March 3, 1945

Air Mail From Dip

Philippines

March 3, 1945

Dear Mom & Dad –

Gosh – I spose you’ve worried your heads off! I see by my little book that my last letter to anyone was written to you on Feb. 11. No, I’ll take that back it was Feb. 14th and to Esther.

That was the day I was ordered “up front” with the dough-boys – I was with them until yesterday when I was relieved. Guess you’ve heard of the much talked of Forward Observer – that was me.

I could write a book right now on what happened to me and what I saw but some of it wouldn’t be good reading. I will say however that I was never so tired out and just plain pooed in my life before. Coming back to the Btry. was like coming home after a long outing (definitely not a vacation). First thing I had when I got back was a beer and a good meal. Meant to take a swim in the creek, but the bed reached out for me as I walked by. This morning I hit the creek first thing – Water was just too scarce and was only used for drinking. Daddy, I wish you could have seen my beard – you’d have been proud of me – about a ¼” long.

Today after a night’s sleep on a soft cot and a big breakfast of hotcakes & eggs I feel swell again. Guess that’s about all I needed. As for what I did up there, someday I’ll tell you the whole story. Let it suffice to say that a lot of Tojo’s little monkeys won’t give anyone anymore trouble from here on in.

My boys all got themselves some swell souvenirs but I was always too busy to bother. I’m leary of booby traps anyway, so let somebody else bring back the junk – I’ll bring back Dip. I did get a “thousand-stitch” Nip “good luck” charm. It is a 24” length of cloth with one thousand little stitches in it that the Jap wears around his waist. Seeing as how the Nip that had this one was a sorry sad sack, I sorta doubt the efficacy of the charm.

Another nice thing about coming back is all the mail – holy smokes I must have at least 30 odd letters beside me. There are about a dozen from you which I’ll gradually try to answer in the next 2 or 3 letters.

Oh yeah – I must tell you a good one that happened to me. One day last week during a quiet moment I asked one of the boys what the date was. (we never knew) He said it was the 28th, and I almost fell out of my foxhole when I realized my birthday was the day before and I hadn’t even given it a thought. Guess I’m not officially 27 then – isn’t that right?

Guess one of my letters must have gone down in the drink – the one in which I told you about my transfer to B Btry. – a gun battery again. I was surprised that you still thought me in HQ btry. We don’t use the btry. on our letters cuz the mail orderly knows the location of all officers in Bn. Sure – that was the best thing that ever happened – I never did like going into HQ btry. anyway. Then when I did get there I didn’t get along with the BC – first guy I’ve met in my army career who I just couldn’t stand. He has no other friends in the Bn., so guess it wasn’t me. We have a big happy family in B battery so everything goes very smoothly.

Gee, my penmanship is slipping – guess I’m writing too fast. On my lap too – that doesn’t help. Hope you can make it out.

Yes, I still see Denny now & then – he’s in Service Btry you know. Don’t understand how you could figure that Loper was still around. You didn’t think he was in the Division did you? He’s still back in New Cal. in SOPAC general depot.

Your V-mails don’t make as good time as air-mail – would rather you’d send the latter.

Got to do some work now so I’ll write tomorrow if I have time.

Love, Dorance

March 3, 1945

Philippines

Dear Marion –

Gosh – don’t tell me – I know it’s been too long since I last wrote. In fact my little “book” says it was Feb. 13th – almost three weeks ago. But that’s war Marion – and from the way things look this sudden cutting down of my letter-writing might be continuing for awhile.

I’ve been living with the dough-boys up at the front for the last three weeks. You’ve probably heard of the famous artillery forward observer – well that’s me. Out there you hardly have time to eat, much less write letters. In fact my total equipment was on my back and consisted of a shelter-half, toilet articles, a spoon, & a can of C rations. Next time I go up I’ll leave back the toilet article cuz I never did bathe all the time I was there. We were in the mountains where water was so precious it was purely for drinking purposes. I washed my hands & face about twice and didn’t shave once. I proved to all these jokers around here that I could grow a beard – it was over a fourth of an inch long.

Getting back to the battery was like coming home. First thing they greeted me with was a cool beer and then a hot meal. It was awful, I know but I sorta fell into bed on the way to the creek and didn’t get the bath ‘till this morning. I can now stand to be near myself once again.

This pen just won’t go where I want it to Marion, so please pardon the scribbling. Guess it’s the long lay off – besides I’m writing in my lap.

I’ll have to be a bit sketchy about the things that happened to us and what we saw up there because of censorship reasons. It wouldn’t make pleasant reading anyway, Marion. We did see plenty of action and enuff excitement to hold me for a long time. The Artillery really did some good up there too – a lot of Tojo’s stooges won’t bother anyone from here on in. One thing I did gain was a real respect for the poor unheralded doughboy – in case you didn’t know there is the genuine hero of this and any war. Those crazy kids can never be licked by any army, because they can keep their sense of humor in the face of anything. One kid near us was hit in the arm by a piece of mortar shrapnel and while the aid man was getting him on a stretcher he lifts up his head and cracks, “That’s what I hate about the army.” Everyone of ‘em should have the Medal of Honor, instead of some of those high ranking boys who make an appearance at the front for ten minutes every month or two.

Most of the men with me got some really nice souvenirs, but I didn’t have much time to bother with them. However I did get a Jap good luck charm. It’s a length of thin cloth made into a waist band with exactly one thousand stitches in it. Seeing as how the Nip I got it off of was in sorry shape I sorta doubt the efficacy of the charm. The only souvenir I want to bring back whole is ol’ Dip and that’s all. Someday, Marion, I’ll tell you the whole story – maybe over a cool drink at the Viking Room after a show.

It was wonderful to get back & have the mail orderly flop about 3 dozen letters in my lap. I now have at least a half dozen of yours to answer & will do this in the next letter or two.

Here’s some news for you. We have a new B.C. in the btry. now, and none other than our friend Mac. Tony has been “put in” for promotion to 1st Lt. Hope he gets it soon. By the way, Tony, has a new nickname now “frag” because he got caught by a small piece of shrapnel & won himself the Purple Heart. he was up there with me when it happened – nothing serious tho, & he’s back to duty again after 3 days in the hosp. They both say hello and want to tell you that now that we’re away from New Cal. they’ve finally got me under control. And they’re right since I don’t have Fifi around I just have no desire to run around.

If you don’t mind now I’ll close, Marion, with the hope that the end of this mess is now in sight and we’ll be seeing each other someday soon. If ya wonder about rotation – it doesn’t even touch me. I’m just sweating out the end of the war. So long now – greet the gal friends. Don’t worry ‘bout me I’ll keep my head down.

Love, Dip