Cpl Roman F. Klick 36620923
Co "A", 353rd Engr Regt
A.P.O. #502, c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, California
June 23, 1943

Dear Aunty Clara,

Coming back from the river last night just before chow time, Larry told me about the operation he underwent some time ago. It was for strangulation hernia! He was so cramped up that it was impossible for him to walk. That same thing happened to Clarence. However, he went to the doctor and it was diagnosed correctly and he was dispatched to the hospital at once. When he arrived at the hospital and introduced himself as the one sent there for an operation he says he felt fine and that nothing was wrong with him. Again you have the similarity to Clarence's case where the next morning although he was very pale he said he felt good. Larry underwent the operation and was unconscious for a day. When he awoke the doctor said he was a very lucky boy and had been dangerously close to death. Just think, had the doctors known what was wrong with Clarence he would be alive today. Twenty-three precious hours between 2:00 Sunday afternoon and 1:00 Monday afternoon literally thrown away. Twenty-three hours in which they did nothing lost his life for him. By ignorance of the cause they let him die. It seems ironic but after the rupture was complete and he felt better was the most dangerous time and he was in the process of dying thru internal poisoning. And Larry had already reached that stage but he was saved by the narrowest of margins. In a way it seems curious that just a matter of a few hours meant Larry's being alive today and living all those extra years while Clarence has been cheated out of them. Of course, that is looking at it from the angle that by living on is better than having died. It is all a matter of opinion, eh?

During the time I wrote the first paragraph of this letter and now a period of more than three hours has elapsed. After work today Larry and I went for our daily swim. The water seemed a bit chilly today and my legs seemed on the verge of cramping during the entire period; therefore, I swam across the river but once. It is a good thing that we cannot wade into the water but, perforce, must dive in because not many would have the courage to keep going in after the first cold contact with the river. When you throw yourself out into it there is no turning back. Once you have been fully immersed the water has a peculiar warm feeling.

That takes care of that. We aren't working so hard lately but we are putting in a full day. During the past few days I have done something I tried to do for the last few months and never had the material. The backs of service re cords become very ragged with the constant handling and in some instances are ready to fall apart. Jack Molyneaux managed to get enough Scotch tape to put a new binding on the backs of all of his records and I tried to get the same ever since then. I finally did and the records are once more in a presentable condition. The records are 8½ inches so you can see that it that it took a good many inches of that cellulose tape to bind them all. The other work has been much the same such as making out allotments and typing an occasional military letter or filling out a form or two.

Several of the men are becoming interested in the Army Institute courses but my book describing the courses has been borrowed and hasn't been returned as yet. As a result the applications for courses have been held up pending the return of the book.

Solong,   /s/ Roman   Roman