August 1, 1945

Air Mail From Dip

Aug. 1, 1945

Luzon, P.I.

Dear Mom & Dad –

Well I was wrong. Thought I’d get a chance to write you on Mon. right after our Manila weekend, but, gosh, I’ve been so busy with training that I just haven’t had a spare moment. The days certainly fly by now that we’re so busy.

Another thing – at night after our training is over we are building ourselves a new house. Right now we’re so messed around here that we don’t even have a table to write on. I’m writing on my lap – so thought I’d go really informal & write with pencil.

Our training day just lasts till noon for the men. However the officers have school up ‘till 3:00 PM. After that if we have no btry duties we work on our little shack. We have so many lectures too these days, that most of our free time is taken up in preparing outlines. As much as I like to read I haven’t even looked at a book since we moved into this rest? camp.

Yes we were in Manila last weekend - & the one before. And yes we most certainly did have a swell time. The city is blasted into a shambles but all those ruins are great sights. I took quite a few pics which I’ll send you some day when they’re printed. Manila is gradually coming out of its coma tho & building back up again. There are quite a few night clubs & chip joints that are going full force and bleeding the G.I. of his money.

But the important thing is that Tony & I found ourselves a couple of charming little WACs – mine (Miss Lucy Ross) from Tulsa OK. & Tony’s from Memphis Tenn. They’re both typical rebels and talk about fun – we kid the daylight out of them. We found a big dance hall about the size of 3 excelsiors with a 17 piece Filipinos band, so you can just imagine how much we enjoy ourselves. It is really a tonic to get out in the social world again. And the feminine companionship is appreciated too – even if they are Cpls. They say we Officers aren’t supposed to fraternize with enlisted WACs so don’t know how long our little friendship is going to last. I may have to ask her to fix me up a date with her C.O. Would that be ethical? If we’re caught out with a WAC all they do is fine us $25 or $50, so I don’t know maybe a good time is worth it.

Well the generator is starting to sputter & that means the lights are a fixin’ to go out. I’ll say g’nite now & hope all is OK at home.

All my love, Dorance