Home | Return to Index

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

Dear Aunty Clara,

Monday

Ho hum. It is the same old story, I went to the show again at the Seabees. I had no intention of going but what could I do when both Bill Grauel and Walter Lewis came down to the barracks and each grabbed a leg and pulled me off my cot as they asked, "You want to come to the show with us, don't you?" So to be sociable I went and I was not disappointed either for the title of the picture "Priority Parade" didn't sound very good at all but when it turned out to be a perfect Class B musical with Ann Miller, Jerry Colonna, and Vera Vague. It was full of good song, good music, good dance numbers and new gags even though the picture appeared to be quite old. Jerry Colonna was three times as funny in the picture than he was last week in person on that very same stage. The transportation problem solved itself rather nicely this evening as we bummed a lift from a fellow passing the office around six-thirty --- he was heading right by the show area. Coming back I told the fellows to stick with me for I had been rather fortunate in getting jeep rides back to camp on the last few times. Sure enough, it happened again as we ran across Lt London and one of his officers. There was room enough for the three of us in the back and we were "home" in less than no time. Since it is yet before nine o'clock, I may have time to write a letter to Pat, I hope.

I went down with the mail jeep this afternoon so that I could get that set of dog tags at down town Guadalcanal for one of the officers in the battalion. We met a couple fellows from the outfit down there and wanted to know who was working. It did seem rather funny --- like just going out riding with nothing in the world to do or to worry about. However, when I got back, I immediately set to work on the new war bond set up and at the same time I'm beginning the OPVs for September. Now is the time to really smack that work out and by the time two weeks roll around and the end of the month is here, they will be all signed and I can turn them in right off the bat and not worry about them from day to day as I had to during the first week of August.

In addition to making a promise to myself of trying to answer all my letters as they come in from now on, I'm also trying to take time out to read the newspapers as they come in and I've just about finished reading the ones that came in the morning mail and the other one which arrived with the afternoon mail.

Me thinks that we ought to throw a little sardine sandwich party this evening and if we can get the bread from the mess hall maybe we can open up a few cans of sardines and the jar of pickles. In addition to that I am much in the mood for a canteen cup of milk. If I do write a letter to Pat, I know very well that it is not going to be before eleven o'clock. What is going to happen is that I'll become desperate and just dash something off on the typewriter instead of bothering to worry about handwriting it and being so careful as I planned to be.

The veil of secrecy has lifted partially from the French theater and it is amazing the way in which the American breakthrough out of Normandy and into Brittany enabled them to reach clean around the German defenders and begin tightening a noose around those armies by driving towards the Canadian and British forces on the original beachhead. However, no matter how spectacular those developments appear to be, I believe my five buck bet on the war lasting at least to Oct 24 is a sure thing for it is only 71 days off and today is just about over.

Come to think about it, this is the last sheet of V-mail I have available. The rest of it is locked up in the mail room and now I'll not be able to do anything about Mrs Reed's letter. Good grief, time is flying by. It is now fifteen minutes after nine o'clock.

So-long,
/s/ Roman
Roman