in three months after my promotion but I don’t know when my promotion will be effective. Nevertheless, it should be sometime after the 1st of the year. I will let you know when I find out.
I haven’t had any mail now for several weeks so I am lost as far as any news from home goes. As far that matter, all the news I know is just right here. We are flying from morn ‘til night and living conditions are very rough but I live in hopes of going home pretty soon.
Well, Mom, this is all for now. Please excuse me for not writing regular but remember sometimes I am so tired I can’t write.
Be good and don’t worry.
Love,
Son