Sgt Roman F. Klick 36620923
HS 1393 Engr APO 709
c/o PM SF Cal
16 July 1944

Dear Aunty Clara,

Sunday



It is a little bit after three o'clock and we have just come back from our swim at the beach at the other end of the island. Things did not go at all as planned. For one thing, when I went down for the personnel carrier at ten o'clock in the morning, they didn't have any available. At noon when we went to try again, I invited another fellow along on the ride. He offered to go down and get the car for us so we let him. That was a mistake for on the way down he picked up another fellow who signed out as the driver and there we were, the real party all in the back end of the truck. We went down to the beach but didn't have any too good of a time. For Mathis and myself it was the first and last swim in salt water. The waves aren't even as large as in Lake Michigan and the water is three times as warm as the lake ever gets but, brother, is it salty. That salt takes all the fun out of the swimming for it is impossible to keep the taste from continually getting into the mouth. We gave it up in short order, although we would have had a great time were it fresh water for all the other conditions were ideal. Now we can appreciate more than ever that crystal clear, fresh water of the Dumbea River which was swimable all the year around.

The last time when we went out all day in the jeep, it was more or less a spur of the moment proposition we dreamed up just before quitting time on Saturday afternoon. We had a swell time. This week we began planning the trip all the way from Monday and went so far as to order the transportation on Thursday yet it turned out to be a bjeek.

Last night I writed (wrote) letters to Dolores and to Myrtle. To Dolores I said you would send her at least one roll of film for her camera so that she can take pictures of Donna. I hope that we still have one roll left. Do you think that is a good idea? In the first place either something is wrong with my camera or the photographers in 5646 just can't take pictures so that roll of film (if we have one) would be of better use in Dolores's camera. After all, I'll get some pictures from it so it isn't like not getting anything for it. I think that is almost a crime that a baby is growing up without any pictures being taken of it. That seems to be one of the "musts" for families and that is to have pictures of their children from the time they are knee high to grasshoppers until they are graduating from college. If you have the roll of film or can get a roll of film send it to Mrs. Benjamin Lejcar Jr. 2610 Park Avenue, Riverside, Illinois --- but what am I telling you the address for --- by now you must have it also.

We went to the midnight show last night and I thought we were going to see Deanna Durbin and, instead of that, we saw Diana Barrymore. It was a so-so picture but had I known it was that, I wouldn't have gone to any midnight show to see it. Just before going to the show, I played a game of chess with Norona. He plays a deliberating game yet is far from brilliant in his play. I played fast and thoughtlessly yet managed to win hands down. It was something like the German smash against Orel when he attacked my side with three good but weak moves and then my side like the Russians, counter-attacked and just kept on going. It is not bragging but just stating facts that were we to continue to play, I doubt considerably whether he would be of much competition.

This morning, just after getting up, I wrote a letter to Bob Hesser. Little by little the unanswered mail is being whittled down once again although I still have enough to keep me busy. I received one letter from you today. It was the 8th of July and in it you answer something I asked Myrtle yesterday. I thought they wouldn't continue to use the PO box but you say that they are still going to use it. The movie tonight is "The Adventures of Mark Twain".

So-long,
/s/ Roman
Roman