Cpl Roman F. Klick 36620923
Co "A", 353rd Engr Regt
A.P.O. #502, c/o Postmaster
San Francisco, California
30 November 1943
Dear Aunty Clara,
Tuesday
No letters today nor any packages. That's what I get for getting two of them yesterday. And what ever became of the two important packages? Censky is having his woes too because he was supposed to have had a wristwatch sent to him over sixty days ago and it never has arrived.
The show for tonight is "Alexander's Ragtime Band" so it must be good. Any show filled with Irving Berlin's songs has to be ok. Coming up on the schedule are quite a few good ones. One of the best will be "Stormy Weather" which has received quite a build up and which all the fellows are waiting to see. Another one which won't be around for almost a month is "Tennessee Johnson" with Van Heflin. I almost saw that one back in Camp White but never did go.
Well, Harvey and Driscoll are gone. There isn't any buzz as to who is to take Harvey's place because they probably had extra men doing his work or type of work as it was; but there was quite a bit of gossip as to who would fill the shoes of our 1st sergeant. S/Sgt Daniel S. Cooley was elected to fill the bill. Strange that the new 1st sergeant should have the same first name as the old one, have the same Irish background and come from the very same stamping grounds, New York City. Cooley isn't a bad sort and although he is one of the higher ups in the Company he didn't join us until the earlier part of this year. The original cadre men of the 353rd are slowly being replaced by newer men. Wagaman of Company C did not come with the cadre but DeMaine, the former 1st Sgt, came along with Driscoll, Jack, Nyalka and the rest when the outfit first activated.
From out of nowhere the Personnel Section seemed to get a gift of cigarettes and I was able to bring back to the tent for the boys, 200 cigarettes in three cans.
We are contemplating getting some more ice cream either tomorrow of the next day. That suits me fine to have some good old American style ice cream about once every two weeks. The last time we had it we had strawberry flavor. Although that would be alright again if it is all we can get, I would like to have some chocolate this time.
With the oncoming summer I find that it is difficult to sleep with a wool blanket below me and two wool blankets above me. It is altogether too warm. I solved the problem by using two blankets, folded double, as a mattress with the mattress cover on top those two as a sheet. Over that I fold a single thickness of blanket which I tuck underneath the entire affair. Over that I throw my shelter half to keep off the dew and have a perfect summer style bed.
You certainly would enjoy sleeping in this country because no matter how hot it is in the day time it still isn't so warm that you can sleep thru the night without some sort of cover. Yet no matter how cool it may become on the moonlight nights (those are the times if seems to be the coolest) you never wake up with your teeth chattering from the cold as you do in the modern Cicero flats. Remember how we used to hate and curse the winter weather? I suppose you are doing that right now since it is December.
If nothing turns up at the last minute to stop me, I should be able to turn out a letter of two this evening in my thanking program. When I looked over that Christmas list last night, it seemed almost impossible that I had received so many packages. 17 already arrived and 2 yet coming. I sure would like to know if I answered Dolores and Eleanor. It makes my conscience feel bad to think that I might have overlooked it for so long.
It seems as if Cava's visit here last night was just a coming back visit because starting tomorrow he comes back to stay once again.
The A Company show is definitely washed up. Cain tried to get a rehearsal going yesterday and all he could do was interest one man.
So-long,
/s/ Roman
Roman