Philippines
Nov. 25, 1944
Dearest Mother & Dad;
I got two letters from you last night. One from Thelma and one from Barbara. It was the first mail I have had since I first got here.
We are really getting in the war here. It is really different than New Guinea. The fellows that went home from Guinea don’t know what war is. Believe me, we have it here. We are the only P-47’s here so all you read about is my squadron. The others have not moved up yet. Things are plenty hot now. Yesterday was a nightmare. The Nips are staking everything on taking this place back, so, of course it is our job to knock them out. We strafe from morn ‘til night along with dive-bombing and skip bombing. Two of my new boys have victories and yesterday one got the DFC for knocking out a troop transport. I had been out on another mission in which nothing happened. The only thing I have done outstanding was to strafe two Nip destroyers and they surely threw up a barrage. I have about the best flight in the squadron. Their attitude is very good and they like to fly with me which makes us a good team. We are helping the infantry and saving lots of American lives.
The town here reminds me very much of a Mexican town. It is pretty large but it has been thru lots of bombings. There are quite a few nice looking Filipino women who wish to make love for a price and we will probably have a little trouble with some of our soldiers on that score. But with several lectures on such we can keep it down to a minimum.
There is so much going on that I can’t tell you about so I will have to let you find out thru the news reports.
However, there is really a war going on over here and don’t forget it. It is rough and tough. All day yesterday was nothing but red alerts and raids. We take off while the Nips are bombing and strafing so you see it’s no child’s play and they are really out to kill us. We must kill them first.
You asked who of the old boys are here. Only Frost, Parsons, Maj. Dunham and myself. The others are all new fellows. Morrison has gone home. In fact, he has probably called you by now, at least I hope he has. This is the first real war we have had and, believe me, it is real. I have very little time to write so don’t worry if you don’t hear regularly. We can not write at night because of the raids and we get very little sleep. It is also the rainy season now and you should see it rain. My tent had 14 inches of water on the floor day before yesterday. I have only one pair of khaki clothes and I wear those every day. I have a Filipino boy to wash them at night and I put them on wet in the mornings.
I guess it is getting pretty cold at home now. Be sure to take good care of Dad and yourself. By the way, we get whiskey over here to drink according to how much we fly. As usual, I don’t drink much – it still makes me sick!
Well, Mom, this is all for now. Write as often as you can. Tell Dot Cooke I am too busy to write. My APO is 72.
Still nothing definite as to me going home. Maj. Dunham wants me to take the squadron after him, but I refuse – I want to go home.
Be sure and write.
All my love,
Son