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

Dear Aunty Clara,

Saturday

Yippee, our merit has finally been recognized and the powers that be have deemed it wise that we be issued our Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations Service Ribbon. Yes, Aunty Clara, we finally got the thing and it looks nice and pretty too. Just as we were ready to close up shop at five minutes to four, old Master Sergeant Kuhn walked in with enough Asiatic and Good Conduct Ribbons for the Regiment. All the clerks immediately counted out enough for their companies and then hauled them off to the Orderly Rooms where they were distributed by the first sergeants.

You already know what kind it is but I'll describe it again just to refresh your memory. The whole background is yellow. In the very center there are three small bands of color, red, white and blue which are of course, the colors of the United States. Then, centered on each side between the American colors and the end of the ribbon are the Japanese colors, white, red and white.

Since everyone on this Island and everyone in the whole Pacific area has these ribbons there isn't much point in sporting it and getting it all soiled for future use. Therefore, I am sending it home for safekeeping until my return to the United States of America. In the meantime, you can show everyone the ribbon your nephew has of which a medal will at some later date be dangling from. Of course, since every soldier going overseas gets some sort of ribbon like that and probably a lot more besides, it isn't going to be so unique or so precious. Nevertheless, it is my first ribbon and I value it a little more highly that the rifle marksmanship medal we received back in Oregon. I am sending it by slow mail.

By the way, I ran the show tonight because Brown wanted to go into town to see the fights. Lt. Yantis prepared the film by looking over it very carefully for broken sprocket holes. The picture was "The Sky's the Limit" with Fred Astaire and Joan Leslie. We sure have been getting to see Joan Leslie in a lot of pictures lately. Frankly, though, the picture seemed to drag along.

We now charge admission to the shows. Five guards, a corporal of the guard and the Officer of the Day all stand at the various entrances to the theater area and give everyone who enters the once over. They must be in complete and proper uniform which must be worn correctly with all buttons buttoned and shirt sleeves rolled down. If you are from another outfit and do not comply with these orders, you are not allowed to see the show. However, if you are from our own outfit, your name is taken for the discrepancy and you are returned to your Orderly Room for disciplinary action. That is the price of admission. Lt. Yantis had to give a little speech regarding it before show time.

By the way, do you know how Jack Molyneaux finally beat me on the letter situation this week when he ended three letters up on me? His sister sent him a letter and along with it exactly three other letters filled with baseball clipping etcetera. That is what gave him the margin of victory. Larry Isaacson went to town this afternoon and came back looking like a lobster and feeling just as boiled, burned or whatever does happen to lobsters. He has come down with a severe case of sunburn but I have no sympathy for him because he should know better than that.

By the way, the Good Conduct Medals should be issued any day now and that will make two ribbons and eventually two ribbons plus medals. There will still be the third ribbon and medal for sure, the Victory one. Along with that there is the possible fourth if this organization is cited for its work by the War Department which is not such a far fetched possibility.

It is ten-thirty now but because tomorrow is Sunday and it may be possible to sleep until maybe eight o'clock or later, I believe I will attempt writing a few other letters or at least one other one. We are going to have "Rebecca" at the show tomorrow night and I do not believe I will bother to go.

So-long,   /s/ Roman   Roman