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263 Navy #3247 (Mil. Govt) FPO San Francisco 1 July 1945 High Noon Dearly Beloved, I suppose there is no need of my announcing the fact when a fresh box of stationery arrives. This too was in perfect shape. Thank you, darling. Today is the official date for the start of my tenth month overseas. It will be better for you to think in terms of the first of the month, since that's the way it will be recorded. Now, officially and actually, we've passed the halfway mark. Currently it seems to me likely that in another 3 or 4 months - making it 12 or 13 months overseas - I will be relieved and reassigned from Monterey. In that case I should get 30 days leave - whether one gets leave or not, the count begins all over again if you set foot on the mainland. There is little likelihood, however that I would not get 30 days if I went thru CASA. To look at things from your standpoint - and essentially, from mine also - there is a fair chance that I may not go on [pg 2] any assault at all; that is, that I will either be sent out of here (thru Hawaii) as a replacement to some place where I’d presumably spend the rest of the war, up to the balance of my 18 months; or that I may arrive in CASA too late to be scheduled on an assault time. In this event I should probably go out anyhow on D+90 or something like that, though there's a possibility (I think) that I might not go out again at all. The chances are that, after one to three months in the States, I will go, and that it won't be with a prospect of being away 18 months this time. #307 Have Barbara C. and George found their place yet? And when is Barbara's book to come out? I'm curious. Yes the Marine colonel Walter wrote about is the one; he will undoubtedly make brigadier general now. Incidentally, we had word the other day that our first C.O. here (recently on Guam and now in the States, is now Brigadier General James. Everyone was pleased at the news. I don't know whether to sympathize or to [pg 3] laugh when you tell me about Wendy's provoking recalcitrance. Her “reading” or The Three Little Pigs in mimicry of your reading tone was fun. 9:15 Tel got back from Guam and Saipan this afternoon having accomplished the impossible (that guy can talk himself into anything, with his mixture of boyish, obstensibly ungenerous enthusiasm and earnestness plus a lawyer's [agg?] instinct and shrewdness) by bringing back by air about 500# of merchandise - an excellent electric phonograph with a larger amplifier and microphone attachment; a carton, about 4 x 4 x 3 feet, full of games and anagrams; two radios; a 35 mm still projector with several rolls of film of American scenes - captions in Japanese; and a couple of other odd boxes. The phonograph and games were bought out of Parent-Teachers Assoc. Funds; the rest of the stuff [pg 4] was supplied by the OW, who will soon have more of such film for teaching purposes and also movies with Japanese sound strips. We've known for some time that we were to get this and other equipment; it was primarily for that purpose that we had the teachers build the new auditorium, and now we’re beginning to get the things to use in it. Tel was also empowered by the P.T.A. to buy a piano (about $375) but there were none in stock. There will be later, however. All such equipment is sent out to Guam for sale in this area to Military personnel recreation organization, who buys them out of funds supplied by the [Men?]; Tel had to do some tall talking to get permission to buy them. Back to your letters - #309 (308 is missing) Darling, I rejoiced at your words - “…now I can see more clearly your intense desire [pg 5] to do a real job and do it well, and darling, I respect and love you all the more for it…” I love you all the more for saying that, and for having learned it. The word ‘intense’ makes it sound a little melodramatic - it isn't a matter of gritting one's teeth and setting out to do or die; it's just something I take for granted. As for what I can accomplish, I would say that (because I was not schooled in growing up to handle men - I mean one's colleagues, not one's subordinates) I am somewhat less capable at the work in hand than either Tel is or Charlie Frankel would be; but that doesn't shame me; every man to his own merits. At any rate we’re getting somewhere, with our combined efforts, and if Tinian is amongst the pleasanter spots in the Pacific, our setup here is easily the most pleasant and comfortable spot on Tinian. Mon 7:15 am Can't linger long now to finish this up - we [pg 6] have a new public address system on which someone announces at 7 each morning “see Hands Turn Turn To - an Hands Turn To” There is also a record of bugle calls, but they’re played only for flagraising at 8 am and lowering at sundown. Till later - I love you, sweetie Warren
