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

Dear Aunty Clara,

Wednesday

Well, well this has been a busy day all around. We were supposed to have gotten together for a rehearsal of the show this evening but under the circumstances we couldn't do it very well since we weren't certain just who was in the show and who wasn't in it. Lt Welsman expected us to meet in the Recreational Tent at 7:00 P.M. but we disappointed him although we couldn't have met there had we wanted to because the Chaplain had church services and a discussion hour going on.

What it all boiled down to in the end was my drafting in fifteen minutes a rough copy of the plan for the program which have I then talked over with Snelsire and Cain. Each had his suggestions to offer which have now amended the program to something with a continuity and a purpose. And we now have the full cast lined up with the exception of one or two individuals who are still doubtfuls.

What was most interesting is that Cain has been letting me in on the inner mechanics of an automobile. You know how uninterested I have been in the mechanical end of things all my life and it was amazing to hear about how the different gears, shafts etcetera work in a car. In the army is one place where one fellow gets to respect the trades and occupations of others because I just happened to mention to Cain the other day how I could cut down the payroll time and today I showed him the first steps in the plan. He could see the time saving and evidently figured I knew a little bit about office work. Then he told me about the cars and about his farm back home and I respected him for his capabilities along those lines.

Back home it seems that people of the same sort stick together. Office workers will be with office workers, laborers with laborers and farmers with farmers. In the army you live and work with fellows who are altogether different than you are and you get a look at life thru their eyes every so often. This army may be pretty lousy as far as life goes, but if you search long enough you can find a few good things about it.

Gordon came back from the show tonight and says they had a bit of trouble with the film but that as a whole the show went off alright. Tomorrow evening will be the band, H&S show, and "Tarzan Triumphs." Lt Yantis will show the picture and Friday night will either be up to me or Gordon or we could let the new man do his first solo. He has a driver's permit too so he isn't dependent on anyone for transportation.

It is rather late right now so I won't be able to write any of those thank-you letters again tonight but I promise that tomorrow I am going to send them out and really make them only that even if it is just those two words. I can always add that I will write later. Mrs Read and Myrtle must think I'm awful if you told them I received the package and they don't hear from me telling them that I did.

The Home Edition of the Bulldozer comes out this week. I will forward a copy to you as usual.

All the companies now have been furnished ping-pong tables which they can set on top of a regular kitchen table. Ours isn't up and I don't know where they intend to put it because our mess hall if filled completely without any spare room. The Chaplain's tent is being taken away from him since he is holding these Sunday evening devotions. It will now revert to its original use as Recreation Tent for the regiment with desks, writing paper, ping-pong tables, card tables etcetera. Meanwhile a regimental athletic field is being built a little beyond the regimental headquarters area and we will have handball court, volleyball courts, a track and a place for gymnastics. It would be alright if they could get a tennis court and equipment but that seems out of the question.

So-long,   /s/ Roman   Roman