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#191 Navy #3247 (Mil. Govt) FPO San Francisco Saturday 7 April 7:30 pm My dearest darling, I'm just back from a trip to one of our neighboring islands, on official business. It was awfully good to get away and another day would have helped even more, but that much helped a good deal to freshen me up. There's been so much work lately getting new things started and the office well organized (it isn't quite yet, but we've made headway) that I was getting stale and really in need of a change. This time I learned that the rotation period for the boys in Hawaii has been set at 24 months rather than 18, which was never official but did apply in a number of cases (this affects Tel, Charlie, Evan and Kirby but not me) - that Boulder is not yet in full swing again (less than 150 there a month ago) but would probably be in the future; a new class was to begin April 1; that a number of Princeton men and one or two Columbia-names not familiar-were through a short while ago on their way to a plan that's now in the headlines; all were in the field for the first time and spent 3 or 4 days cramming on various tricks of the trade (the most trivial details, such as the uses of drumcans sawed in half, are awfully important at first and to these guys most of the information they got was new) - I talked to Columbia 8th Section Whitesell, who was in Carmel up to March 7 and must have passed you on the street now and then (he didn't buy his wife out and didn't [pg 2] go around with anyone you know) Had lunch with Bill Bull today - he's an awfully nice guy. Promised to get us a clock for the school and anything else we needed. Is quartered right on the white sand beach in a Quonset, and being in an air unit now has a lot more freedom than he did here. There's nothing stingy about the air corps (army or Navy) or the CBs- being construction and maintenance units directly involved in winning the war, they do things in a big way and count it all as expendable, whereas the Army garrison force and M.G. are concerned with preservation and conservation of material goods. As a result there is something awfully petty and trifling about the dealings of the latter (all the two-bit construction and mangling for materials drives engineering officers crazy); the former type of activity is usually generous with goods and services. [He?] morale tends to be good in such units and poor in the other type, at least relatively so. Like all the other officers in his unit, Bill has his own jeep (we don't even have one assigned to the Dept. of Education and Welfare - four officers); in his Quonset or just outside on the beach were four or five little boats made of bomber belly tanks [DRAWING] (the kind that are just dropped off when empty - made of light metal or heavy Masonite) in varying stages of completion, one finished with rudder, outrigger and sail. They’re not more than 100 feet from the turquoise blue water. [pg 3] Brought back with me two 16mm American films with Japanese titles and sound - one in a story of Toscanini's life and is accompanied by the Philharmonic had better not say where they come from, but from now on we'll be getting such film often. I don't feel apologetic this time about not writing for a couple of days - sometimes it's really hard on top of a dull day's and evening's work, sweetie, and it was good to get away from making any conscious effort at anything for a short while - but I was glad to come back to two letters and an envelope full of clippings from you. Also have an excellent letter from Henry which I'll send you as soon as I've answered it. Thank Bobbie again for the drawings (kite and saw) and tell him I'm glad he won a prize - did you send me the Far Eastern Survey for March 1st? I'm missing one between Feb. 14 and Mar. 14th, according to the volume and number - enjoyed various clippings. #162 (2/12): The fact that you were able to walk downtown alone at night is good, sweetie. Be careful, but not afraid. You mention Walter's remarks about reassignment from CASA rather than Hawaii - I've kept after that story wherever I could check it, and it's time to the extent [pg 4] that the pool (including men already in Hawaii- that probably goes for Coach) is being transferred back there, but - there is no certainty that men further out in the field will go back before going out again. The likelihood is rather that unless they've been out 18 mos. and an entitled (if they are, officially) to a month's leave they'll be sent directly from a brief stop in Hawaii. Inasmuch as this setup is better for me than almost anything I could get into elsewhere in the field, I'm not making any transfer request yet. But gradually I'm picking up information, and time. #163- Barbara's making you justifiably mad talking about picnics with George reminds me of Henry's letter, which made me laugh - “I am sorry Bobby ran into the Corrigans…because I don't think they are the most interesting couple to be around that I know. George is a nice guy but a bit tired, and Barbara's shrill conceit would, in spite of her genuine kindness and friendliness, drive me to drink (if I weren't already [th?])…” #164 (Valentine's Day) - I'm so glad Sammy made it! Wasn't quite sure that my letter’d arrive on time. Gosh, what a long time ago - the party with nurses on which you comment - haven't been near a babe since, [pg 5] except Mrs. Shinozaki (remind me to tell you about Mrs. Shinozaki!) “The school is just your fate…” Huh, if this keeps on the way it has been I'll never want to see a school - or even a single brat - again. But it won't, not quite at least. Yes, sweetie, do keep trying to get film and printing paper. Esp. 35mm, but any you get I can probably find a camera for a swap. #165: How about sending me one snapshot of Agnes and Pamela? Thank Norman for his offer to do enlarging, etc. Take him up on it as your own discretion. I have to have one (contact) print of every picture made here on the island; in order to send negatives, a censored print must accompany each of them. Did you buy a Thorndike or just find it at the library? Indeed one from T.C. Bookstore and it should be here soon. No matter if you [?] one too, though, - I can leave it at the school where it's sure to be valuable in the future. #166-7 #168 You speak of reading 5 books and make me jealous. I do need more free time, just to myself to read and think a little, than I have. I don't like being completely busy. (And no sooner have I written that line than I came to “I’d a heck of a lot rather be in your shoes right now than here in [pg 6] my own. At least you are one of a group, living under the same conditions…I don't even have anyone to do things [?] or gripe to. I feel so damn unbalanced most of the time - I'm sure going to need a lot of reconditioning when you get home” - My precious darling, I feel unbalanced a lot of the time too, I really do, but I don't think either of us will need so much reconditioning. What we both need right now is each other and about a fourth of each other's routine - that would be blissfully perfect. The time will come, not to mention other things. #169 (Feb. 19) - Any more complaints on Doris White? Her gossiping made me mad for a moment too until I thought, how trivial. But it's not very pleasant to be around that sort of thing. Yes, I'll send you translations (of wedding invitations, etc.) in the future. I continue to love hearing about Wendy There! After a month and a half I've finally caught up! - to #193 of March 13 - That's for tomorrow. To bed now, pronto I love you with all that's in me, my darling Warren
