Home | Return to Index

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

Dear George,

Tuesday in Guadalcanal

I received your most welcome letter some 12 days after you sent it and believe that it was a fairly remarkable time for delivery; however, I'm sorry that it has taken me another twelve days before getting around to answering it. My intentions were good but the devil uses good intentions for paving blocks down in Hell.

You have some three months up on me as far as service in the Army goes but, in spite of the fact that I still have a month and a half to go before completing two years, I also seem to think that this existence has been going on forever without a beginning and without end. It is the end that worries me. The end of the war where you are at seems to be well within sight and it is not outside the realm of possibility that before this letter of mine reaches you, hostilities in that corner of the globe will have ceased. The thorn in the entire situation is the Pacific war which still has to run its weary course despite the apparent speed up and victory doesn't seem certain until sometime in 1946. Following the final victory there is that six months plus extras which can very easily go into 1947.

That getting out part is going to be a headache. For example, take the two of us. You'll get preference for combat duty but will be held back being in the Air Corps. One of the aids in my case will be the additional time overseas which isn't so very long but puts us up in the first two million. The trouble with us is that we are both young and both single and they may get some silly notion to keep fellows like that to the bitter end. Perhaps the best thing to do is to forget about it completely until the happy day comes around.

Your description of Scotland was okay. The shape of the hills and the view from them, I can well imagine for wasn't I stationed down there in New Scotland for almost a year? But down there we didn't have the numerous lakes (Lochs to you) nor the same type of vegetation. Most interesting was the game of golf which you managed to squeeze in on your leave. You didn't mention the score, so I'll take your word for it that it was really bad. Incidentally, just about the same time that your letter with the golf note came in the mail, I received another letter from Joe Barta's brother, Jerry, who spent about two pages of a two page letter telling me the good time he was having back in Cicero and the surrounding territory playing golf, golf and more golf. It seems funny every time I think of it that I'm such a raving golf fan or addict whereas it isn't but six or even five years ago that I couldn't see why you were taking up such a silly game for your college gym credits.

That is a very good idea about finishing college or at least getting the 120 units required for a degree and even if it means another couple years of night school it will be worth it. What gets me is that two years have gone by already and more than likely another two years will pass by without having been taken advantage of. Anyone who really wants to do so could set aside enough time to complete college correspondence courses every few months and save all that time in our post war years when we will not want to spend our time that way.

Say, will you please excuse my bliss, congratulations but plenty on becoming a first lieutenant. You made that first one in pretty good order, eh? Tell me, George, are you rated for your job now or are you serving in lieu of Captain or better? I hope you are filling a good spot so that the promotions can come like clockwork as the required time put it.

Thanks on the congratulations too, George, but it has been the thataway since the beginning of June and isn't new anymore. Did I tell you that in my new job I was also the clerk for the Officer Sub-Section? Now if you were in our outfit, I'd be typing up your promotions, your pay vouchers and Statement of Service next Aug 7 when you'll get that extra ?%.

The book "Song of Bernadette" was swell and if you get the chance to read it you should. Haven't seen the book which you are reading in our library collection as it now stands. The latest one which I have read has been Joseph Conrad's "Victory" and it was fairly good entertainment although I wouldn't advise it unless you enjoy Conrad. Reading books is a bit difficult for two reasons: (1) No definite time a person can sit down for an hour or two and (2) the correct mood for reading isn't all there.

We had quite a field day out this way as far as entertainment was concerned. Within two weeks after Bob Hope, Frances Langford and Jerry Colonna were here, we were entertained by the Jack Benny, Carole Landis, Larry Adler, Martha Tilton and June Brunner cast. The Bob Hope show could be put mildly as a stinker although he and his gang did put in a personal appearance. The Jack Benny show, on the other hand, was a terrific success. Benny was unique in that he appeared on the stage dressed up in the latest fashions back home and not in the usual USO show khaki. In fact, he had great fun at our expense telling us how well he liked his suits, his tie, his black shoes, his panama hat and most of all he liked his trip down here in the South Pacific. He really meant this he said --- he only had to be here a few weeks and then could go home so he really enjoyed it.

Please excuse the typing etcetera for the night is wearing on and with all the interruptions in this office, it is a wonder that I am able to type anything at all. It is one thing after another and there are barely five minutes of straight concentration all evening long. That is one bad feature about this overseas business in the South Pacific away from civilization. Back in Oregon the fellows had a million and one places to go during off duty hours and a fellow was left undisturbed but here it is another story entirely for the office is the center of attraction with all its electric lights, its cold water fountain, its typewriters and its radio.

There isn't any new news from home at all about anyone. Every once in a while you hear word of one more fellow finally leaving the States to go overseas. I guess they must be reaching the limit on sending fellows across by now for at last almost everyone is gone from home.

Other news from home usually is what we get over the radio every evening and that is the baseball news. Charlie Grimm sure did pull the Chicago Cubs out of rut this year, didn't he? I had enough confidence in him to bet that his team would wind up in fourth place for the season. That was a few months ago when they were still hedging near the eighth spot and at this time the chances seem very strong that they are going to hold off the Giants for the next two weeks and cop that 1st division berth.

The Yankees also have climbed up there on top of the heap after a full season of ups and downs; but even if they do remain up there, I think the Cards will massacre them this time in the World Series. In fact, the Cardinals look a cinch to massacre any American League team this year.

Take good care of yourself, George, and I hope that you soon have enough of those missions in to pack off for home once again. Good luck.

So-long,
Ro