August 14, 1944

(Letter from Vic in Bougainville to brother Paul in Berkeley, California. Photo is of entertainer Patty Thomas in Bougainville, who performed at the USO show there in early August 1944.)

Monday evening,

Dear Paul,

Surprised not to've heard from you at this date. Are you kept very busy these days? Please write whenever you have time and make it a long air-mail letter.

Received a letter from Yuts yesterday. He was writing from Calif. and said he intended seeing you presently so I imagine you two have gotten together already. He certainly was lucky to get home after such a relatively short time down in these parts. Tell him I won't write him until he sends his permanent address. However, that shouldn't stop him from writing regularly in the least.

Mike Principe wrote me a again recently and said he'd try to get up here in the near future. I answered him last nite and urged that we make it soon. Otherwise it's quite possible we won't get together over on this side.

I'm enclosing three snapshots of some of the entertainers who performed here recently. I got these prints from a friend of mind who's in another btry. Please forward them to Ed and Rudy and remind them to forward same on home after they've looked at the pics.

Did mother receive and forward on to you the five Kodachrome prints that were taken over here several months ago? The fellow I ordered them from is in this btry., and had his parents get the copies made back in the states. They were then sent home to Racine from Illinois.

You'll note a clipping from Time herewith enclosed that I wish you'd keep for me as it gives quite an accurate picture of G.I.s and their opinions of Hollywood products. Time is mostly reliable in reporting from the war theatres as well as the home front. Do you read it regularly? Write soon.!

Your brother
Vic

P.S. - Just happened to remember several other things I meant to've mentioned.

Last night (rather Sat. nite) I saw a good show up at Bosley Field. Re-knowned violinist Steven Hero, a ballet dancer, and met. opera singer Agnes Davies performed then and another divisions' dance band was also featured. Did I tell you that I saw the tenor Felix Knight down on the 'Canal last year along with a USO troupe? Perhaps Bill Fiala would be interested to know the above-mentioned so kindly mention it to him when next you write his way and please urge him to write me a very long letter in the near future. I wrote to him again but he's still not replied.

Did I tell you that Jack Benny, Carole Landis & troupe are due here shortly? Boy! We're finally get some entertainment up this way and it's surprising everyone.

Some time back, I inquired of Wm. Horlick High School of my total credits and the necessary work required to get a diploma. After much red tape and filling in forms to the Armed Forces Institute I got an evaluation of in-service credits and Acting-Principal Smith wrote and said they were crediting 72.5 credits fro work done in the Army. They added this to my previous 127.8 points and now I total 200.3 credits. How many are required normally for graduation? The catch is that I still require the completion of Am. Literature, and taking a course in each to the following: English Literature, Am. History, and Economics. I've already enrolled for Am. History and certainly hope I now have time to knock out the lessons.

I'd like to get into the U.S. F..S. after the war. Can you give me any dope on required Civil Service exams?

Please don't ask me what we're doing 'cause the censorship regulations are getting very strict again.

Best regards,
Vic