August 26, 1945

(Letter from Vic in the Philippines to older brother Rudy and wife Ann in Passaic, New Jersey. Top photo is of Filipino family in front of a house. Bottom photo shows soldiers posing with civilians.)

Cagayan Valley,
N. Luzon, P.I.

Dear Ann and Rudy,

It's Sunday afternoon here with time on my hands. Most of the fellows are indulging in the increasingly popular pastime of snoozing or just plain old cat-naping. We don't call it siesta as the local inhabitant smight but by the Army term "bunk-fatigue".

Since the surrender we've had little do do. Imagine less duties will be performed when and if units are disbanded. Imagine there'll be a certain amount of stevadoring or its equivalent. Back on the 'canal in '43 we caught plenty of that at New Georgia and more of the same just prior to embarking from Bougie. Boy, those were some details? Worst was working down in the sweltering holds loading or unloading heavy ammo.

Yes, there are units in the Army known as Port Battalions and those're also their duties, but it seems they can't do all the work. Anyhow, on our amphibious operations we've always been called upon to help load and unload supplies in our convoy. In addition to that it's not been infrequently that we've been called upon to furnish working parties to unload rations from cargo vessels onto barges and assist in transporting same.

Ruts, those copies of the Sunday P.M. certainly are long enroute. Just got another June issue. Don't believe they even all came thru. Has the Army been known to hold up on any publications? Or is it the postal dep't? Been reading that article about Philippine politics by Alexander Uhl and find his info to be OK. Wherever he gets it it's certainly straight.

Have you known about the Huk Bal-Hob (spelling?) and their program. Soon after landing in Lingayan I picked up all kinds of reports about their activities and from all I've heard the balance is by far in their favor. they certainly eliminated collaborators that fell into their hands, and fought the Nips in some of the largest-scale and bloodiest battles with the Nips during the enemy occupations. Their operations closely resembled those of progressive partisans and they fought and're still fighting reactionaries here in the islands.

Can't tell exactly how the elections will turn out but believe the more progressive elevements should come into power. The strife is becoming more acute and politics concerns most Filipinos. That is, they're more ocncious of events to-day than they were in pre-war days. I've some good friends down in Manila (Filipino civilians) and now that we're corresponding regularly I've noted their social attitides are more advanced than they led me to believe when we used to talk over one thing and another.

Incidentally, I've sent some good reading material in the form of books and literature to several and they really appreciate it. Incidentally, Am. publications are not available to the civilian population on the commercial market - only material they get to read aside from their limited newspapers are currently popular Am. magazines that've ben presented to them by G.I.s or discarded by soldiers.

This limited supply has brought on such a demand that you can now find black-market book dealers 50 centavos (25 cents at official rates) per hr. to read such mags as Time, Life, etc. The cost of such as mag or a new novel is astounding. Don't recall exactly but I learned mags in Manila were being sold for five or ten pesos ($2.50 to $5.00) a book would bring from five to fifty pesos depending on demand. It's been estimated by some sources that our dollar is only worth seven cents in goods over here.

Well, that goes for the Manila metropolitan areas and certain other areas near big Army centers but not up here as yet. Our wants aren't many, and little is to be bought so prices haven't run away completely in these parts to date.

Youo asked if I'd had malaria previous - yes, about five times in all. Great majority of us've had it. Don't think it effects us noticeably in a temperate zone tho. Write soon & regularly!

Best Regards,
Vic