Cpl Roman F. Klick 36620923
Co "A", 353rd Engr Regt
A.P.O. #502, c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, California
August 25, 1943
Dear Aunty Clara,
Wednesday
I was the one that was fooled on the moving pictures for this evening. The show was neither "Harrigan's Kid" nor was it "Mr Lucky". It was "Stand by for Action" with Bob Taylor, Charles Laughton and Brian Donlevy. It was good entertainment and we all enjoyed it very much. The short that preceded the picture featured Ossie Nelson and Harriet Hilliard. Due to certain conditions we had a late start of the movie because we had to set up a temporary screen inside an open air tent in lieu of the usual outdoor theater. Then adding up the time it takes to ride from here to the other outfit and subtracting it from the total time I have to myself every evening just leaves me time to write this letter. The show went off well with no breaks.
Say, what did I tell you! I said that the books might have arrived today because Jack received a package and sure enough, when I got back to the tent at five o'clock, there was the package with the three books sitting on my bed. Joe Kurtiss, H&S Clerk, and several other French linguists expressed admiration for them when I showed them the beginnings of my new library. Incidentally, that was all that came in the mail today. No letters.
I have put away the V-mails which go into detail about the personal quarrel between Censky and myself. In my heart I have forgiven him for to parody the words of a great man, "He knows not what he does". In other words I refuse to allow trivialities to bother me as they do other people and the important things are living each day to its full and keeping the flame burning for the day when this war will be over. If you should like to know just what took place, I will send you the letters: otherwise it is a closed incident excepting for my own personal file.
The trip over to the other outfit is becoming quite an affair. This evening's trip saw Beaumont, Steinhauser, Red Bari (a Chinese boy) and another H&S man come along to see the show. The result of Steinhauser's chauffeuring every time there is a show is that we are becoming more acquainted all the time. He tells me today he was very lonesome at Camp Grant when we were first inducted and that he called home twice every day. From there we went on to a conversation of our early army days. In the conversation it came out that a fellow in A Company was a boyfriend of one of the other girls who worked with Myrtle. From his description I believe he means a fellow by the name of Paul Dieter. This fellow lives in Wheaton, Illinois. Perhaps Myrtle has heard his name mentioned by this other girl. Which all just goes to show you what a small world this really is.
Before we enter the area of the other camp we must stop at the usual sentry post and establish our identity. Like a couple of wiseacres the answer comes out that we are "Balban and Katz" or sometimes "Warner Brothers". If the sentry is quick to catch on, he usually laughs and sends us on our way. However, once in a while we come across a fellow who doesn't get the connection and we must explain to him we are bringing the movies for the night.
Now that the books have arrived I hope that you haven't sent them in vain. If my determination holds up, I expect to plow thru them in a business like manner. With Blumenfeld in town I might be getting in there more often than the two business trips and one pleasure trip I have so far chalked up in the books. That will mean I will have a chance to practice what I learn if I learn anything.
The Army Institute never even answered the letter which I wrote them shortly after arriving here. Meanwhile Jack has corresponded with them and received an answer. I sure would like to get the remainder portion of that course even if I don't finish it right now. Some day those books will come in hand as a reference work or even for the course itself.
I'll be writing to you tomorrow so until then
So-long,
/s/ Roman
Roman