June 21, 1944

(Letter from Vic to younger brother Paul, sent from Bougainville, Solomon Islands to Berkeley, California. Picture is of Ben Louie holding Japanese flag.)

Wednesday Evening,

Dear Paul,

Well you certainly owe me a few replies now. Write as soon as you can spare the time to do so. don't be too particular about the subjects you bring up - write about any material you have on mind.

Please don't expect me to be quite so free in discussions though, cause we still have censorship and it's not actually lenient. Jake keeps reminding me to give out a little more info, but every time I bring up anything about these parts the line bounces back. His censors over in New Guinea don't worry about any phony security business and tend to leave correspondence interesting reading material.

I hope you've mailed the copies of those negatives I sent you on to the friends I mentioned. Do you have any recent prints of yourself? Would please have a print made from one of the negatives I sent you of a Chinese-Am buddy holding a Jap flag sent back to me?

Paul, if you should come across a High Standard or Woodsman, preferably the former, in the 4 1/2" or 6" barrel within the next month and a half I'd really appreciate having it sent over provided ammo is available. Sorry I ever parted with mine. As you previously mentioned, they're scarce as hell so don't put too much effort into finding one. Don't bother seeking after a month or so 'cause the time elasped before it arrived would be too much.

Don't think that I'm coming home, now! You've probably heard of the 2 yr system over in this theatre. Well, one only becomes eligible for rotation after 24 months and any amount of time (in months) may elaspe before one's name is drawn for the meager percentages, and then you sit it out for any spell awaiting transportation back to the States. More red tape is probably involved than paper comes off the Wall Street stock exchange tickers.

As you know, Jake Valentine is still in N.G. and he just passed his twenty-fourth month overseas while Max Mueckler wrote me some time ago from the same theatre saying he's 27 months rolled up.

I just finished "Under a Lucky Star" by Roy Chapman Andrews. Have you read Alexander Saxton's "Grand Crossing"? Let me know of any literature you've found interesting in recent months? What books have you sent?

Whenever you write Karl Greubel and Bill Fiala please remind them that they're non too prompt to reply thisaway and word will be appreciated. Rudy has been fairly prompt to answer some recent letters, but Git seems to be the only one with any initiative up at Ed's place. The folks write that none of them write very often to them at home. Can't you prompt them any or don't you get correspondence very regularly as far as they're concerned either?

Tell me of your plans regarding college re-enrollment this Fall? Exactly what will your course consist of? What events of interest have taken place in the bay area? Let me hear of the social activities as well as recreational you're participating in.

Enclosed are six prints that you can dispose of in the usual manner.

Best regards from your brother,
Vic